A special evening in Rome honored IDF soldiers and wounded veterans while marking the 86th anniversary of Kristallnacht, organizers said. Held in the Italian capital on the Kristallnacht anniversary period, the event combined commemoration with messages of resilience and support for Israelis serving and recovering from injury. According to the organizers, the program brought together community leaders, artists, and supporters to underscore continuity of Jewish memory alongside modern Jewish strength.
‘A strong state that protects the Jewish people’
Shimon Sabag, founder and CEO of Yad Ezer L’Haver, told attendees that the lesson of Kristallnacht is the obligation to remember and to fortify one another. “On Kristallnacht there was no state to protect the Jews, and the world remained silent. Today, the people of Israel are stronger than ever. We have a state, we have an army, and we have soldiers who protect all of us with their bodies and souls,” he said.
Yaarith Shoshan, founder and president of SOS Israel and director of the project, said the evening sought to confront contemporary antisemitism through culture and truth-telling. “At a time when antisemitism is once again raising its head across Europe and the world, it is our responsibility to fight it, not only through words, but through art, documentation, and the exposure of the stories of IDF heroism,” she said.
‘Heroism and Light’ exhibition anchors the event
At the center of the evening stood a photography exhibition, “Heroism and Light – Warriors for Warriors,” initiated by Shoshan with leading Israeli photographers. The portraits depict IDF soldiers, women and men, alongside President Isaac Herzog, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, actors from the series Fauda, and other public figures, all presented to show “the true face of Israel,” the organizers said.
The exhibition has been shown in New York, Jerusalem, and Tel Aviv and will continue touring Europe and North America as an expression of solidarity with Israeli soldiers and as a cultural tool in the fight against antisemitism, according to organizers.
Music and testimony: Nadav Yaish moves the audience
Singer and actor Nadav Yaish, himself wounded during military service, shared his story of recovery and service, then performed a set that closed with a communal rendition of “Shir LaMa’alot” (A Song of Ascents). Audience members described the moment as a unifying expression of faith and perseverance.
The Rome program’s dual message, remembrance and renewal, was distilled in Shoshan’s appeal: “By presenting the beautiful face of the people of Israel and the courage of its soldiers, we are sending a message of light and hope to the entire world.”