Jewish community reacts to the death of Elie Wiesel

Marilyn Harran, Director of the Rodgers Center for Holocaust Education at Chapman University

Harran knew Elie Wiesel from the four years during which he visited as a distinguished scholar. On the day of his death, she sent the following message to the Rodgers Center board:

This is a very difficult day. What Elie meant to our Chapman program and to me is more than I can ever adequately express. Elie liked to say “life is not made up of years, but of moments,” and I think he found his moments at Chapman, particularly with our students, among the most meaningful of the latter years of his life. He was described by the Nobel Committee as a “messenger to mankind,” which, of course, he was, but I think he treasured even more than the Nobel Prize and all the other accolades he received, the title of teacher. Elie taught not only in the classroom and in his books but through his very being in the world. He struggled to understand throughout his life after the Holocaust how human beings could murder one another, and he struggled to understand how both the divine and much of humankind could be seemingly silent while genocide occurred. A lesser person might have given up struggling, but not Elie. He remained true to his Hasidic upbringing, saying even though he might not dress like a Hasid, he was a Hasid, and he continued to be a devout Jew. He believed his Judaism drew him closer to all of humanity, and so it did. His kindness and gentleness of spirit were unfailing. Sometimes I wondered if he really knew he was famous. He was undemanding and always grateful even for the smallest of thoughtful gestures. I think back to some of the moments I think he most enjoyed at Chapman, and I remember how much he liked “surprises.” He never really wanted to know in advance what I had planned for his time at Chapman, and I think sometimes he just tuned me out when I went into painfully precise, minute by minute detail, of what his stay four months later would include. That in itself I found remarkable. It speaks to his anticipation and hope for the good, even when it meant being vulnerable to pain. He believed even when he suffered the most in the human possibilities to be and to do good. He inspired us all to try to meet his hopes, to be better individuals, and to create a world where no child would suffer as he did.

There is much more I could write, but in the end, words will not express either the depth of my grief and my gratitude for all he has given to Chapman, to our students, and to me. I know the traditional Jewish statement is “may his name be forever a blessing.” I believe with all my heart his name will be that forever.

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister

The State of Israel and the Jewish people mourn the passing of Elie Wiesel. Through his unforgettable books, moving words and personal example, Elie personified the triumph of the human spirit over the most unimaginable evil. Out of the darkness of the Holocaust, Elie became a powerful force for light, truth and dignity. His life and work were a great blessing to the Jewish people, the Jewish state and to all humanity.

I feel fortunate to have known him and to have learned from his prodigious wisdom. On behalf of all the people of Israel, Sara and I send condolences to the entire Wiesel family. May the memory of Elie Wiesel, a towering spirit who taught us all to remember, be forever blessed.

David N. Myers, Sady and Ludwig Kahn Professor of Jewish History at UCLA

Elie Wiesel z”l was a towering figure of the post-WWII era.  He symbolized–in word, deed, and physical presence–the fragility, the sadness, the misfortune, the luck, and the truth borne by the Holocaust survivor.  He remained to his last days a great and passionate lover of his people, even though his ability to believe in its God was shaken.  And he translated the moral urgency of the Shoah into an imperative to act on behalf of humanity writ large. 

In taking stock of his legacy, one must note that there may have been greater writers (such as Primo Levi).  One must also note that there was one noticeable limit to his compassion.   Like many Jews of his generation for whom the experience of the Shoah was so searing, he was not able to grasp the pain of suffering of Palestinians.  I think I understand why that was so.  

Yet, even in this way, Wiesel captured the complicated essence of the human experience.  In so many other ways, he was the voice of conscience of our world, a living reminder of the darkness of history, the necessity of memory, and the possibility of hope.  Our world is far more impoverished without him.  Yehi zikhro barukh.

Simon Wiesenthal Center

Elie Wiesel was the voice of the Holocaust for tens of millions of people around the world. His stories about his horrific experiences as a child during the Shoah and his struggle to find meaning and hope after the Nazi Holocaust touched the lives of people everywhere. He was also an early champion of Soviet Jewry, helping to arouse the consciousness of American Jewry to rise in protest over the treatment of millions of 3 million Jews who were on the verge of suffering a cultural genocide.

Dr. Wiesel also was unafraid of confronting the powerful when necessary—from urging international action in Cambodia or Bosnia to protesting President Reagan’s visit to a SS cemetery in Germany or denouncing President Obama’s nuclear deal with Iran. He Jewish moral voice will be sorely missed.

Chabad

Elie Wiesel, who perpetuated the memory of the Holocaust, championed international recognition of evil in all its forms, and received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986, passed away yesterday at 87. From their first meeting in 1960, Wiesel formed a deep relationship with the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, who he considered to be his spiritual guide and with whom he engaged in deep correspondences regarding G-d, life after the Holocaust, as well as very personal matters. It was the Rebbe who persuaded Wiesel to marry, with Wiesel remembering years later: “The greatest bouquet of flowers I ever received was from the Rebbe for my wedding.”

Katrina Wtulich 

I was fortunate to have met Elie Wiesel during his visits to Chapman University where he held a five year appointment as Distinguished Presidential Fellow. As a part of the Holocaust History program, I took a course that focused on his life and literary works. It was a huge honor to have been his student and unquestionably the highlight of my college education. He was able to bring out the deepest emotions through his poetic words whilst his classes centered on dialogue which made him feel like our friend. 

He was a passionate writer, husband, Jew, and teacher but what I remember most about Professor Wiesel was his optimism and ability to live his life with fervor. I will always be in awe of how he found enjoyment and laughter despite his heavy burdens and the haunting memories of his past. He could easily have chosen to be depressed or to stay silent but instead he used his voice to represent the voiceless, the oppressed, and the murdered.

With the passing of Elie Wiesel and other survivors I find myself concerned for the future memory of the Holocaust. Will people still find meaning in first-hand accounts or artifacts in museums that once meant so much to one survivor? I really hope so, I certainly will.

Elie Wiesel’s literary legacy and life will not be forgotten. My fond memories of him will inspire me to question all things even if it appears there are no answers, to be proactive against indifference, and to be optimistic in the collective memory of the Holocaust.