Elie Wiesel details story of strength

Von der Mehden Recital Hall welcomed Nobel Laureate and professor Elie Wiesel Tuesday in honor of the 30th anniversary of the Center for Judaic Studies and Contemporary Jewish Life.

Wiesel, an accomplished writer, journalist and human rights spokesman, is perhaps best known for sharing his heart-breaking experiences in the Nazi concentration camps he escaped at age 16. His novel "Night" reveals the terrifyingly real horrors his family encountered during the Holocaust that Wiesel and his family encountered.

Wiesel began his lecture by offering this piece of advice: "Nothing is more rewarding, more necessary than to help people learn." His lecture focused on what makes a moral society by showing what an immoral one is. He discussed the power of society, beginning with Adam and Eve and Cain and Abel, and asked the question, "What went wrong? They thought they were doing the moral thing. Same with the people killing the Jews; they thought they were ridding the world from the cancer that was the Jewish People."

Wiesel related the lecture's material to everyday events. He stressed the importance of history, knowledge and universality, saying, "What would civilization be without an attachment to memory? Education must be a major component ... our problem today is not to build a moral society, but rather to rebuild."

The lecture seemed to be a touching experience for many of the audience members who were grateful just to be there. "I am so happy I was able to see professor Wiesel speak," said Alex Olive, a 3rd-semester art major. "I consider it a once-in-a-lifetime experience."

Wiesel stressed his views on torture, declaring, "I am against torture with every fiber of my being ... in a civilized society, torture must be excluded as a option." Witnessing the torture of so many members of his family helped Wiesel be particularly sensitive to human rights and suffering. "It is because we suffer that we care about the suffering of others," Weisel said. "It is a part of moral society."

As a believer in and spokesman for human rights, Wiesel emphasized his understanding of the human struggle. "Every human being is uniquely unique," he said. The lecture was a unique opportunity for those lucky enough to attend. One audience member, Anne-Melissa Dowling truly appreciated Wiesel's work. "I think being able to be exposed to a voice who suffered so much horror and still turned it into a positive experience is amazing," she said.