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S40E1: Elie Wiesel: Soul on Fire | Clip

How Elie Wiesel’s wife and son gave him a new lease on life

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Before meeting his wife Marion, Elie Wiesel “shunned love” and didn’t see himself having children. Marion convinced him, and after their son Elisha was born, Wiesel became more religious.

TRANSCRIPT

- The first time I met him was at my friend's.

This was at a dinner party in her house, and she was my closest friend.

And she said to me, "You're meeting Elie Wiesel.

"I just want you to know, he's a very interesting guy, but not somebody you would ever think of marrying."

After this dinner, we had one date, and we both knew that it was going to be.

- Once he met Marion, a switch occurred.

She released in him the thirst to live a little bit more normally as a human being.

(gentle brooding music) - [Narrator 1] What does a man dream when he's 40 years old and has made a decision consecrated by the law of Moses to make a home with a woman he loves?

Custom dictates that before his wedding, he can often go to meditate at the grave of his parents.

But this groom's parents, like millions of others, had no grave of their own.

All creation was their cemetery.

(gentle brooding music) - He had told me from the beginning he didn't want children.

He said, "I don't want to bring a child into this world."

I convinced him.

When Elisha was born, Elie became more religious.

He had never stopped being religious, he uncovered it.

It was like peeling off layers of non-religion, and his true self emerged, which was religious.

- [Narrator 2] At this particular time, Elie did tremendous traveling.

He would leave Elisha notes, and he'd say, "I'm not here, but I will be back.

"And tomorrow, we shall celebrate again, my son."

I would say to myself, "I can't believe "that he's leaving these notes to this three-year-old."

(gentle brooding music) - [Elie] When I see my son, I tell him stories.

And I sing him tunes about tales to be told one day by him, and then he smiles.

And his smile is not his alone.

His smile is my grandfather's who went to his death perhaps dancing and singing about my son.

(gentle brooding music)