The Hebrew month of Cheshvan is fast approaching. The Holocaust Museum in Porto—the only one in Europe led by a Jewish community—is preparing to welcome thousands of teenagers from Portuguese schools. As there are no Jewish festivals during Cheshvan, the month will be dedicated to fostering education about the greatest anti-Jewish tragedy the world has witnessed in recent centuries.
The state-sponsored Nazi pogrom known as Kristallnacht (the "Night of Broken Glass") took place on the night of November 9–10, 1938. On the Hebrew calendar, November 9, 1938, corresponded directly to the 15th of Cheshvan, 5699. Because the Hebrew calendar follows a lunar cycle, the 15th of the month always brings a full moon. Historical accounts note that the shattered glass from looted Jewish stores, homes, and synagogues glinted heavily under the bright light of that night's full moon.
In Jewish tradition, Cheshvan is often referred to as Mar Cheshvan (Bitter Cheshvan) precisely because it is the only month on the calendar that contains no major holidays or fast days. The devastation of Kristallnacht—which resulted in the destruction of over 1,400 synagogues and the arrest of 30,000 Jewish men—further solidified the month's solemn association with historical tragedy and suffering.
