SOLD OUT: Ellen V. & Philip L. Glass Holocaust Commemorative Series | Memory and Warning: A Kristallnacht Commemoration

November 10, 2025 | 6:30pm CST

Am Shalom, 840 Vernon Ave, Glencoe, IL 60022

On the night of November 9–10, 1938, a wave of coordinated, state-sponsored violence swept across Germany, Austria, and the Sudetenland. Known as Kristallnacht, or the “Night of Broken Glass,” this pogrom was a brutal turning point in Nazi persecution of the Jewish people. Synagogues burned. Shops and homes were destroyed. It was an act of terror that resulted in the murder of nearly 100 Jews and the mass arrest and deportation of 30,000 Jewish men to concentration camps.

Eighty-seven years later, we gather not just to remember this darkness, but to find the resolve to build a better future. Featuring a powerful keynote by Dr. Timothy Snyder, acclaimed historian and best-selling author of such works as Bloodlands and On Tyranny, Snyder will share his unique perspective on this history, offering a nuanced examination of our present and the shared responsibility we have to protect freedom. This poignant evening will also include remarks from German Consul General to the Midwest, Michael Ahrens and Deputy Israeli Consul General to the Midwest, Delphine Gamburg, as well as a candle-lighting ceremony featuring Survivors and descendants of Survivors, and memorial prayers led by Senior Cantor Andrea Rae Markowicz of Am Shalom.

Thank you for your interest. This program is at capacity.

Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center is a partner with the Jewish United Fund in serving our community. 

Community Partners: 3G Chicago, Am Shalom, CJE SeniorLife/ Holocaust Community Services, Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany to the Midwest,  Consulate  General of Israel to the Midwest, The Decalogue Society of Lawyers ;  Illinois Jewish Judges Association

Photo credits: Timothy Snyder (Photo credit Charlotte Lesnick)

Keep In Touch

Newsletter

This site uses cookies to offer you a better browsing experience. If you continue using our website, we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies on this website and you agree to our Privacy Policy.

Dismiss