On November 9 the Embassy of the state of Israel in the Republic of Kazakhstan, with the assistance of the N. Nazarbayev Center for the development of interfaith and intercivilizational dialogue, held an online solidarity event dedicated to the 82nd anniversary of the tragic events called "Kristallnacht".
November 9, 1938 – "Kristallnacht or Night of broken Windows" - is the day when the destruction of more than 1,400 synagogues and Jewish communities in Europe began. This critical moment was one of the fundamental factors of the Holocaust.
As life shows, today various religious organizations are still under attack all over the world.
The unity and solidarity campaign started on November 2, 2020 in an online format on the website www.motl.org/let-there-be-light and it will end on November 9, 2020, where you can make your own promise or make a common decision to "Unite the world by shedding light on the darkness of hatred."
The slogan of the campaign is "Let there be light", which calls on everyone to unite in solidarity against anti-Semitism, racism, hatred and intolerance, as well as to promise to prevent the closure of religious organizations and institutions around the world.
Representatives of religious confessions of the Republic of Kazakhstan joined this campaign together with the leadership of the Embassy of Israel and The N. Nazarbayev Center for the development of interfaith and intercivilizational dialogue in order to form a tolerant attitude to each other, solidarity and joint efforts in maintaining international peace and harmony.
Chairman of the Board of the N. Nazarbayev Center for the development of interfaith and intercivilizational dialogue Altay Abibullayev noted in his speech that " modern Kazakhstan is a model of peace, social harmony, a center of spiritual unity and stability, unites representatives of 130 ethnic groups and 18 religious denominations. The Jewish community is an integral part of the ethnic mosaic of our interethnic harmony. In this regard, intercultural dialogue, unity and tolerance are relevant for Kazakhstan at all times."
"We convey a call for unity from representatives of various religions-against hatred, racism and anti-Semitism. The state of Israel highly appreciates that Kazakhstan continues the policy of peace, mutual understanding and dialogue between religions," said Ambassador Liat Wekselman.
The first prayer was read by the Naib Imam of Hazrat Sultan Mosque Bakhytzhan Imam.
"I express my words of support and solidarity so that the tragic events of Kristallnacht will never happen again," Archpriest Dmitry Baidek said before the prayer.
The representative of the Catholic Church, his grace Bishop Athanasius Schneider, stressed that Kristallnacht was the beginning of a great injustice and persecution of the Jewish people. Let us offer a prayer for the repose of the souls of all the victims of these persecutions."
"We are in a country where freedom of religion is one of the important principles and love for other people, regardless of their faith and nationality, is an important aspect," said chief Rabbi of Nur - Sultan and Akmola region Shmuel Karnauh.
Kristallnacht got its name from the shards of glass that covered the streets of Germany and marked the beginning of the pogrom. They were fragments of broken Windows of synagogues, houses, shops and private institutions belonging to Jews, looted and destroyed during this violence.
