Elie Wiesel

[sue]

I just started reading the book "Night" by Elie Wiesel. I recommend this book to anyone. The horrors of that time should NEVER be forgotten.

One little foot note: As many of you know I am native german. My father served during the war for the german army. When our middle daughter was born we called my father from the states and told him we had a baby girl. He asked what we had named her and we told him "Sarah" He was outraged and told us" That's a jewish name"! We told him so what?

Never forget the biggest crime in history, never!

[Kuki]

Sue.. I haven't read the book, though I've heard it's very powerful.

But having visited the Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem, just the other day, I was certainly humbled and touched by the experience. Seeing the original Shindler's List hanging on the wall, as well as stories of others who put their lives on the line to try and stop it, at least gave hope for humanity.

Unlike you, I am not a religious person, but I think it's all much more about man's humanity to man, which all of us can devote ourselves to.

[Delft]

This book is in fact madatory reading in our schools. I read it in grade ten, and then again in College . My son also read it in grade ten.

The saddest part of it all, is we as people just never learn.

I have passed down to me many medals given to family members for their role in the resistance in the war ( My family is all from the Netherlands) .

When Holland was invaded, it was over night and affected every one. Many family members were sent to camps for many reasons. Anything from being married to a Jew, for helping some one escape, for trying to liberate their country again, what ever. After the war, Holland was along with Denmark the only two countires that came out of that war with their nose clean so to speak. I have a delft plate, at the start of the war it was made , and it says on it translated into English "we stand all together, till we are all dead". Meaning regardless of religion, lifestyle etc they were all Dutch and they would fight to gether and die together.

Many years later, I have two relatives in their 90's, and their minds are as sharp as a tack, and what saddens me more than anything is when they tell me they watch the news, and while the religions has changed, or countries involved over the years, the need to exterminate people, to dominate, wipe them out never seems to change and all in the name of ones better God or race. It is very sad for them, and sure makes me think about how far we have actually come.

[AR]

Bob Dotson does human interest reporting on the Today show. I've known him for years, and both his friendship and his reporting have enriched Terry's and my lives.

Here's a link to a recent piece he did that's appropriate to this thread:

http://video.msn.com/v/us/msnbc.htm?...3-3708dc48809d

You'll have to watch a commercial before it comes up, but it's worth it.

[Paul Motter]

I believe Weisal won a Nobel prize for the book. I was never assigned it is high school but after years of getting "Nobel Novelist" as a crossword puzzle clue for ELIE I decided to read it when I found it. It was written many years ago and you will see it in a lot of yard sales. It reads in a day or two (pretty short) and is definitely a page-turner.

[sue]

I just finished the book last night. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986 and his acceptance speech is printed at the end of the book.

Kuki I find it interesting that you bring up religion. Elie in his book during the time he spent in the concentration camps questioned his faith many times and was angry at God. I too as a christian question many times why my father in heaven can allow such a thing. But I also know we have free will and He knows the beginning and the end. The part that made me cry was when he wrote the nazis threw many many babies alive in the fires.

To me mankind can be such a beast and even today as we look at other people suffering<Darfur> we just stand by. Today in the name of God, religion, revenge or whatever people are killed, slaughtered. It is very sad. For us we try to do our part, do te best we can to help others. But if just a fraction would stand up and say enough is enough I believe we could for example feed the entire world.

The one thing that I have learned from our Kenya missions trip last year is that there is more to life that any compfort that I have at home. I can do way more and it is my duty as a human and christian to help others and stop thinking about the next luxury thing I can buy,do or get. We have to stop living for "Me" and start living for others.

Okay I get off my soap box now

[venice]

Sue..well stated..service to others is the rent we pay to occupy space in this life for a very short period of time