World-renowned author Elie Wiesel believes that “hope is human,” and that it is a necessity for human beings everywhere to grasp and cherish it.
Twenty years after speaking at the 1983 commencement at Fairfield, Wiesel, the 1986 Nobel Peace Prize recipient, spoke in front of 750 people at the Quick Center Open Forum this Tuesday in a program entitled, “The Urgency of Hope.”
Wiesel said the twentieth century began in despair but ended in hope. However, he said, we are losing it in the dawn of this new century.
He spoke about how many historical moments of the Twentieth Century relate to hope, such as World War II, the rise and fall of Russian Communism, terrorism, and Sept. 11. Wiesel said that Sept. 11 was the first moment in the history of terrorism that terrorists committed suicide without leaving any message but death. Perplexed by this, he said, “Whatever is about life is in life.”
He said that in the Hebrew language, the word ‘hope’ derives from the word ‘source,’ and “without hope, the soul cannot live.”
The speech opened with a welcome from Dr. Philip Eliasoph and an introduction given by Dr. Ellen Umansky, chair of the Fairfield Judaic Studies Program. Wiesel’s opening line was, “I believe in miracles,” setting a tone for his entire speech.
When asked about the present war in Iraq during the question and answer session of the program, Wiesel said that his solution would be to destroy every weapon of mass destruction without ending any human lives.
History professor Dr. David McFadden was stimulated by Weisel’s emphasis on hope. “He was at his absolute best. [He had] depth and reality, but [emphasized] hope and the future,” said McFadden. “We shouldn’t refight old battles. We should rebuild, focus on human beings and bring hope. He’s someone who has suffered as much as anyone else, and he’s talking about how to stop that.”
Born in Romania, Wiesel and his family were brought to Auschwitz when he was 15 years old. His Holocaust experience resulted in his worldwide support of peace.
Winner of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, Wiesel has received more than 90 honorary degrees from higher institutions, including Fairfield. He has written over 40 books, including Night, which has been translated into 25 languages. Weisel taught at the City University of New York and Yale University, and is currently employed at Boston University in the departments of religion and philosophy.
David Baehr, ’04, treasurer of Kadima at Fairfield, was deeply touched by Wiesel’s message. “I think he’s an honorable man and that a lot of people should listen to his message,” said Baehr. “He has a lot of value in his words. Those that are anti-war might want to understand it isn’t just about politics-it’s about the suffering of human beings.”
Dr. Betsy Bowen, associate sean of Arts and Sciences, left the speech reflective. “I feel it was a privilege to hear him speak. Beyond that, I need to think.”
Elie Wiesel believes that humans everywhere are connected, and should never be alone. He said, “Only another human being can push me to despair, but only another human being can remove that despair.”
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