CONGREGATION SHA'AR ZAHAV

"Kristallnacht" (Night of Broken Glass) refers to the organized anti-Jewish riots in Germany and Austria, November 9-10, 1938. More than two hundred synagogues, seventy-five hundred businesses and countless homes were systematically ravaged and destroyed by state-sponsored terror. These riots marked a major transition in Nazi policy, and were, in many ways, a harbinger of the "Final Solution."

On retrospect, Kristallnacht was more than a shattering of windows and illusions. It portended the physical destruction of European Jewry. As such, this commemoration is observed both as a memorial, as well as a call to action. An important action that we can take is to insure that the young and vibrant progressive Jewish community in Poland continues to grow.  One way to do this is to befriend and support Beit Warszawa, Warsaw's Progressive Jewish synagogue.

Please join me and members from our Eastern European pilgrimage as we launch our sibling relationship with Beit Warszawa on Sunday, November 9 at 6:30pm.  We will begin with a brief Memorial Ma'ariv service followed by a special video appearance from Rabbi Burt Schuman from Beit Warszawa and conclude the evening by making some tangible commitments to Jewish renewal in Poland.

I do hope you will join us for this most memorable evening.

Rabbi Camille Shira Angel