Today marks 88 years since Kristallnacht, the Night of Broken Glass.
On November 9–10, 1938, acting on orders from Nazi leadership, Nazi groups carried out violent attacks against Jews throughout Germany and Nazi-annexed territories. Ordinary citizens joined in the violence. More than 1,400 synagogues were destroyed, thousands of Jewish-owned businesses were vandalized, and Jewish homes were attacked.
Jewish men, women, and children were terrorized, humiliated, and assaulted. Some were murdered. Approximately 30,000 Jewish men were arrested, with some 26,000 imprisoned in concentration camps simply because they were Jewish.
The shattered glass from Jewish storefronts gave Kristallnacht its name. It marked a terrifying turning point in Nazi persecution of the Jewish people, which would ultimately lead to the Holocaust.
Yesterday, on the eve of this solemn commemoration, frightening echoes of that hatred were heard on the streets of Philadelphia.
A group of anti-Zionist activists organized a bicycle rally targeting Jewish-owned restaurants, declaring, “No business for Zionists!” and demanding that these establishments leave their city.
What happened in Philadelphia was horrendous, though vastly different in scale and severity from the Nazi violence of 1938. We cannot equate the two. But the deliberate targeting of Jewish businesses, and the calls to boycott them, carry a chilling historical echo. Eighty-eight years later, hearing such messages directed at Jewish establishments on American streets should disturb us all.
Yet what happened next was truly inspiring.
People came out to stand against the hatred. Israeli flags filled the streets. Supporters lined up outside the targeted restaurants, turning a campaign of intimidation into a powerful demonstration of solidarity. The bike rally was met not with silence, but with courage.
And that is a powerful lesson as we remember Kristallnacht 88 years later.
We cannot always prevent hatred from finding its voice. But we can make certain that hatred is never the only voice heard.
Yesterday, Philadelphia reminded us what it means to stand up, show up, and refuse to be silent.
Am Yisrael Chai.
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