The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference.
Elie WieselRead
It is true that not all the victims were Jews, but all the Jews were victims
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote highlights the universal suffering endured by Jews during the Holocaust, emphasizing their unique victimhood even among other victims.
Elie Wiesel's quote reflects on the tragic experience of the Jewish people during the Holocaust, acknowledging that while there were other victims of the atrocities, every Jew was subjected to persecution and suffering. This statement serves as a poignant reminder of the specific plight of Jews in history, as well as an appeal for recognition of their individual and collective suffering in the face of widespread hatred and violence.
Themes
HolocaustVictimJewsSufferingMemory
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a speech about tolerance and the importance of remembering history to prevent future atrocities.
More from Elie Wiesel
All quotes →With every cell of my being and with every fiber of my memory I oppose the death penalty in all forms. I do not believe any civilized society should be at the service of death. I don't think it's human to become an agent of the angel of death.
Elie WieselRead
Certain things, certain events, seem inexplicable only for a time: up to the moment when the veil is torn aside.
Elie WieselRead
We're alone, but we are capable of communicating to one another both our loneliness and our desire to break through it. You say, 'I'm alone.' Someone answers, 'I'm alone too.' There's a shift in the scale of power. A bridge is thrown between the two abysses.
Elie WieselRead
No one is as capable of gratitude as one who has escaped the kingdom of night.
Elie WieselRead
My loyalty to my people, to our people, and to Israel comes first and prevents me from saying anything critical of Israel outside Israel… As a Jew I see my role as a melitz yosher, a defender of Israel: I defend even her mistakes… I must identify with whatever Israel does – even with her errors.
Elie WieselRead
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Today's headlines and history's judgment are rarely the same.
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