Reflection On Night By Elie Wiesel

In today’s world, we are taught that it is acceptable to be different and to be proud of who we are. However, as we know, that has not always been the case. In school, we recently read Night by Elie Wiesel. His story, like so many others, shares his horrific experience during the Holocaust. He struggled to believe in his faith as the world around him crumbled. His story teaches us that we have to stand strong even when it feels easier to give up.

I am an observant Jew, and for me, it has always been hard to explain my religion. I am constantly asked by others at my secular school why I don’t eat certain foods or celebrate certain holidays. But, I never experienced any actual anti-semitism until a year ago. One day, my Jewish neighbor woke up to find his car had been spray painted with a Swastika. My whole neighborhood gathered together to look at this atrocious symbol. The
The swastika and the intolerance it stood for was right there for everyone to see. Local news trucks and newspapers came in and out of our neighborhood, interviewing people, taking pictures, and getting footage of the people. I remember thinking of Elie Wiesel and wondering what it would have been like for him to be standing there looking at this symbol of his oppressors. Later that week, we celebrated the jewish holiday of Purim, by dressing up in costumes and delivering candy baskets to friends and family. The holiday commemorates the defeat of Haman, an advisor to the King that tried to kill the Jewish People. The king's wife, a Jew named Esther, stood up to Haman by telling the King she was Jewish, and Haman was trying to kill her