87 years ago today – during the evening of November 9 and the morning of November 10 – the nightmare that ended with the senseless murder of more than six million Jewish men, women, and children simply because they were Jewish began. There is no greater example of what can happen when hate is left unchecked than the Holocaust. Kristallnacht stands today as solemn warning ~ especially with rising antisemitism and hate confronting Jewish people throughout the world including here in New York State. We MUST remember the past and reaffirm the importance of human rights. We are at a time and place where the prelude to the worst chapter in history is showing signs of happening again. Antisemitism has increased dramatically. We MUST take action to ensure that freedom and democracy is protected. Remember, as Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel said, “the opposite of love is not hate, it is indifference.” On this Kristallnacht let us all pledge that we will not succumb to indifference. Zachor ~ Remember.