Light Up The Church

July 2024: Kristallnacht News Update

Thank you again for signing the Kristallnacht declaration. Every month we send a few stories about Kristallnacht and the Holocaust that made the news in the previous month. Towards November 2024 we will share information about Light Up The Church 2024.

Below is the update from the stories of July 2024.

  • Windows Smashed at Toronto Synagogue Reminiscent of Kristallnacht

    Pride of Israel synagogue in Toronto was attacked on Sunday morning, with rocks and stones shattering glass panels and stained glass windows. This incident is part of a disturbing pattern of violence against Jewish institutions in Canada, drawing comparisons to Kristallnacht. Police are investigating it as a potential hate crime amidst growing concerns from the Jewish community.

  • 3,000 Shoes of Children Murdered at Auschwitz Restored

    A conservation project, led by the Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation and the International March of the Living, has restored over 3,000 shoes belonging to children murdered at Auschwitz. Launched in April 2023, this effort addresses the deterioration of these precious artifacts, preserving them as enduring evidence of the Holocaust's horrors. As global antisemitism rises, this project serves as a powerful reminder of the consequences of hatred and the importance of remembering the innocent lives lost.

  • How this soccer player saved a Jewish teenager from persecution in Nazi Germany

    In May 1938, 17-year-old German-Jewish Rolf Friedland stood outside the stadium after a soccer match, hoping that one of England's players could help him escape Nazi persecution. With his family already fled, Friedland’s only hope was to seek aid from a player. His plea was successful, leading to his escape and new life as Ralph Freeman.

  • Teen and Holocaust survivor who met volunteering become ‘dynamic duo’

    Stanley and Janine Oberrotman have been close friends since they met at the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center in Skokie, Ill., a year and a half ago. They meet every Sunday to talk about books and history, and occasionally Dhilan will share his latest math and science grades.