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Cœur ouvert [Open Heart]: Récit [Story]
De violentes douleurs à la poitrine, un médecin rassurant : « Rien au coeur ! » Quelques jours après, pourtant, ce dernier flanche. Incrédule, récalcitrant, Élie Wiesel est opéré à New York, in extremis. Au bloc, il a toutes les raisons de croire qu’il va s’enfoncer dans un silence définitif. Ce passage de la vie à la mort–tout sauf un vide, découvre-t-il–se peuple d’émotions, de visages, de mémoires, d’interrogations sur lui-même et sur Dieu. Bilan d’une existence et d’une mission. Revenu à la vie, le Prix Nobel de la Paix, auteur immortel de La Nuit, inlassable ambassadeur de la tolérance, Juif universel qui n’a, au moment de partir, qu’une seule certitude, sa foi, livre le récit si rare de cette traversée du mur invisible. Cet ultime témoignage est lu à la demande de l’auteur par Guila Clara Kessous, son élève comédienne à qui il avait déjà demandé d’interpréter La Nuit.
« Cette lecture est d’une incroyable justesse : ni pathos, ni faux semblants dans la voix pure et vibrante de Guila Clara Kessous. »–Irina Bokova, Directrice Générale de l’UNESCO
Please This audiobook is in French.
« Cette lecture est d’une incroyable justesse : ni pathos, ni faux semblants dans la voix pure et vibrante de Guila Clara Kessous. »–Irina Bokova, Directrice Générale de l’UNESCO
Please This audiobook is in French.
Audible Audio
First published December 4, 2012
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About the author
Elie Wiesel
272 books4,497 followersEliezer "Elie" Wiesel was a Romanian-born American writer, professor, political activist, Nobel laureate, and Holocaust survivor. He authored 57 books, written mostly in French and English, including Night, a work based on his experiences as a Jewish prisoner in the Auschwitz and Buchenwald concentration camps.
In his political activities Wiesel became a regular speaker on the subject of the Holocaust and remained a strong defender of human rights during his lifetime. He also advocated for many other causes like the state of Israel and against Hamas and victims of oppression including Soviet and Ethiopian Jews, the apartheid in South Africa, the Bosnian genocide, Sudan, the Kurds and the Armenian genocide, Argentina's Desaparecidos or Nicaragua's Miskito people.
He was a professor of the humanities at Boston University, which created the Elie Wiesel Center for Jewish Studies in his honor. He was involved with Jewish causes and human rights causes and helped establish the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C.
Wiesel was awarded various prestigious awards including the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986. He was a founding board member of the New York Human Rights Foundation and remained active in it throughout his life.
In his political activities Wiesel became a regular speaker on the subject of the Holocaust and remained a strong defender of human rights during his lifetime. He also advocated for many other causes like the state of Israel and against Hamas and victims of oppression including Soviet and Ethiopian Jews, the apartheid in South Africa, the Bosnian genocide, Sudan, the Kurds and the Armenian genocide, Argentina's Desaparecidos or Nicaragua's Miskito people.
He was a professor of the humanities at Boston University, which created the Elie Wiesel Center for Jewish Studies in his honor. He was involved with Jewish causes and human rights causes and helped establish the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C.
Wiesel was awarded various prestigious awards including the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986. He was a founding board member of the New York Human Rights Foundation and remained active in it throughout his life.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 369 reviews
March 4, 2024
Many people write. But few would risk as easy and conversational a tone as this man, not with subjects as serious as life and death. He even lets it meander at times - retelling a friend's joke at his bedside after a taxi once hit him - only to return to his heart surgery and own words of wisdom.
Pick up this book as you might a telephone. The caller is old. He'll speak for a while then end quickly. Time to go.
On the cover, the author is smiling. The eyes give away the smile is real. He wears a patterned tie, striped shirt, and woolly waistcoat under a suit jacket. His hair is long on top and brushed back. But the style that marks his writing is radical as it comes. It bucks all downward trends. It lifted this reader up.
Pick up this book as you might a telephone. The caller is old. He'll speak for a while then end quickly. Time to go.
On the cover, the author is smiling. The eyes give away the smile is real. He wears a patterned tie, striped shirt, and woolly waistcoat under a suit jacket. His hair is long on top and brushed back. But the style that marks his writing is radical as it comes. It bucks all downward trends. It lifted this reader up.
February 22, 2013
With all that Elie Wiesel has lived through,and with all the horrors of life that he has experienced firsthand, one might assume (as I erroneously did) that he would be all right - at peace, even - with the possibility of dying.
You would be wrong.
"Long ago, over there, death lay in wait for us at every moment, but it is now, eternities later, that it shall have its way. I feel it." (pg. 17)
"Hadn't I lived with death, even in death? Why should I be afraid now? Yet, this is not how I imagined my end. And in no way did I feel ready. So many things still to be achieved. So many projects to be completed. So many challenges yet to face. So many prayers yet to compose, so many words yet to discover, so many courses yet to give, so many lessons yet to receive." (pg. 22-23)
At the time of the writing of this book, Elie Wiesel is 82 years old and facing heart bypass surgery. Open Heart, then, is Wiesel's perfectly-titled reflection on his life as he prepares for what could be the end of it.
And that's where, despite his extraordinary life, Elie Wiesel is no different than anyone else facing his or her own mortality in the form of a scary diagnosis or medical condition. In such instances, it's natural to reflect back on one's life and work, to recount the decisions made and the roads traveled.
He shares how he met his wife Marion, their life's work together, and his joyful memories on the birth of their son and grandchildren. He returns to the Holocaust, the pain of losing all of his immediate family in a concentration camp and his devotion to them. ("In truth, my father never leaves me. Nor do my mother and little sister. They have stayed with me, appearing in every one of my tales, in every one of my dreams. In everything I teach." pg. 53)
In Open Heart, there are questions. Big ones, without answers. (At least, not right now.)
"Have I performed my duty as a survivor? Have I transmitted all I was able to? Too much, perhaps? ....I feel the words [in Night] are not right and that I could have said it better...In my imagination, I turn the pages." (pg. 40-41)
If it seems as if I'm quoting more from this slim little book than offering my own thoughts, I am. I mean, hello! - it's Elie Wiesel. He just has a way with words, and while there aren't many in them in Open Heart (a book that I read in less than an hour), they are ones that most of us - when faced with a health scare of our own - could relate to.
(They are ones that have, for many reviewers of this book, been panned for being either too trite or not enough. My take is the opposite; this is meant to be a comfort, I think, for people who are going through their own trials.)
Open Heart ends optimistically. (Wiesel obviously survives his bypass surgery, even with the surgeon telling him upon his awakening, "You've come back from far away.") It is a reaffirmation of what kind of person one wants to be with whatever time is left remaining and a call to action to each of us to open our own hearts in making the necessary choices.
"A credo that defines my path:
I belong to a generation that has often felt abandoned by God and betrayed by mankind. And yet, I believe that we must not give up on either.
Was it yesterday - or long ago - that we learned how human beings have been able to attain perfection in cruelty? That for the killers, the torturers, it is normal, thus human, to act inhumanely? Should one therefore turn away from humanity?
The answer, of course, is up to each of us. 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. Or not.
I know - I speak from experience - that even in darkness it is possible to create light and encourage compassion. That it is possible to feel free inside a prison. That even in exile, friendship exists and can become an anchor. That one instant before dying, man is still immortal.
There it is: I still believe in man in spite of man. I believe in language even though it has been wounded, deformed and perverted by the enemies of mankind. And I continue to cling to words because it is up to us to transform them into instruments of comprehension rather than contempt. It is up to us to choose whether we wish to use them to curse or to heal, to wound or to console." (pg. 72-73)
You would be wrong.
"Long ago, over there, death lay in wait for us at every moment, but it is now, eternities later, that it shall have its way. I feel it." (pg. 17)
"Hadn't I lived with death, even in death? Why should I be afraid now? Yet, this is not how I imagined my end. And in no way did I feel ready. So many things still to be achieved. So many projects to be completed. So many challenges yet to face. So many prayers yet to compose, so many words yet to discover, so many courses yet to give, so many lessons yet to receive." (pg. 22-23)
At the time of the writing of this book, Elie Wiesel is 82 years old and facing heart bypass surgery. Open Heart, then, is Wiesel's perfectly-titled reflection on his life as he prepares for what could be the end of it.
And that's where, despite his extraordinary life, Elie Wiesel is no different than anyone else facing his or her own mortality in the form of a scary diagnosis or medical condition. In such instances, it's natural to reflect back on one's life and work, to recount the decisions made and the roads traveled.
He shares how he met his wife Marion, their life's work together, and his joyful memories on the birth of their son and grandchildren. He returns to the Holocaust, the pain of losing all of his immediate family in a concentration camp and his devotion to them. ("In truth, my father never leaves me. Nor do my mother and little sister. They have stayed with me, appearing in every one of my tales, in every one of my dreams. In everything I teach." pg. 53)
In Open Heart, there are questions. Big ones, without answers. (At least, not right now.)
"Have I performed my duty as a survivor? Have I transmitted all I was able to? Too much, perhaps? ....I feel the words [in Night] are not right and that I could have said it better...In my imagination, I turn the pages." (pg. 40-41)
If it seems as if I'm quoting more from this slim little book than offering my own thoughts, I am. I mean, hello! - it's Elie Wiesel. He just has a way with words, and while there aren't many in them in Open Heart (a book that I read in less than an hour), they are ones that most of us - when faced with a health scare of our own - could relate to.
(They are ones that have, for many reviewers of this book, been panned for being either too trite or not enough. My take is the opposite; this is meant to be a comfort, I think, for people who are going through their own trials.)
Open Heart ends optimistically. (Wiesel obviously survives his bypass surgery, even with the surgeon telling him upon his awakening, "You've come back from far away.") It is a reaffirmation of what kind of person one wants to be with whatever time is left remaining and a call to action to each of us to open our own hearts in making the necessary choices.
"A credo that defines my path:
I belong to a generation that has often felt abandoned by God and betrayed by mankind. And yet, I believe that we must not give up on either.
Was it yesterday - or long ago - that we learned how human beings have been able to attain perfection in cruelty? That for the killers, the torturers, it is normal, thus human, to act inhumanely? Should one therefore turn away from humanity?
The answer, of course, is up to each of us. 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. Or not.
I know - I speak from experience - that even in darkness it is possible to create light and encourage compassion. That it is possible to feel free inside a prison. That even in exile, friendship exists and can become an anchor. That one instant before dying, man is still immortal.
There it is: I still believe in man in spite of man. I believe in language even though it has been wounded, deformed and perverted by the enemies of mankind. And I continue to cling to words because it is up to us to transform them into instruments of comprehension rather than contempt. It is up to us to choose whether we wish to use them to curse or to heal, to wound or to console." (pg. 72-73)
January 1, 2013
a one sit read. very touching, very inspiring, very sad yet offers hope knowing all that he's been through he's still able to find the light at the end of the tunnel. he does an amazing job of reminding readers of what is really important in life as well as on the operating table. i love this man and his values, his ethics, his genuine compassion for the entire universe. it was a nice read to remind me of the power of gratitude and how i intend to bring in my new year.
January 28, 2021
Elie Wiesel was one of the great heroes of the 20th century! His books have affected and touched so many people and his life has been an influence for good for so many years. He passed away 2 years ago and y’all know I’ve been on a Holocaust literature kick this year. This book is a short and easy read . . . but emotional like you would not believe! I finished reading The Boy in the Striped Pajamas right before reading Open Heart, so I was already emotional. Elie Wiesel’s death popped up in my Facebook memories a little while ago and all the criticism and attacks made me angry and nauseous all over again. So, reading Open Heart again was actually more meaningful and emotional for me than the first time I read it. I’m a strong believer in historical education, especially Holocaust education; reading how Mr. Wiesel questioned his teaching and writing, the information he conveyed, whether or not he said too much, killed me! His impact on the world should never be questioned or dismissed, and yet when he believed he might die, he did just that. I just wanted to cry . . . which I’ll admit, I did. Another thing that struck me, was the idea that he acted like this was his first brush with death. Some would probably say that sounds ridiculous, considering everything he survived as a young kid; I found it refreshing and inspiring. He said that, in the Jewish tradition, he tried to live and focus on life and not death. This book shows the mind of an inspirational, unselfish, and brilliant man and causes us to think about many things that either never occurred to us, or that we would rather not think about at all. Overall, I think everyone should read this book, especially now that Mr. Wiesel and many other Holocaust survivors have passed away. It’s encouraging, informative, emotional, heartbreaking, and inspiring all at the same time!
August 14, 2024
This is a short book written by Elie Wiesel about his emergency open-heart surgery for a quintuple bypass. He makes full use of the double entendre to talk about "open heart" in both the literal and metaphorical sense, exploring both the impact of his surgery and the open-heartedness of his life. This man who is often considered as a paragon explores whether in his life he's been open-hearted enough.
My book group read it as a way to remember a group member who had died.
Elie Wiesel's open-heartedness did not, however, forestall the public reemergence of virulent antisemitism.
Elie Wiesel's surgery took place in 2011 and garnered him five more years of life.
My book group read it as a way to remember a group member who had died.
Elie Wiesel's open-heartedness did not, however, forestall the public reemergence of virulent antisemitism.
Elie Wiesel's surgery took place in 2011 and garnered him five more years of life.
January 7, 2013
"I know- I speak from experience- that even in the darkness it is possible to create light and encourage compassion. That it is possible to feel free inside a prison. That even in exile, friendship exists and can become an anchor. That there is one instant before dying, man is still immortal." --Elie Wiesel
"There it is: I still believe in man in spite of man. I believe in language even though it has been wounded, deformed and perverted by the enemies of mankind. And I continue to cling to words because it is up to us to transform them into instruments of comprehension rather than contempt. It is up to us to choose whether we wish to use them to curse or to heal, to wound or to console." -- Elie Wiesel
"I now know that every moment is a new beginning, every handshake a promise. I know that every quest implicates the other, just as every word can become a prayer. If life is not a celebration then why remember it? If life- mine or that of my fellow man- is not an offering to the other, what are we doing on this earth." Elie Wiesel
"There it is: I still believe in man in spite of man. I believe in language even though it has been wounded, deformed and perverted by the enemies of mankind. And I continue to cling to words because it is up to us to transform them into instruments of comprehension rather than contempt. It is up to us to choose whether we wish to use them to curse or to heal, to wound or to console." -- Elie Wiesel
"I now know that every moment is a new beginning, every handshake a promise. I know that every quest implicates the other, just as every word can become a prayer. If life is not a celebration then why remember it? If life- mine or that of my fellow man- is not an offering to the other, what are we doing on this earth." Elie Wiesel
December 5, 2012
My daughter recently saw Elie Wiesel at the Civic Opera house in Chicago and said she cried through the whole thing. That he was just so honest, caring and sweet. This book definitely reflects all of that, his honesty shows through, his love for his son and wife, his faith and the coming to terms with his past. Facing death impels one to re-examine everything in their lives. He remembers his past, his father, all the trials he and his wife had faced together and knows their are still things he wants to do, while at the same time wondering if he has done enough. Short little book that says much.
July 2, 2016
While this book was written in 2011 as a contemplation of his life and death (he was hospitalized for open heart surgery), it is with great sadness and awe that I finished reading it today, on the same day as Wiesel's death. This is a very short read but I found it disorganized and more of a personal journaling than a memoir or autobiography; I have enjoyed and appreciated his work so much more in other pieces I've read.
March 31, 2022
This was the first book I was able to read through ever since the start of the full scale war in Ukraine, on the 24th of February 2022.
I was looking for something humane, something warm and touching, something that would be inspiring and Elie's story about life after having survived Holocaust hit the right spot.
It was short (just about a 1 hour read) and precise, which is really convenient when your attention span has almost become non-existent for whichever reason. It helps out with creating a certain mindset when you feel like no good will ever happen in this world again. It's a piece of writing that I would suggest to those who feel at their lowest in their lives but obviously, not only.
The only reduction in the star rating was due to the many references made to God and religion, which personally are a bit off-putting for me.
I cried and I laughed while reading the book but most importantly, it managed to provide me with a break from reality and a breath of fresh air during a devastating time. It made me really curious to discover more of the author's writing and I hope to get to more of his books soon.
I was looking for something humane, something warm and touching, something that would be inspiring and Elie's story about life after having survived Holocaust hit the right spot.
It was short (just about a 1 hour read) and precise, which is really convenient when your attention span has almost become non-existent for whichever reason. It helps out with creating a certain mindset when you feel like no good will ever happen in this world again. It's a piece of writing that I would suggest to those who feel at their lowest in their lives but obviously, not only.
The only reduction in the star rating was due to the many references made to God and religion, which personally are a bit off-putting for me.
I cried and I laughed while reading the book but most importantly, it managed to provide me with a break from reality and a breath of fresh air during a devastating time. It made me really curious to discover more of the author's writing and I hope to get to more of his books soon.
March 9, 2013
With my wife having gone through open heart surgery not long after the birth of our first daughter, I originally bought this for her to read. However, being a great admirer of Wiesel and the work he has done in his life, i read it immediately after she was finished with it.
I've read several reviews from others who focus only on the fact that Wiesel, even in this book, continues to carry a grief that he does not want to let go of. Anyone who has not experienced even an iota of what he and millions of others have experienced could ever understand that intense level of grief born in the midst of such immense horror. If that is all they see in this book, they've not read it well. Short scenes with his grandchildren, the strong love for his wife and son, his dedication to teaching and lecturing - they are found throughout. You just have to be open to when they appear.
It is not the most profound book among the 50 he has written, but there are wonderful, sad, and thought-provoking moments from a man who at 82 is again facing his mortality that definitely make this worth reading.
I've read several reviews from others who focus only on the fact that Wiesel, even in this book, continues to carry a grief that he does not want to let go of. Anyone who has not experienced even an iota of what he and millions of others have experienced could ever understand that intense level of grief born in the midst of such immense horror. If that is all they see in this book, they've not read it well. Short scenes with his grandchildren, the strong love for his wife and son, his dedication to teaching and lecturing - they are found throughout. You just have to be open to when they appear.
It is not the most profound book among the 50 he has written, but there are wonderful, sad, and thought-provoking moments from a man who at 82 is again facing his mortality that definitely make this worth reading.
June 9, 2013
Short read. Five starts? I admit I am very prejudiced when it comes to Wiesel as he is a monumental influence in my life. There is just one section I will discuss so as not ruin the memoir for you. This is one of the few times I have wanted to write an author, and the only time I want to write to reassure the author. Wiesel questions whether he should have been so brutally honest in the book, "Night." He admits to struggling with this question for years. That book, although at first devastating to me, at age sixteen, has been instrumental in the shaping of my justice-oriented purpose statement. (And no, I am not Jewish.)
October 18, 2023
Lo escuché en audiobook y ¿cómo puede no gustarme?
Sus sentimientos y reflexiones frente a su cirugía a corazón abierto, un año antes de morir.
Me gusta mucho todo lo relacionado a Elie Wiesel.
Sus sentimientos y reflexiones frente a su cirugía a corazón abierto, un año antes de morir.
Me gusta mucho todo lo relacionado a Elie Wiesel.
August 25, 2015
"Since God is, He is to be found in the questions as well as in the answers."
The last time I read a book by Elie Wiesel, I was a high school freshman living in an incredibly diverse though predominantly Jewish community. The collective stories and hardships of the Jewish people were deeply ingrained in my psyche, and I only wish I had been a little older to truly grapple with what he was conveying.
The intersection of terrible anguish and gut wrenching beauty converges in Wiesel's Open Heart. It's a quick read, yet the nuggets of insight and philosophy are not to be missed in the 79 pages. There are too many moments of astounding pain. Very few would be able to truly grasp what he means when he says, "I belong to a generation that has often felt abandoned by God and betrayed by mankind. And yet I believe that we must not give up on either...Even in the darkness it is possible to create light and encourage compassion."
I'm left in awe. I'm blown away by this collective resilience and beauty in a broken world. As the last survivors leave us, I always wonder who will remain to continually remind the world of what happened. I am heartened by Wiesel's response that, "The brain will be buried memory will survive it." All I can think of is Maya Angelou's famous phrase, "...and still I rise."
The last time I read a book by Elie Wiesel, I was a high school freshman living in an incredibly diverse though predominantly Jewish community. The collective stories and hardships of the Jewish people were deeply ingrained in my psyche, and I only wish I had been a little older to truly grapple with what he was conveying.
The intersection of terrible anguish and gut wrenching beauty converges in Wiesel's Open Heart. It's a quick read, yet the nuggets of insight and philosophy are not to be missed in the 79 pages. There are too many moments of astounding pain. Very few would be able to truly grasp what he means when he says, "I belong to a generation that has often felt abandoned by God and betrayed by mankind. And yet I believe that we must not give up on either...Even in the darkness it is possible to create light and encourage compassion."
I'm left in awe. I'm blown away by this collective resilience and beauty in a broken world. As the last survivors leave us, I always wonder who will remain to continually remind the world of what happened. I am heartened by Wiesel's response that, "The brain will be buried memory will survive it." All I can think of is Maya Angelou's famous phrase, "...and still I rise."
July 28, 2016
I was interested in this book as the author describes his experiences, both physical and spiritual, before, during, and after, open heart surgery. My late father had this surgery, and afterward, was never quite "himself" again. It is with bitterness, 13 yrs after his death, I recall the dramatic changes that open heart surgery wrought upon this once vital, strong man. Anyone considering this procedure would benefit from this quick read, by Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel. Anyone, who wants to know how to behave well in unfortunate circumstances would do well to read this book. You may not have survived the Holocaust, or open heart surgery, or you may not want to know how to behave well, but the message of "Momento mori," quiet hope, and joy makes this book a great addition to any library.
June 22, 2018
This is a perfect final offering from one of my favourite human beings. Mr. Wiesel has helped me to see things in such a different light so many times in my life and this small book is no exception. Yes, it is a one sitting read, but the profundity will stay with you for a long while to come. I usually offer quotes but I would have to quote the entire book if I wanted to remember all that struck me so I will just leave you with one quote that sums up Mr. Wiesel quite well (and speaks my own heart). "I still believe in man in spite of man. I believe in language even though it has been wounded, deformed and perverted by the enemies of mankind. And I continue to cling to words because it is up to us to transform them into instruments of comprehension rather than contempt. It is up to us to choose whether we wish to use them to curse or to heal, to wound or to console."
October 11, 2017
Elie Wiesel's Night has been on my list of books to read for years and as yet I haven't got to it. I picked this up at a moment when I wanted a quick read. Although a very brief read it is quite a deep and thoughtfully written piece. At 82 Elie was faced with life threatening surgery which found him reminiscing about his past, those lost in the Holocaust, things he'd done and hadn't done and questioning his life. It is so well written and emotional that now I want to rush out and add more of his books to my list and start reading them. His is a voice that was much needed and will be with us for a long time to come.
January 30, 2016
I read this in one sitting in Barnes & Noble, much to the chagrin of my friend who wanted to leave and go to Starbucks.
It's a wonderful little piece about life and what we are giving it. One little sentence even brought a tear to my eye in the mid public of places. As always Weisel's voice feels warm, honest, and poetic. Maybe you've just read Night and aren't ready to tackle a big piece you feel might not be as good or moving, if so, pick up this small tome and devour it in one or two sittings. It'll be worth it.
It's a wonderful little piece about life and what we are giving it. One little sentence even brought a tear to my eye in the mid public of places. As always Weisel's voice feels warm, honest, and poetic. Maybe you've just read Night and aren't ready to tackle a big piece you feel might not be as good or moving, if so, pick up this small tome and devour it in one or two sittings. It'll be worth it.
August 20, 2022
Reflections on life - how much was done, how much was left, and Elie Wiesel's view on G-d
As always, compelling writing, incredibly thought provoking
As always, compelling writing, incredibly thought provoking
June 22, 2015
Everything he shared with his wife, Marion...
Beautiful book, but he continues to be deluded that there is an afterlife and a god.
From Wikipedia:
In 2014, 327 Holocaust survivors and descendants condemned Elie Wiesel's comments supporting the 2014 Israeli invasion of Gaza, in an ad in the New York Times:
…we are disgusted and outraged by Elie Wiesel’s abuse of our history in these pages to justify the unjustifiable: Israel’s wholesale effort to destroy Gaza and the murder of more than 2,000 Palestinians, including many hundreds of children. Nothing can justify bombing UN shelters, homes, hospitals and universities. Nothing can justify depriving people of electricity and water.
On April 18, 2010, in The New York Times and on 16 April for three other newspapers, Wiesel wrote a full-page advertisement in which he emphasized the Jewish connection to Jerusalem and criticized the Obama administration for pressuring Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to halt East Jerusalem Israeli settlement construction.He wrote:
For me, the Jew that I am, Jerusalem is above politics. It is mentioned more than six hundred times in Scripture—and not a single time in the Koran.... It belongs to the Jewish people and is much more than a city; it is what binds one Jew to another in a way that remains hard to explain. When a Jew visits Jerusalem for the first time, it is not the first time; it is a homecoming. The first song I heard was my mother's lullaby about and for Jerusalem. Its sadness and its joy are part of our collective memory.
Beautiful book, but he continues to be deluded that there is an afterlife and a god.
From Wikipedia:
In 2014, 327 Holocaust survivors and descendants condemned Elie Wiesel's comments supporting the 2014 Israeli invasion of Gaza, in an ad in the New York Times:
…we are disgusted and outraged by Elie Wiesel’s abuse of our history in these pages to justify the unjustifiable: Israel’s wholesale effort to destroy Gaza and the murder of more than 2,000 Palestinians, including many hundreds of children. Nothing can justify bombing UN shelters, homes, hospitals and universities. Nothing can justify depriving people of electricity and water.
On April 18, 2010, in The New York Times and on 16 April for three other newspapers, Wiesel wrote a full-page advertisement in which he emphasized the Jewish connection to Jerusalem and criticized the Obama administration for pressuring Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to halt East Jerusalem Israeli settlement construction.He wrote:
For me, the Jew that I am, Jerusalem is above politics. It is mentioned more than six hundred times in Scripture—and not a single time in the Koran.... It belongs to the Jewish people and is much more than a city; it is what binds one Jew to another in a way that remains hard to explain. When a Jew visits Jerusalem for the first time, it is not the first time; it is a homecoming. The first song I heard was my mother's lullaby about and for Jerusalem. Its sadness and its joy are part of our collective memory.
September 22, 2013
In June of 2011, author, humanitarian and Nobel Peace Prize honoree Elie Wiesel learned that he was in imminent danger of a heart attack and that he would need emergency open-heart surgery. Open Heart is his account of the experience.
In this short but beautiful book, Wiesel recounts not only the surgery itself and its aftermath, but the memories, questions and doubts that assail him as he faces his own mortality. He thinks of his family, both those he has lost and those who surround him and support him in the present. This remarkable man, who has spent his life speaking for those who died in the Shoah and oppressed people everywhere, wonders if he has done enough, or too much. “All of us who have fought the battle [against fanaticism],” he concludes, “must now admit defeat.”
As he confronts the possibility of his own death, he also wrestles (as Jews have done since the time of Jacob) with his relationship with God and the meaning of the religious observances he still performs, despite the “theological scandal” of Auschwitz and the atrocities that have happened since. In the end, however, he still holds to his belief “in man in spite of man,” and though he feels essentially unchanged by his experience, “I now know that every moment is a new beginning, every handshake a promise.”
In this short but beautiful book, Wiesel recounts not only the surgery itself and its aftermath, but the memories, questions and doubts that assail him as he faces his own mortality. He thinks of his family, both those he has lost and those who surround him and support him in the present. This remarkable man, who has spent his life speaking for those who died in the Shoah and oppressed people everywhere, wonders if he has done enough, or too much. “All of us who have fought the battle [against fanaticism],” he concludes, “must now admit defeat.”
As he confronts the possibility of his own death, he also wrestles (as Jews have done since the time of Jacob) with his relationship with God and the meaning of the religious observances he still performs, despite the “theological scandal” of Auschwitz and the atrocities that have happened since. In the end, however, he still holds to his belief “in man in spite of man,” and though he feels essentially unchanged by his experience, “I now know that every moment is a new beginning, every handshake a promise.”
April 10, 2017
De ondertitel van het boek luidt “Overpeinzingen van een overlever”. Dat heeft in het geval van Elie Wiesel natuurlijk een dubbele betekenis: hij overleefde niet alleen zijn vijfvoudige bypassoperatie, maar ook de grootste verschrikking van de 20e eeuw: de holocaust, waarin hij zoveel van zijn vrienden en familieleden heeft verloren. Dit is een thema dat in vrijwel al zijn boeken (direct of indirect) terugkomt. Zo ook in “Open hart“. De woorden zijn simpel. De gevoelens oprecht en de gedachten herkenbaar. Als hij de operatiekamer wordt binnengereden, vraagt hij zich af of hij nog zal bijkomen uit de narcose of dat dit zijn einde is. Hij moet denken aan een vriendin van zijn vrouw die eenzelfde operatie heeft gehad, maar daar niet meer uit ontwaakte. Wiesel overpeinst de relaties tussen mensen, de relaties tussen de generaties, de relaties tussen de mens en god. Zoals altijd weet hij met zijn open blik en met eenvoudige bewoordingen de lezer te raken. Dit mag dan misschien niet de titel zijn waarmee hij de geschiedenisboeken haalt (dat zal waarschijnlijk “Nacht” zijn), maar desalniettemin is “Open hart” een pareltje dat met open hart gelezen dient te worden. En herlezen, want de gedachten van Wiesel zijn en blijven relevant. Een schitterend boekje en een waardevolle aanvulling op het reeds omvangrijke werk van Wiesel.
July 10, 2018
Open Heart is an intimately honest account of Wiesel’s feelings and thoughts during a time when he wasn’t sure if he was going to live or die. As he faces his own mortality, he reflects on his choices and his conflicting emotions regarding God and his place in the world.
I was moved by the memoir. It’s simple and short, but contains a depth of emotion. I especially appreciated reading Wiesel’s regrets for not doing more and his ongoing questioning of religion. Even Wiesel, who has done so much, wants to do so much more with his life. It was nice to see even Wiesel questioning his choices, but it was also wonderful to see how he always turned to what gave him joy and what he thought were his successes. This book was quite comforting in that. I’m sure all of us could think back to things we wish we had done differently, or things we wish we understood better, but in the end, we can always turn to the things that we take joy and pride in.
Overall, this is a comforting memoir that shows just what it means to be faced with uncertainty. If you are at all a fan of Wiesel and his work, this is well worth the read.
Also posted on Purple People Readers.
I was moved by the memoir. It’s simple and short, but contains a depth of emotion. I especially appreciated reading Wiesel’s regrets for not doing more and his ongoing questioning of religion. Even Wiesel, who has done so much, wants to do so much more with his life. It was nice to see even Wiesel questioning his choices, but it was also wonderful to see how he always turned to what gave him joy and what he thought were his successes. This book was quite comforting in that. I’m sure all of us could think back to things we wish we had done differently, or things we wish we understood better, but in the end, we can always turn to the things that we take joy and pride in.
Overall, this is a comforting memoir that shows just what it means to be faced with uncertainty. If you are at all a fan of Wiesel and his work, this is well worth the read.
Also posted on Purple People Readers.
February 7, 2017
Open Heart is the final book by Elie Wiesel. It is fitting that this be his las book as it sums up his life and yet calls out for you to read his other books.
June 16, 2011, Elie Wiesel finds out his heart is failing him. According to his story, he doesn’t give up; but continues to fight the inevitable. While he is fighting for his life, he is also fighting to understand why. In all of his books, Elie seems to be wondering why things happen the way that they do. He just continues to worry why amid the worry about his heart. As usual, he wonders what will happen to his lovely wife and wonderful son. He lets the reader know that even though he may be going soon, the things he wonders about will still be there for the reader to continue to read about. It is a wonderful book by a fantastic man whose life has made such a difference for so many other people. He encourages us to look out for other people and to wonder about them instead of ourselves. It is a fantastic book to read
June 16, 2011, Elie Wiesel finds out his heart is failing him. According to his story, he doesn’t give up; but continues to fight the inevitable. While he is fighting for his life, he is also fighting to understand why. In all of his books, Elie seems to be wondering why things happen the way that they do. He just continues to worry why amid the worry about his heart. As usual, he wonders what will happen to his lovely wife and wonderful son. He lets the reader know that even though he may be going soon, the things he wonders about will still be there for the reader to continue to read about. It is a wonderful book by a fantastic man whose life has made such a difference for so many other people. He encourages us to look out for other people and to wonder about them instead of ourselves. It is a fantastic book to read
February 10, 2017
Is evil just another path leading to good? In truth, for the Jew that I am, Auschwitz is not only a human tragedy, but also, and most of all, a theological scandal. For me, it is as impossible to accept Auschwitz with God as without God. But then how is one to understand His silence? As I try to explain God's presence in evil, I suffer and search for reasons that would allow me to denounce Him.
Since God is, He is to be found in the questions as well as the answers.
I now know that every moment is a new beginning. Every handshake, a promise. I know that every quest implicates the other, just as every word can become prayer. If life is not a celebration, why remember it? If life, mine or that of my fellow man, is not an offering to the other, what are we doing on this Earth?
My life, I go on breathing, from minute to minute, from prayer to prayer.
Since God is, He is to be found in the questions as well as the answers.
I now know that every moment is a new beginning. Every handshake, a promise. I know that every quest implicates the other, just as every word can become prayer. If life is not a celebration, why remember it? If life, mine or that of my fellow man, is not an offering to the other, what are we doing on this Earth?
My life, I go on breathing, from minute to minute, from prayer to prayer.
March 4, 2024
Open Heart was a profoundly touching account of Wiesel at age 82 when he faced an emergency heart surgery. He reflects on his mortality and his life. He shared his experiences, fears, thoughts and emotions. This was one of numerous of his books. This one made me remember when I heard him speak in my city twice and felt privileged to see and hear him. He will always be a voice of heart and soul. He was a man of integrity and inspiration. He was a man of courage, human spirit and one who endured many challenges and horrors from the Holocaust. He lived for his purpose: faith, and family. This was a powerful and inspirational read during Yom Hashoah.
December 16, 2013
I thought that Mark Bramhall could read his grocery list and make it interesting; I still do. Bramhall reads the audiobook version of Elie Wiesel's essay on introspection following open heart surgery. As a Christian, I lack enough knowledge to grasp the full impact of many of the Jewish customs that are part of this essay, but with Bramhall's rich voice the listener is carried through and feels all the emotions that Wiesel recalls and explores. In the end, any listener is thankful that this wonderful writer has survived to continue sharing his tales.
August 27, 2016
I read Night when I was about the age that Elie Wiesel was when he was taken to Auschwitz. It has impacted me my entire life and always will. It raised philosophical and spiritual questions that I have yet to answer, except that in reading Open Heart, there is certainly peace to be found.
"I confess to having rebelled against the Lord, but I have never repudiated Him."
What an extraordinary human being.
"I confess to having rebelled against the Lord, but I have never repudiated Him."
What an extraordinary human being.
September 15, 2016
Best lesson: "We must choose between the violence of adults and the smile of children, between the ugliness of hate and the will to opposite it. Between inflicting suffering and humiliation on our below man and offering him the solidarity and hope he deserves. Or not.
I know -I speak from experience-that eventos un darkness it is posible to create light..."
I know -I speak from experience-that eventos un darkness it is posible to create light..."
April 5, 2019
Elie Wiesel is one of my heroes. He continually touches my heart with his wisdom, honesty, and fears as he faces open heart surgery and his mortality in this, his final book. As always, his experience of the Holocaust camps is the lens through which he encounters the world. But he will acknowledge the profound gratitude he has for the blessings God has bestowed. Thank you Elie.
December 27, 2012
Elie Wiesel is about the only writer that whenever I read him I wonder why I bother writing.
"If life is not a celebration, why remember it? If life--mine or that of my fellow man--is not an offering to the other, what are we doing on this earth?"
"If life is not a celebration, why remember it? If life--mine or that of my fellow man--is not an offering to the other, what are we doing on this earth?"
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