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This is the role of writers: to turn their tears into a story – and perhaps into a prayer.

Elie Wiesel

We believed in God, trusted in man, and lived with the illusion that every one of us has been entrusted with a sacred spark.
ELIE WIESEL

Believe God Illusion Man Spark
For the dead and the living, we must bear witness. Not only are we responsible for the memories of the dead, we are responsible for what we do with those memories
ELIE WIESEL

Action Death Live Memories Responsibility
Life is not a fist. Life is an open hand waiting for some other hand to enter it.
ELIE WIESEL

Hands Life Open
We must choose between the violence of adults and the smiles of children. Between the ugliness of hate and the will to oppose it. Between inflicting suffering and humiliation on our fellow man and offering him the solidarity and hope he deserves.
ELIE WIESEL

Adult Choice Deserve Hope Ourselves Suffering Ugly Violence
Human beings all change. Not what they are but who they are. We have the power to change what we do with our life and turn it into our destiny.
ELIE WIESEL

Change Destiny Human Ourselves Power
But where was I to start? The world is so vast, I shall start with the country I knew best, my own. But my country is so very large. I had better start with my town. But my town, too, is large. I had best start with my street. No, my home. No, my family. Never mind, I shall start with myself.
ELIE WIESEL

Better Country Inspirational Myself Start World
Education in the key to preventing the cycle of violence and hatred that marred the 20th century from repeating itself in the 21st century.
ELIE WIESEL

Education Hate Repeat Violence
Emphasis must be put on learning: there is no substitute to education. It can be briefly formulated in a few words: always, whatever you do in life, think higher and feel deeper.
ELIE WIESEL

Education Learning Substitute Word
I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation.
ELIE WIESEL

Endurance Human Humiliation Myself Silence
I don’t want my past to become anyone else’s future.
ELIE WIESEL

Future Myself Past
A religious person answers to God, not to the elected or non-elected official.
ELIE WIESEL

Election God Official Person Religious
Take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim.
ELIE WIESEL

Help Oppression Side Victim
Even in darkness it is possible to create light.
ELIE WIESEL

Creation Darkness Light Possible
I marvel at the resilience of the Jewish people. Their best characteristic is their desire to remember. No other people has such an obsession with memory.
ELIE WIESEL

Memories Myself Obsession People Remember Resilience
My faith is a wounded faith, but my life is not without faith. I didn’t divorce God, but I’m quarrelling and arguing and questioning, it’s a wounded faith.
ELIE WIESEL

Divorce Faith God Life Myself Question Wound
Bite your lips, little brother…Don’t cry. Keep your anger, your hate, for another day, for later. The day will come but not now…Wait. Clench your teeth and wait.
ELIE WIESEL

Angry Bite Cry Day Lips Wait

This is the role of writers: to turn their tears into a story – and perhaps into a prayer.

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This is the role of writers: to turn their tears into a story – and perhaps into a prayer.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

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