Indifference and Remembrance
A few months ago, I flew to Washington DC for a meeting. I had a couple of free hours, and I spent them visiting the US Holocaust Memorial Museum. As I was wandering around, I was drawn to a small bank of personal computers.
I found a link to a podcast on the Museum's website, a portion of an interview with holocaust survivor and Nobel Prize recipient Elie Wiesel. Mr. Wiesel was speaking about an incident in San Francisco not long ago when he was accosted by a holocaust denier. The man rode in an elevator with Mr. Weisel, followed him off the elevator and grabbed him in the hallway.
While the attack left him physically unharmed, the incident led Wiesel to reflect on a recurring theme in his work, which he calls "the perils of indifference." Here's an excerpt of what he had to say:
"That person attacked me—okay?—and we were already outside the elevator and he tried to pull me into his room. And I began shouting, literally howling. I've never heard myself howl like that—"Help, help, help." I must have shouted for three minutes. Not one door opened. Then when I went down to the security people, and they said, "Maybe three people called us that they heard your shouts." Three—there must have been 20, 30, because it was 6 in the evening—6, 7 in the evening—but not one door opened. So how can you not feel discouraged?"
"What I make of that? Indifference, you know. I fought all my life against indifference. Yes, at least three of them called, but even they didn't open a door. That is painful. That means, what have I done with all of my work? Trying to wake people up."
"Even in moral terms, morality means concern for the other, not for oneself—the other."
"In order to feel empathy and compassion for and with a person who is alone, suffering, in desperation, it's only because we remember others who were alone, suffering, and in despair. It happens that not only one person, but the group may forget."
"Forgetting means the end of civilization, the end of culture, the end of generosity, the end of compassion, the end of humanity."
"And therefore I celebrate memory, and I try to strengthen it. And I believe—I still do, in spite of everything—that memory is a shield. If we remember what people can do to each other, then we can help those who tomorrow may be threatened by the same enemy."
Mr. Wiesel's words struck a deep chord in me. I have spent nearly half my life working for and with nonprofits: organizations who work ceaselessly to protect civilization, culture, compassion and humanity; organizations who depend on the lack of indifference and the generosity of others.
Then and there, I decided that I wanted to use the occasion of an upcoming "big" birthday to ask for gifts to the US Holocaust Memorial Museum, located in Washington, DC. In case you're not familiar with it, here's a short blurb from their website (http://www.ushmm.org/):
A living memorial to the Holocaust, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum stimulates leaders and citizens to confront hatred, prevent genocide, promote human dignity, and strengthen democracy.
This organization embodies Elie Wiesel's work, which is dedicated to protecting your work.
Between now and December 9th, I will be collecting gifts for the Museum, with a goal of raising $10,000 to support their education, remembrance and conscience program areas. If you would like to contribute, please make your check payable to the US Holocaust Memorial Museum and send it to:
CJW Consulting & Services, Inc.
8331 Central Avenue
Morton Grove, IL 60053
If you prefer not to be acknowledged by the Museum, please indicate on the reference line of your check that you'd like to remain anonymous.
If you prefer, you may send your gift directly to the local museum office:
US Holocaust Memorial Museum
PO Box 1852
Highland Park, IL 60035
If you choose this option, please indicate that this is a gift for Cheryl Weissman's Accidents and Inspiration Campaign.
Thank you for your support!
If you would like to comment on this post, please click the word "comment" below
I found a link to a podcast on the Museum's website, a portion of an interview with holocaust survivor and Nobel Prize recipient Elie Wiesel. Mr. Wiesel was speaking about an incident in San Francisco not long ago when he was accosted by a holocaust denier. The man rode in an elevator with Mr. Weisel, followed him off the elevator and grabbed him in the hallway.
While the attack left him physically unharmed, the incident led Wiesel to reflect on a recurring theme in his work, which he calls "the perils of indifference." Here's an excerpt of what he had to say:
"That person attacked me—okay?—and we were already outside the elevator and he tried to pull me into his room. And I began shouting, literally howling. I've never heard myself howl like that—"Help, help, help." I must have shouted for three minutes. Not one door opened. Then when I went down to the security people, and they said, "Maybe three people called us that they heard your shouts." Three—there must have been 20, 30, because it was 6 in the evening—6, 7 in the evening—but not one door opened. So how can you not feel discouraged?"
"What I make of that? Indifference, you know. I fought all my life against indifference. Yes, at least three of them called, but even they didn't open a door. That is painful. That means, what have I done with all of my work? Trying to wake people up."
"Even in moral terms, morality means concern for the other, not for oneself—the other."
"In order to feel empathy and compassion for and with a person who is alone, suffering, in desperation, it's only because we remember others who were alone, suffering, and in despair. It happens that not only one person, but the group may forget."
"Forgetting means the end of civilization, the end of culture, the end of generosity, the end of compassion, the end of humanity."
"And therefore I celebrate memory, and I try to strengthen it. And I believe—I still do, in spite of everything—that memory is a shield. If we remember what people can do to each other, then we can help those who tomorrow may be threatened by the same enemy."
Mr. Wiesel's words struck a deep chord in me. I have spent nearly half my life working for and with nonprofits: organizations who work ceaselessly to protect civilization, culture, compassion and humanity; organizations who depend on the lack of indifference and the generosity of others.
Then and there, I decided that I wanted to use the occasion of an upcoming "big" birthday to ask for gifts to the US Holocaust Memorial Museum, located in Washington, DC. In case you're not familiar with it, here's a short blurb from their website (http://www.ushmm.org/):
A living memorial to the Holocaust, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum stimulates leaders and citizens to confront hatred, prevent genocide, promote human dignity, and strengthen democracy.
This organization embodies Elie Wiesel's work, which is dedicated to protecting your work.
Between now and December 9th, I will be collecting gifts for the Museum, with a goal of raising $10,000 to support their education, remembrance and conscience program areas. If you would like to contribute, please make your check payable to the US Holocaust Memorial Museum and send it to:
CJW Consulting & Services, Inc.
8331 Central Avenue
Morton Grove, IL 60053
If you prefer not to be acknowledged by the Museum, please indicate on the reference line of your check that you'd like to remain anonymous.
If you prefer, you may send your gift directly to the local museum office:
US Holocaust Memorial Museum
PO Box 1852
Highland Park, IL 60035
If you choose this option, please indicate that this is a gift for Cheryl Weissman's Accidents and Inspiration Campaign.
Thank you for your support!
If you would like to comment on this post, please click the word "comment" below
posted by Cheryl J. Weissman at
10:00 AM
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