SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio’s Jewish community and their partners came together to preach a message of unity over hate.
“All mighty God bestow your magnificent blessings upon the leadership and the citizens of our great and beloved city of San Antonio, Texas, which stands as a beacon of peace,” Rabbi Chaim Block said during an opening prayer.
Hundreds of people joined in that prayer Tuesday night. It was a prayer of acceptance despite our differences.
#StartingSoon The Jewish Family Service, the Jewish Federation of San Antonio, and the Barshop Jewish Community Center of San Antonio are hosting a “Unity against Hate” event starting at 6:15 pm @ksatnews pic.twitter.com/hkf05YVMNW
— Leigh Waldman (@LeighWaldman) November 9, 2021
“We have seen acts of hatred and intolerance and antisemitism. And as the message stated tonight, those are diseased roots, and we will pull them out of our garden,” San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg said.
In addition to the show of solidarity with the Jewish people, the event honored the 83rd anniversary of Kristallnacht, “The Night of Broken Glass” a two-day attack on Jewish synagogues, homes, and businesses in Germany where almost 100 people died.
“Kristallnacht was an act of domestic terrorism,” said Winslow Swart, a past chair of the Jewish Community Relations Counsel.
The Anniversary of Kristallnacht comes weeks after antisemitic messages spread in our city. The rhetoric drew symmetry to November 1938 but with a different outcome.
“Even the communities of where Kristallnacht took place in the Germany, the community didn’t respond. They didn’t say “not here,” and so the genocide began. But here in San Antonio, we’re gonna say, “Not here, not here, not now. Never again,” said Nammie Ichilove, the president & CEO of the Jewish Federation of San Antonio.
Bexar County Commissioners signed a proclamation remembering Kristallnacht and vowing to drive out hate whenever present and promote human dignity.