Witness: Lessons from Elie Wiesel's Classroom

by Ariel Burger

Being a student of Elie Wiesel means being yourself and cultivating your humanity, your sensitivity to others, in every moment. It means noticing people at risk of invisibility, the ones without power or access, who also have stories to tell. It means always learning, thinking higher and feeling deeper, always challenging yourself to dive into the great texts, stories, and ideas in search of wisdom. It means asking questions and being comfortable not knowing all the answers, avoiding the temptation of premature resolution of complex issues. It means embracing mystery and knowing that we don’t always have to tie everything up neatly. It means knowing that you do not have to choose between your particular identity and your concern for all people, realizing that you can speak up for your tribe as well as for others, that the particular and the universal can be mutually reinforcing. It means celebrating friendship, making friends with others who are searching too. Most of all, it means remembering the past and understanding the link between past and future. It means choosing to care about others’ lives, their suffering and their joy. It means becoming a witness.