FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 3, 2016

Toronto, ON— Upon learning of the passing of Holocaust survivor, Nobel Prize laureate, and prolific speaker, author, and activist Elie Wiesel z”l, JFC-UIA, CIJA, and CJHSD issued the following statements:

    “A prolific and compelling author, writer, and speaker, Elie Wiesel’s contributions to public education about the Shoah are immeasurable and included investing enormous energy and passion in the March of the Living to ensure the next generation would never forget the Holocaust. What’s more, he has helped shape the conversation about justice, human rights, and morality. He was nothing less than a moral giant.”

Julia Reitman, Jewish Federations of Canada - UIA  (JFC-UIA)

    “Elie Wiesel’s gift to the world was his ability to transcend and redeem the catastrophe of the Shoah into a lifetime of relentless advocacy for the most vulnerable. In addition to being a dedicated supporter of Israel, Wiesel joined the struggle against the former apartheid regime of South Africa and rose to the defense of survivors of genocides in Africa and Cambodia, as well as victims of war crimes in the former Yugoslavia. With his passing, we have lost both an articulate witness to the tragedy of the Holocaust, and a uniquely forceful advocate for our shared responsibility to act in the face of oppression and injustice.”

David J. Cape, Chair, The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA)

    “Elie Wiesel knew that there were those who would seek to erase the Shoah from the public consciousness. Liberated from Buchenwald at just sixteen, he dedicated his life to ensuring the Nazi genocide would never be forgotten. For that, we owe him an enormous debt of gratitude. We also owe it to his memory to continue the fight for justice for holocaust survivors – including the restitution of property stolen by the Nazis for the dwindling survivor community and their families. May his memory be for a blessing.”

Hank Rosenbaum, Co-President, Canadian Holocaust Survivors and Descendants (CJHSD)

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