Kristallnacht commemorated at Long Beach City Hall
The City of Long Beach commemorated Kristallnacht with an observance at City Hall on Sunday. Kristallnacht, or “Night of Broken Glass,” is the event that signaled the start of the Holocaust when the Nazis unleashed a series of riots against Jewish owned stores, community centers, homes and synagogues.
City, county, state and religious leaders from local congregations joined together in prayer and remembrance with Holocaust survivors, including keynote speaker David Gewirtzman. Master of Ceremonies was Holocaust Memorial Committee co-President Vincent Marmorale, who welcomed guest speakers City Council Vice President Mona Goodman, Nassau County Legislator Denise Ford, Senator Dean Skelos, Rabbi Noah Gradofsky and Ashley Wiener, the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors Henry and Sally Wiener. The Joint Veterans Organization lead the Pledge of Allegiance, Dora Heller conducted a candle lighting ceremony and El Molei Rachamim was recited by Sidney Saltzman at the Holocaust Monument at Kennedy Plaza. Long Beach High School student Russell Goetz lent his voice in song with the National Anthem and
Hatikvah.
The Kristallnacht remembrance was sponsored by the Holocaust Memorial Committee of Long Island. For more information go to www.holocaustcommitteeli.org.
