When I was 15 years old, I went on a field trip with my Hebrew school to hear Elie Weisel speak. I never fully realized the impact hearing Mr. Weisel speak had on me until the news of his passing was reported. Like many Jews, I was deeply saddened, but I also felt as if something inside me had broken. I now realize it was a connection to a very important piece of my heritage. 

Although I never met him personally, the privilege of getting to hear Mr. Weisel speak left a lasting impression, one that will be with me forever. In the years since, I have been honored to meet several Holocaust survivors. I have seen the numbers tattooed on their forearms, and listened to them speak of the horrors they went through, much like Elie Weisel himself.

Like Mr. Weisel, they not only survived, they thrived. They never forgot the Holocaust and what they went through, but somehow they managed to move on and create lives for themselves. Elie Weisel was married to his wife, Marion, for 47 years, and they have one son, Shlomo Elisha, a daughter-in-law, Lynn, and grandson Elijah.

But Elie Weisel was more than just a husband, father, and grandfather. He was a hero for our time. He stood up for the 6 million Jews that perished in the Holocaust. He kept their memory alive, and made sure the world  never forgot them. Mr. Weisel stood for peace and brotherhood, and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986  

The world has lost a kind, gentle soul and a most extraordinary man. May he forever be at peace.  Let us follow his example. Let us keep Elie Weisel’s legacy alive. 

” Elie Weisel. May his memory be a blessing”