“The Human Rights Legacy of Elie Wiesel” with Elisha Wiesel
On November 8, 2021, Mr. Wiesel delivered the last of the 2021 Elie Wiesel Memorial Lectures in a speech dedicated to the memory of his father, Nobel laureate, long-time BU Professor in the Humanities, and Holocaust survivor, Elie Wiesel. Elisha Wiesel started his lecture by reminding the audience that to understand his father’s legacy; one ought to recall the years of his youth spent in Sighet/Romania. Elisha described how his father grew up in a Jewish family that instilled Jewish values and the knowledge that he was part of the broader Jewish people at a very early age. He went on to offer observations he made throughout the years regarding his father’s approach to activism. Among the lessons Elisha shared from observing his father’s activism were that guilt is not inheritable and that it is essential to let victims know they are not alone, treat others with respect, and not let lies stand unchallenged. The talk was followed by a lively audience Q&A jointly moderated by Mr. Wiesel and Michael Zank, Director of the Elie Wiesel Center for Jewish Studies.
The transcript of Mr. Wiesel’s lecture is posted on our website.
About the Speaker: Elisha Wiesel retired from a twenty-five-year financial markets career, and is now chairman of an Israeli start-up, The Floor, while he spends time with his family, studies Talmud, and works with non-profits such as Zioness, a progressive Zionist organization. When his father passed, he realized many others missed Elie Wiesel’s voice – and so Elisha speaks from time to time about his father’s legacy and message when the right opportunities arise for impact.