Kislev 5747, December 1986 The Aleph Zadik Aleph B'nai B'rith Youth Organization (BBYO) B'nai B'rith Girls (BBG) Elie Wiesel Champion of Human Rights Wins Nobel Peace Prize B'nai B'rith Notes Relationship By Neil Rubin ture Bureau, which represents more cited Wiesel's continuing involvement when it awarded him the first Jewish When Elie Wiesel, survivor of the than 100 scholars, writers, and with BBYO, the Continuing Jewish Heritage Award. The annual award is Auschwitz and Buchenwald con- artists. Education Committee (CJE), and the presented to an author "who makes a centration camps, was named the In 1983, Wiesel told the B'nai B'rith Anti-Defamation League of B'nai positive contribution to contempo- 1986 Nobel Peace Prize winner on Oc- International Jewish Monthly (offi- B'rith. rary literature by his authentic inter- tober 14, the international com- cial magazine of B'nai B'rith Interna- Included among Wiesel's many pretation of Jewish life and values." munity recognized what B'nai B'rith tional) that the lecturers represented other activities are: addressing the In addition to all of his other activi- International has known for more by the Bureau are "wandering teach- BBI Board of Governors at an Oneg ties, Wiesel divides his time between than 20 years. ers who have replaced the maggidim Shabbat: speaking at the opening of his speaking engagements, his work One evening in the mid-1960s. (17th and 18th century scholars who the B'nai B'rith Klutznick Museum's as a professor at Boston University, while Wiesel was driving home from regularly visited Jewish communities Holocaust exhibition; and serving on and his family. He has written 26 one of his lectures, the director of the in Poland and Russia.) They link the 1976 B'nai B'rith committee that books, including Night, Dawn, Day BBI Commission for Adult Education large and small communities, and explored the issue of freedom of and The Trial of God. asked the author to allow her to han- they link the culture of Eastern speech for BBI staff members. dle his speaking engagements. Wiesel Europe to the West." Wiesel's Nobel Peace Prize sym- agreed and became the first attrac- But Wiesel and B'nai B'rith go even bolizes not only the author's talents tion of the B'nai B'rith Lecture further. B'nai B'rith Executive Vice as a writer but the significance of his Bureau. President Dr. Daniel Thursz remem- belief that there is good in a world At that time, the Hungarian-born bers Wiesel from 1964. At that time, that has witnessed the horrors of the author was beginning to gain inter- the then relatively unknown author Holocaust. national acclaim for his stirring remi- spoke to BBYO's Kallah participants, I think what's noteworthy is that niscences of life in and after the Nazi which Thursz coordinated. "He had this is the Peace Prize and not the concentration camps. Today, the 58- an amazing impact on the young peo- prize for literature, "said Michael year-old Wiesel's eloquent and ple," Thursz said. We'll always re- Neiditch, director of BBI's Continuing thought-provoking novels are read member how gracious and pleasant Jewish Education Committee. "The throughout the world. He is at the he was." Nobel Committee sees Wiesel not only forefront of the Soviet Jewry struggle Added Thursz, "This is an appro- as a man in his written work but a and chairman of the U.S.Holocaust priate prize for Elie, especially be- man in his life's work. on Memorial Council. In 1984, he was cause his concern is not only for Jews It's almost as if the Nobel Commit- g awarded the U.S. Congressional Gold but for other victims of persecution. I tee were students of Torah and have e! Medal. think he's a man who surely deserves followed the Torah precept of not e Wiesel, 20 years after he became its that prize." words, but deeds," Neiditch said. first speaker, remains one of the most Thursz called Wiesel, "a good In 1966, the importance of Wiesel's nt active clients of the B'nai B'rith Lec- friend" and "a man who cares." He work was formally recognized by BBI. From Congressional Hill: Senator Moynihan Remarks m on Wiesel's Selection INSIDE THIS ISSUE The following message was re- horror into a life-long chronicle of Leadership Letters Page 2 leased by Senator Daniel Patrick man's violence against man, whether Alumni Page 3 Moynihan upon the selection of Elie it was visited upon the Biafrans, Happenings Page 4 Wiesel as a recipient of the Nobel Cambodians, or the Miskito Indians. Regional Updates Pages 5,6,7 Peace Prize. He brought witness wherever human Soviet Jewry Mobilization Page 8 The Nobel Peace Prize was awarded decency required it. Israel Summer Institute Page 9 today to Elie Wiesel, an American, a The Nobel Committee said: Award-Winning Programs Page 10 New Yorker too, but truly a citizen of "Wiesel's commitment, which origi- Sh'licha's Column Page 11 the world. The Nobel Committee said nated in the sufferings of the Jewish Potpourri Page 12 Summer Programs Insert "Wiesel was a messenger to man- people, has been widened to embrace kind: his message is one of peace, all repressed peoples and races." So it atonement. and human dignity." has. Elie Wiesel was described once As a survivor of Auschwitz and as the spiritual archivist of the Holo- Buchenwald, Elie Wiesel translated caust. In Oslo today he was recog- his own personal confrontation with nized a peacemaker for all the world. Wiesel, the Man Elie Wiesel, noted international au- sonal experiences of the concentra- day's world as well. Somewhere a Master. thor. holds a post as the Andrew W. tion camps in his books. He has written 26 books to date and Wiesel holds many honorary docto- Mellon Professor in the Humanities at Wiesel's first book, Night, depicts these include: Dawn. The Accident, rates and also received the national Boston University. His extensive cred- his boyhood experiences while held The Town Beyond the Wall, The Jewish Book Council Award in 1964 its over the years also include the prisoner in Auschwitz and Buchen- Gates of the Forest, Beggar in Jeru- and 1973, the Jewish Heritage Award position of chairman of the United wald, where his mother, father, and salem, The Oath, The Jews of Si- for Literature in 1966, and the 1968 States Holocaust Memorial and chair- sister died. lence, Zalmen, or The Madness of Prix Medicis for Beggar in Jerusa- man of the President's Commission Though Wiesel is attributed to God, Legends of Our Time, One Gen- lem. In 1984, he was awarded the U.S. on the Holocaust. authoring other noted books on the eration After, Souls on Fire, Por- Congressional Gold Medal and was Wiesel is regarded as the most Holocaust, his works span biblical traits and Legends of Hasidic named a Commander of the French renown spokesman for the victims of studies, portraits of the Hasidic mas- Masters, A Jew Today The Testa- Legion of Honor. the Holocaust and has related per- ters, and moral responsibility in to- ment, Five Biblical Portraits, and