by Rabbi Greg Weisman, (CAS ’05) who is a rabbi at Temple Beth El of Boca Raton, FL, where he is striving to make his city, county, state, and nation more just and fair for all.
I came to BU because of Prof. Wiesel. Like so many Jews I turned to his writings to help me understand the legacy of the Holocaust, and was inspired to find a man who turned his experience of horror into a life devoted to preventing others from suffering a similar fate. I came to BU hoping that just by being on campus with him I might catch a glimpse or a morsel of his moral wisdom. I was blessed to learn from him in class in the fall of 2004. The class met in STH, the School of Theology building, a building where another one of our University’s Nobel Laureates studied, Dr. Martin Luther King. When I reflect on that, the weight of it still hits me: I sat in a classroom with Elie Wiesel, in the same building where Martin Luther King studied.
The two men came from very different backgrounds, but the legacies they left behind have much in common. Both were gifted with extraordinary eloquence and they used their words, written and spoken, to inspire others to pursue causes of justice and peace. They reached generations of people across the globe and urged them to care for the vulnerable, the forgotten or ignored, and that each of us, regardless of our station in life, has a role to play in that work.
For the last seven years, I have served as a rabbi in Boca Raton, Florida. My journey into the rabbinate started at BU, through my work in the Jewish Studies program, which has since been renamed in Prof. Wiesel’s honor. In my work, I often reflect on my memories from that time, in particular on the lessons from Professor Wiesel’s class on “Literary Responses to Oppression.” With the rise of national awareness for the pervasive ill effects of systemic racism and race-based inequality, members of my community and I have been poring over modern-day responses to the oppression of People of Color in the US. We travelled together in the past year to Georgia and Alabama to visit the sites, memorials, and museums of the Civil Rights era. We have listened to podcasts, watched films, and read books and articles about white privilege, racist violence, and most recently, antiracism. While this learning was in light of the ongoing struggle for racial justice, it took an even more pressing turn after the murder of George Floyd. When the leadership of our local Black community organized a Peace March through Boca Raton, my congregation turned out in great numbers in support. Our membership wanted to learn more and asked us to put together a panel on race in our community with a local pastor, a community leader, and a Black member of our congregation sharing their stories.
I also heard from members of my congregation that they wanted to read together and discuss How to be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi, that we might learn from him how we can combat the ills of racism in our day through our own lives and behavior. Right after I announced this book discussion group to the entire community, the news broke that Dr. Kendi would be relocating to BU. Like many alumni I felt a sense of pride, and was curious about what prompted his decision. When I heard that he chose to come to BU because of its history of the acceptance of students of Color and because it was where Dr. King pursued his doctorate, I thought back to the STH building and my time in those classrooms.
As a Jew and a rabbi, what compels me about Dr. Kendi’s thinking is that it leaves no room for standing by. The core message in his book, and of antiracism in general, is that everything we do either reinforces a system of racism that has been erected and reinforced over centuries or strives to tear that edifice down. In each action we take, we are either being racist or being antiracist. There is no neutrality when it comes to racism. As I processed his argument and began to think about it in Jewish terms, I couldn’t help but think about the acceptance speech Professor Wiesel gave in Oslo when he received the Nobel Prize for Peace, where he cautioned against neutrality: “We must take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. Sometimes we must interfere. When human lives are endangered, when human dignity is in jeopardy, national borders and sensitivities become irrelevant. Wherever men and women are persecuted because of their race, religion, or political views, that place must – at that moment – become the center of the universe.”
The burden Dr. King, Prof. Wiesel, and Dr. Kendi lay upon us is great. “The day is short, the work is much” (Avot 2:16), Jewish tradition says. But along with that burden, these great minds of BU inspire me each and every day.
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You’ve highlighted the crucial idea from Dr. Kendi’s work that when it comes to racism, there is no neutrality – you’re either being racist or antiracist. This resonates deeply with Professor Wiesel’s caution against neutrality in the face of oppression. Both emphasize the vital role each individual plays in either perpetuating or dismantling systems of injustice.
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What a truly moving tribute to two giants, Wiesel and King! Rabbi Weisman beautifully connects their enduring legacies of justice and peace, highlighting the profound impact they’ve had. It’s inspiring to hear how these experiences shaped him, reminding us that there are indeed no bystanders in the pursuit of a better world. Thanks for sharing this powerful reflection on Block Poster.
This reflection on moral courage and the power of words deeply resonated with me—especially the idea that no one is a bystander in the work for justice. It’s beautiful how Elie Wiesel and Dr. King, though from different worlds, both used their voices to ignite change. For anyone inspired by such stories, I’ve found to be a powerful tool to bring these messages to life through video—just type a line, upload a photo, and get a full 4-to-15-second MP4 with natural sound and dialogue, all free MiniMax H3 AI Video Generator
Rabbi Weisman’s reflection on Professor Wiesel really stayed with me—especially the idea that we can turn our deepest pain into a force for good. It’s a powerful reminder that our own stories, even the hard parts, can help others. That sense of preserving and sharing meaningful moments is something I think about a lot, especially when I look at old family photos. I’ve started adding a small caption with the names and date to each picture, so the story isn’t lost. If you’re looking to do the same, you can add name and date in photo online and keep those memories clear for the next generation.
The parallel between Wiesel and King is striking, but the most powerful idea here is that antiracism leaves no room for neutrality — every action either reinforces racism or tears it down. It’s a compelling framing for congregations turning reflection into concrete action, like the peace march and book discussions described.
Interestingly, the article emphasizes a pivotal moment when the author realized that everyone has a role in preventing suffering, a lesson that resonates deeply with the idea presented in the car jump video generator. By analyzing these visuals, we can better understand the dynamics of bystander behavior.
Rabbi Weisman, thank you for sharing such a poignant reflection. The convergence of Elie Wiesel and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacies, especially within the hallowed halls of STH, is truly powerful. Your personal connection to their teachings on justice and empathy is inspiring, and it’s a beautiful reminder that we all have a role to play in advocating for the vulnerable. It’s a message that resonates deeply, urging us to be more than just bystanders. Your thoughts truly prompt one to reflect on their own contributions to a more just world, a sentiment echoed by insightful tools like Rumpelstiltskin AI.
This reflection on Elie Wiesel’s classroom in STH, the same building where Martin Luther King studied, gives real weight to the argument that silence never helps the victim. I appreciate how Rabbi Weisman connects Wiesel’s Oslo warning against neutrality with Kendi’s insistence that there is no neutral ground on racism. It is a thoughtful reminder that small daily choices, not just grand gestures, are where the work actually happens, much like the patient practice behind something as simple as soflo wheelie life at soflo wheelie life.
Rabbi Weisman’s reflection on sitting in the same STH classrooms where both Elie Wiesel and Martin Luther King studied is a striking detail, and it gives his argument about moral inheritance real weight. I appreciated how he reads Wiesel’s Oslo warning against neutrality alongside Kendi’s antiracism, since both insist that silence and inaction are never truly neutral. For readers who want a lighter break after such heavy material, stunt bike extreme offers a stunt bike extreme game that is a simple distraction.
This reflection is most compelling where it connects Elie Wiesel’s warning that “neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim” with Ibram X. Kendi’s argument that there is no neutral position on racism. The detail about the class meeting in the same STH building where Martin Luther King studied gives that intellectual lineage a concrete, physical setting. I also appreciate how the rabbi describes his congregation’s practical response, from the Peace March in Boca Raton to the panel and book discussion. It makes the essay’s title feel earned rather than abstract.
Rabbi Weisman’s reflection on sitting in the same STH classroom where both Elie Wiesel and Martin Luther King studied is a striking detail, and it gives his essay real weight. I appreciated how he connects Wiesel’s Nobel warning that “neutrality helps the oppressor” with Ibram X. Kendi’s argument that there is no neutral stance on racism. The account of his Boca Raton congregation visiting Civil Rights sites and organizing a peace march shows what that lesson looks like in practice. It is a thoughtful reminder that the classroom is only the starting point.
This guest post by Rabbi Greg Weisman is most moving where he connects his own BU education to a moral demand rather than a credential. The detail that Elie Wiesel’s class met in the same building where Martin Luther King studied gives his argument about neutrality real weight, and his account of his Boca Raton congregation marching and forming a panel on race shows what that lesson looks like in practice. Quoting Wiesel’s Oslo warning that silence encourages the tormentor makes the link to Kendi’s antiracism feel earned rather than forced.
This reflection is most compelling where Rabbi Weisman connects Elie Wiesel’s warning that “neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim” to Ibram X. Kendi’s argument that there is no neutral position on racism. The detail about sitting in the same STH building where Martin Luther King studied gives that intellectual lineage real weight, and it makes the turn toward his congregation’s trip to Georgia and Alabama feel earned rather than abstract. It is a thoughtful reminder that studying past moral courage only matters if it pushes us to act in the present.