88 Years Later, Kristallnacht Reminds Canadians where Hate Leads

Ottawa, Canada - November 9, 2026 - Today, on the 88th anniversary of Kristallnacht (Night of Broken Glass), the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs issued the following statement:

Eighty-eight years ago, Nazi leaders unleashed a coordinated campaign of terror against Germany's Jews. As eyewitness Rabbi Karl Richter described it, this was the opening shot in Hitler's war.

More than 1,400 synagogues were burned. Thousands of Jewish-owned businesses vandalized. Homes looted. Jews humiliated, assaulted, and murdered in the streets. More than 26,000 Jewish men sent to concentration camps.

As we reflect on this dark chapter, we are reminded that its lessons remain urgent today.

For more than three years, Jewish Canadians have faced a surge in antisemitism, hate, and violence. Libels and conspiracies about Jews and Israel - from COVID to Gaza - have been amplified by extremists used to radicalize others and target our community.

But history teaches us that antisemitism is never only a Jewish problem. When hatred goes unchecked, it threatens not only Jews, but the safety, freedoms, and democratic values that all Canadians share.

We call on leaders from all levels of government to confront the scourge of violent extremism by committing to greater protection and prevention, including stopping radicalization and extremism before it takes root.