Congregation Beth Israel to Commemorate Kristallnacht

Congregation Beth Israel in Scotch Plains will commemorate the anniversary of Kristallnacht on Friday evening, November 18, at 7:30 p.m. This night of remembrance will feature a presentation by Fran Malkin, who survived the Holocaust as a young girl. The program will take place during Congregation Beth Israel’s Friday night Shabbat services, and is free and open to the community. An Oneg Shabbat dessert reception will follow.

Kristallnacht, which translates as “crystal night” in German, is also called the "Night of Broken Glass." Kristallnacht refers to the violent attacks that the Nazis waged against Jews on November 9 and 10, 1938 throughout Germany, Austria, and parts of occupied Czechoslovakia. The name Kristallnacht comes from the broken glass that littered the streets after Jewish homes, schools, synagogues, and stores were damaged and destroyed. With Jews beaten, killed and sent to concentration camps, Kristallnacht is often seen as the beginning of the Holocaust.

Fran Malkin will tell her story of survival as a very young child during the Holocaust. Born in the town of Sokal, in what was then called Eastern Galicia (now Ukraine), Fran and her family were hidden during the Holocaust in a pig barn for 18 months and were forced to live under extremely difficult conditions. Fran will also share her journey to a new life in the United States. She currently lives in West Orange and is on the Board of the Drew Holocaust Genocide Center.

The program is sponsored by the synagogue’s Second/Third Generation Holocaust Survivors Group. This support group, which was created at Congregation Beth Israel, also includes participants from area synagogues. The group plans events, such as the Kristallnacht Remembrance, to educate the public about the Holocaust and to honor and remember those who suffered and perished.

The Kristallnacht commemoration will take place at Congregation Beth Israel, located at 18 Shalom Way, Scotch Plains, NJ (corner of Martine Avenue).

For additional information about Congregation Beth Israel’s Kristallnacht commemoration, contact co-chairs Faye Bodenstein (frgbnj@aol.com), Claire Bornstein (clairebn@comcast.net) or Rita Geller (rgeller416@gmail.com), or call the synagogue office at (908) 889-1830.