Remembering Elie Wiesel: A soul on fire and a life dedicated to justice - opinion

Yad Vashem recently hosted a commemoration marking the 10th anniversary of Professor Elie Wiesel’s passing. The event featured a film screening on his life and legacy, opening remarks by Yad Vashem chairman Dani Dayan, and poignant commentary from his son, Elisha Wiesel. Former Soviet dissident Natan Sharansky spoke of Wiesel's crucial role in the fight for Soviet Jewry, while Professor Dina Porat detailed his singular voice in "le devoir de memoire" (the duty of memory). A panel discussion further enriched the remembrance with evocative storytelling.

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The thread that ran through the speakers’ remarks was not only the importance of bearing witness, but the imperative of being a messenger of humanity and the Jewish people.

The central theme resonating through the speakers' tributes was not merely the importance of bearing witness to historical atrocities but the profound imperative to act as a messenger for humanity and the Jewish people. The author, Irwin Cotler, who was Wiesel's teacher, mentor, and friend for 50 years, described his passing as a personal and profound loss, akin to the loss of one of the legendary "Lamed Vavniks", the 36 righteous individuals whose lives redeem humanity.

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It is akin to the passing of one of the legendary “Lamed Vavniks,” the 36 righteous people living in the world.

Elie Wiesel's life's work, and indeed his life itself, continues to serve as a powerful source of learning and inspiration. He is remembered as a "tzadik," a just and righteous person who came to symbolize the conscience of humanity, not just for Jewish people but for the world. His 1986 Nobel Peace Prize, awarded for his tireless advocacy, was met with international acclaim, recognizing his unique ability to command respect from political leaders and the public alike.

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Elie wrote, as the title of one of his works suggests, as a “soul on fire.”

Wiesel, who wrote as a "soul on fire," used his eloquence to ignite struggles for peace and justice globally. Despite acknowledging that the Holocaust was "beyond vocabulary," he masterfully conveyed the particular horrors of unimaginable events while transmitting their universal lessons. His message, that humanity ignores these lessons at its peril, remains critically relevant today. The author recalls reading Wiesel's seminal work, "Night," on the eve of his first visit to Auschwitz, a testament to the enduring impact of Wiesel's testimony.

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the Holocaust was beyond vocabulary.