Uncovering the Extraordinary: Top 11 Fun Facts About Elie Wiesel You Never Knew

1. Mystical Studies as Survival

Why did the mystical student cross the war-torn road? To survive the Holocaust with the power of holy wisdom, of course! In all seriousness: Elie Wiesel found solace and strength by immersing himself in the studies of the Torah, the Talmud, and the mystical teachings of Hasidism and the Cabala during those dark times.
Source => chipublib.org

2. Teenager Tackles Talmud

Who said sequels couldn't top the original? Elie Wiesel leveled up his education after tackling the boss level of adversity: At just 16 years old, he resumed his Talmudic studies in France after surviving deportation to Auschwitz and Buchenwald during the Holocaust, determined to complete his interrupted quest for knowledge!
Source => nytimes.com

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=> Fun Facts about Zora-Neale-Hurston

3. Banking on Humanity

Who needs to invest in Bernie's Ponzi when you've got humanity to bank on? Elie Wiesel, the man with a cause and a Nobel in his wallet, did just that: He co-founded the Elie Wiesel Foundation in 1986, using his Nobel Peace Prize winnings, and continued to champion its mission despite a $15 million setback from Bernard Madoff's infamous investment scandal in 2008.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

4. Superhero Couple Advocates

Who needs superhero capes when you've got a heart of gold and a pen mightier than any sword: Elie Wiesel and his wife, Marion, tirelessly fought indifference, intolerance, and injustice by launching initiatives like the annual Prize in Ethics Essay Contest and conferences uniting world leaders in conflict, along with the establishment of the Beit Tzipora centers aiding Ethiopian Jewish refugees.
Source => eliewieselfoundation.org

5. Captain Justice of Activism

If Elie Wiesel were a superhero, he'd probably be called Captain Justice, swooping in to advocate for oppressed people across the globe with his superpower of relentless activism: Seriously though, Wiesel used his voice and influence to fight for human rights, shedding light on the persecutions in the USSR, South Africa, Vietnam, Biafra, and Bangladesh, and openly criticizing genocide and oppression. This heroic advocate earned his cape—or rather, the Presidential Medal of Freedom—in 1992 with a tip of the hat from President George H.W. Bush.
Source => achievement.org

6. Precious Medal Collector

What did Elie Wiesel, King Midas, and the Cookie Monster have in common? They all had an insatiable hunger for precious metals: Wiesel collected the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the United States Congressional Gold Medal, and the Medal of Liberty Award, not to mention scoring the rank of Grand-Croix in the French Legion of Honor and the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986.
Source => auroraprize.com

7. Rock Star of Academia

From the halls of Boston University to the quirky classrooms of the City University of New York, one could say Elie Wiesel was the rock star of academia, using his Nobel Peace Prize as a backstage pass: The distinguished author and tireless advocate for peace wowed students with his prolific professorship of humanities at Boston University from 1976 to 1980, and later, at the City University of New York, where he continued to captivate pupils with his enlightening lectures and genuine interest in their lives.
Source => barnesandnoble.com

8. Literary Powerhouse

If you thought your journal was a page-turner, buckle up for this bibliophile's bonanza: Elie Wiesel was a literary powerhouse who penned over 40 books, with his poignant Holocaust memoir, Night, captivating global audiences since its English translation in 1960.
Source => oprah.com

9. God on Trial

Calling all divine lawyers: it's time to put God on trial! Turns out, Elie Wiesel penned a play called "The Trial of God," in which a fed-up village accuses the Almighty Himself of negligence. Witty as it may be, the play was actually inspired by Wiesel's real-life experience in Auschwitz, where he witnessed three rabbis holding a dramatic trial for God and finding Him guilty.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

10. Irresistible Lecturer

Summoning the masses like a veritable pied piper of higher education, Elie Wiesel's fusion of ancient wisdom and moral mentorship proved truly irresistible: As a professor at Boston University for almost four decades, Elie Wiesel's fall lecture series, Three Encounters with Elie Wiesel: The Fascination with Jewish Tales, drew standing-room-only crowds, captivating audience members with Torah stories and engaging discussions that molded the minds and ethics of countless future leaders.
Source => bu.edu

11. "Night" Escapes Publishing Purgatory

Rejected like an unwelcome Hogwarts letter, Elie Wiesel's "Night" persevered like a literary Houdini to escape publishing purgatory: Ultimately spending 80 weeks on the New York Times best-seller list and selling 10 million copies, with three million sales attributed to Oprah's book club endorsement in 2006, Wiesel's message spread like wildfire and profoundly impacted the perception of the Holocaust within American culture.
Source => nytimes.com