Atlanta Remembers Kristallnacht

“Ninety-one Jews were killed, 30,000 Jews were sent to concentration camps, 5,000 Jewish shops were looted, and 191 synagogues were attacked,” Rabbi Brian Glusman told community members gathered at the Marcus Jewish Community Center on Thursday, Nov. 9, to commemorate the 79th anniversary of Kristallnacht with a candle-lighting ceremony and a reading by guest speaker Alexandra Zapruder.

Students from the Weber School chorus sang “Esa Einai” and “Beautiful Dawn,” and Zapruder read from Klaus Langer’s diary, describing what his family experienced the day after Kristallnacht.

“We look back on this time, and we see it in broad strokes. But when you hear the account as it was written, it brings the details to life,” said Zapruder, the author of “Twenty-Six Seconds.”

Rain forced the program inside to the Morris and Rae Frank Theatre and from the Besser Holocaust Memorial Garden. Marlene and Abe Besser led the candle ceremony, and Rabbi Glusman’s father, Fred Glusman, recited the “El Maleh” prayer.

“Tonight, we remember all those lives who were affected on that dreadful night,” Rabbi Brian Glusman said. “We remember the arrests and the deportations. … We remember a night of darkness and fear that swept the heartland, and we remember those who were persecuted, Jews for being Jews.”

: Book Festival author and guest speaker Alexandra Zapruder lights the last candle.

: Abe Besser watches as JCC Vice Chairman Ken Winkler lights a candle.

: Epstein School eighth-grader Joshua Sampson plays “Erev Shel Shoshanim” as people arrive for the Kristallnacht ceremony.

: Singing under the direction of Drew Cohen are Weber School students (from left) Chloe Deutsch, Natalie Abramova, Leah Cohen, May Abravanel, Lindsey Gelernter, Rebecca Glusman and Shayna Fraley.