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Remembering Kristallnacht 'Night of Broken Glass'

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Remembering Kristallnacht 'Night of Broken Glass' For parish reflection & prayer Remembering Kristallnacht 9 November 1938 ‘Night of Broken Glass’ What is Kristallnacht? Did you know? Kristallnacht Kristallnacht • Each year the anniversary of is the name given to , 9 November, is Kristallnacht The only known private the night of 9 November 1938, when a summons to vigilance and demonstration against a Nazi-inspired violent rampage responsibility for the human was led by an Aboriginal Australian, in Germany and Austria destroyed family. It is a moment when William Cooper, in 1938. KristallnachtJewish businesses, synagogues, Christians along with people of sacred books and human lives. every race and creed can join With supporters he walked to the is generally viewed as together to say ‘never again’ to German Consulate and attempted a critical step in the furthering of anti-Semitism and to every form to deliver a petition (which was rejected) protesting the treatment NaziKristallnacht policy that led to the Shoah/ Waysof destructionto commemorate of human dignity. Holocaust. Today the anniversary Kristallnacht of Jews. of is a date widely Become informed In 2010 Cooper was formally commemorated.Why remember? acknowledged at Israel’s Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial with • Visit the website of Yad Vashem/ the establishment of the Chair for In writing this page for a Christian International School for the Study of Resistance during the Kristallnachtaudience, we ask: Why should Holocaust StudiesYadVashem.org and make use Holocaust, in tribute to William • Christians,Kristallnacht in particular, remember of their resources for education ShareCooper. a message with your ? and e-learning. networks occurred in • The Sydney Jewish Museum Christian Europe where many of in Darlinghurst has a the protagonists and bystanders diverse range of educational • Share this page, or a portion of were baptised Christians. programs. Visit the museum in it, via your newsletter, website, • As an ideology Nazism had no sydneyjewishmuseum.com.au Darlinghurst, and their website: dbb.org.au/ecumenism-interfaithsocial media. basis in Christianity, however • Download this page at: its propaganda drew on anti- We Remember: a Reflection Semitic stereotypes that had • onRead the the Shoah 1998 Vatican document been entrenched in Christian thinking,Kristallnacht, and therefore in . This and other Attend or European societies, for centuries. important Churchccjr.us/dialogika- documents on create a • Thus and the resourcesJewish-Christian relations are memorial Holocaust itself, is a chapter, available at: service - see not only in Jewish history, but overleaf. in Christian history as well. As • Antisemitism is on the rise a Church we must own the dark in the world today. Be alert • Kristallnachtaspects of our past in order to be and informed about the facts. freed from them. adl.org/anti-semitismVisit the website of the Anti- speaks of the Defamation League: critical importancethere wasof ‘now.’ still It timerecalls a specific moment in history when Photos at top of page depict scenes from Kristallnacht: a synagogue burns; destroyed interior for people to speak up; a of a synagogue; Torah scrolls rescued from fire; arrest of Jews by SS; destruction of a Jewish- owned store. Photos from Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum, Israel. Used with permission. moment which passed all too http://www.yadvashem.org/yv/en/education/learning_environments/kristallnacht.asp silently. Evil triumphed because good people did nothing. Attend or create a memorial service St Pope John Paul II • Attend a Kristallnacht memorial service in your locality. “Where Catholics are The NSW Council of Christians and Jews holds an annual memorial service in Martin Place, Sydney. In concerned, it will continue 2014 it takes place at 12 noon on Friday 7 November. to be an explicit and very • Conduct a memorial service in your home or classroom important part of my mission or parish. This might be as simple as lighting a candle and sharing a story and prayer (see below). to repeat and emphasize that our attitude to the Jewish A ritual of remembrance Prayer religion should be one of the For the home, classroom, parish: greatest respect, since the Catholic faith is rooted in the Leader: The words of the ancient I have become like a broken vessel. eternal truths contained in • Read the story psalm echo in our hearts: I hear the whispering of many - the Hebrew Scriptures, and • Pause to remember terror on every side - as they scheme • Pray the prayer together against me, as they plot in the irrevocable covenant Leader• Share a thought to take my life. But I trust in you, O made with Abraham. We, too, Lord: I say, ‘you are my God.’ gratefully hold these same We gather to remember for a truths of our Jewish heritage, purpose, namely to remember (Psalm 31:13-14; prayed by Pope John and look upon you as our PaulI trust II on in his you; visit I tosay: Yad you Vashem, are my Israel) the millions of innocent victims of God. brothers and sisters in the Nazism, and to ensure that never All: Lord. again will such evil prevail. May our active faith commitment be part of Kristallnacht L: We pray for all who were “For the Jewish people that ‘Never again.’ Story murdered on and in themselves, Catholics should the Holocaust, and for those who have not only respect but survived and who kept alive their Donia Rosen was 12 when she hid also great fraternal love; names,May their we never memories. forget. in the forest after her family was for it is the teaching of murdered. Donia survived and All: both the Hebrew and the immigrated to Israel. The following L: We pray for the courage and Christian Scriptures that are words she wrote in her diary: commitment to stand against anti- the Jews are beloved of God “Words fail me, but I must write, Semitism and every kind of racial I must. I ask you not to forget the and Mayreligious God strengthen hatred in our us. day. who has called them with deceased. I beg and implore you an irrevocable calling. No All: to avenge our blood... I ask you to valid theological justification build a memorial in our names, L: We pray that our and future could ever be found for a monument reaching up to the generationsKristallnacht of Christians will never heavens, that the entire world again tolerate the conditions which acts of discrimination or might see. Not a monument of allowedNever again. Never to again. occur. persecution against Jews. In marble or stone, but one of good All: fact, such acts must be held deeds, for I believe with full and to be sinful.” perfect faith that only such a L: We pause for further prayers, monument can promise you and shared aloud or silent in our hearts. Excerpt from address to the your childrenForest, a betterMy Friend future.” [pause] Jewish community in Sydney, 26 November 1986: (Rosen, Donia, , Yad L: Living God, Source of life, Creator Vashem: Jerusalem, 1985, p. 94) and healer of the world; hear all our http://www.yadvashem.org/yv/en/ prayers as we place our hope in you education/ceremonies/auschwitz_final_ Amen who reign, forever and ever. stop.asp#18 Candlelighting & Silence All:Final thoughts Parish Support Unit Catholic Diocese of Broken Bay PO Box 340 Pennant Hills NSW 2120 Individuals may wish to share dbb.org.au/ecumenism-interfaith In reponse to the plea a personal connection with this of 12 year old Donia, confronting topic. E.g., perhaps let us light a candle you know personally a Holocaust of remembrance and survivor; perhaps you have visited pause in silence. Yad Vashem in Israel or the Jewish Museum in Sydney. Briefly share a thought, a reflection, if you wish..
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