Posted on March 24, 2012 at 5:25 pm

By Carolyn Yeager

In an article titled “The Tragedy in Toulouse,” dated March 21, Elie Wiesel reveals once again his belief that Jewish pain is the only pain that matters. He also suggests that this idea has been held firmly in the Jewish mind for 5000 years–if you believe they’ve actually been around that long.

The background for Wiesel’s essay is the death of seven persons (four of them Jewish) by a gunman on a motorcycle, identified as Mohammed Merah, a 23-year old French National of Algerian origin.



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To provide my own background to this article, I am reproducing a picture and some text from The Guardian in January 2009.

At least 14 more Palestinian children were killed in the Gaza Strip yesterday as the misery and terror of civilians trapped by the Israeli bombardment intensified. With Israel defying mounting international demands for a ceasefire, aid workers warned of a humanitarian crisis facing terrified families trapped in their homes with little power, food, fuel and medicine. The death toll passed 535 as planes, helicopters, artillery and tanks pounded the Palestinian territory for a tenth day.

At right are 3 innocent murdered children whose deaths were not mourned by Elie Wiesel or most Jews in the world, even though their deaths were caused by Jews. Where is the anguish expressed by politicians and presidents for these three children?

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Merah, now dead himself, killed three French paratroopers of North African origin in drive-by type shootings on a motorcycle. In the aftermath of these three murders, we heard only cries that the perpetrators must have been right-wing, neo-nazi fanatics. A few days later, four Jews (including three children) were killed in the same fashion. Now the cries of anguish reached much higher levels and the media and left-wing politicians went into a frenzy, demanding that the “neo-nazi, far-right extremists” who must be responsible for such a crime be driven from French society and political intercourse.

When it was determined the shooter was an Islamic extremist, not white, the print and internet pundits became focused almost solely on the three Jewish children, and the theme became antisemitism. The French paratroopers of Algerian descent were all but forgotten. In addition, France felt the need to launch it’s biggest manhunt in living memory—anti-terrorist police were sent from Paris, and thousands of policemen were put on the case (according to the Economist).

Into this volatile situation comes Elie Wiesel with a short essay that, in his trademark way, says nothing of substance but accuses millions of “not caring enough” about the Jews. As in all his writings, Wiesel tells us nothing of the facts, but reveals a lot about himself–and Jews in general.

For your information, the news outlet to which Wiesel offered his essay (for $25,000?) is a self-described e-paper that goes by the name of The Algemeiner. It is a Jewish-Israeli operation with 50 Jewish writers featured—and not a Gentile in sight. The Algemeiner even uses the Hebrew date (for example 1 Nisan 5772) at the top of their page.

Let’s now turn to the essay itself. First I will copy the essay as it appeared; then I will go through it sentence by sentence, commenting on the meaning.

Exclusive by Elie Wiesel: The Tragedy in Toulouse March 21, 2012 Will the hatred of the Jews ever finally vanish? Will Jewish children always be in danger? This time, a murderer slew four Jews: a teacher and three young children. When a blood-thirsty Jew-hater wants to kill Jews, he goes first to the Jewish schools. Jewish children are his primary target. It’s always been this way. This is what Pharaoh, King of Egypt did, what Hitler did. And this is what happened now. This is the background to the tragedy that occurred in the French city, Toulouse. I have visited that city many times. The Jewish community there is old and well-established – it dates back to the Middle Ages – but it is dynamic. In the streets, you can see Jews wearing yarmulkas. Nobody thinks of anti-Semitism. Spiritually, it is one of richest Jewish communities in France. Obviously, the terrible murderous attack evoked tears and rage among both Jews and non-Jews. The President, his ministers, and other political figures in France, as well as all the newspapers, have demanded that the murderer be found and punished. It often happens like this. Jewish blood is spilled and, temporarily, sympathy for Jews grows; the world warms to them. But the pain does not go away, nor does the anger. We think about the martyrs: Rabbi Yochanan Sandler, his sons Aryeh and Gavriel, and Miriam Monsonego. We say, as is Jewish tradition: “May G-d avenge their blood.” That will be the response from Above. Our own answer must be concrete and to the point. When we are persecuted, our response must be: We will remain Jewish – and do everything to become more Jewish.

Now my commentary in blue. Wiesel writes:

Will the hatred of the Jews ever finally vanish? Will Jewish children always be in danger?

Wiesel has made a slip here by using the word “of.” Hatred of the Jews can mean hatred by the Jews as well as hatred for the Jews. I read it first as the Jew’s hatred. In any case, he means to set up “hatred for Jews” as the crime. He doesn’t mention “hatred of Algerians” even though three French Algerians were the first victims of the murderer, who himself was of Algerian origin!

This time, a murderer slew four Jews: a teacher and three young children.

Wiesel uses the Old Testament word “slew” as an artifice, to create a sense of history repeating itself—Jews being slain again and again.

When a blood-thirsty Jew-hater wants to kill Jews, he goes first to the Jewish schools. Jewish children are his primary target.

Wiesel uses more apocryphal language to simplify the Algerian down to “a blood-thirsty Jew hater.” If this man was blood-thirsty, what then are Jews when they bomb Palestinian schools and hospitals? Are the persons inside those buildings threatening them? Can they really say they’re acting in self-defense? Wiesel once again refuses to show any concern for those whom Jews kill. It’s amazing that he gets away with ignoring the terrible fate of Palestinian children, and other children throughout recent history, such as the hundreds of thousands of innocent ethnic German children who were killed before and after WWII.

It’s always been this way. This is what Pharaoh, King of Egypt did, what Hitler did. And this is what happened now.

Pharaoh and Hitler are the two rulers who “expelled the Jews” in a way that is most hateful to Jews. It’s not really surprising when one thinks about it, but still eye-opening that Wiesel links them together here. In the bible story, Pharaoh grew fearful of the Jews because of their power in his land; it was the same with Adolf Hitler, but Hitler did not “target” Jewish children. I doubt that Pharaoh did either, in spite of the stories. Jews have made up many stories about Hitler, but they are lies, defamation and forged and mislabeled photographs.

This is the background to the tragedy that occurred in the French city, Toulouse.

Wiesel is saying that Hitler and Pharaoh are the ‘background’ of this contemporary event. Jews think like this. The four Jews who were killed in this rather sporadic fashion have to be seen as connected to a long chain of purposeful persecution … they must be seen as part of an eternal holocaust … and the world must also see it this way.

I have visited that city many times. The Jewish community there is old and well-established – it dates back to the Middle Ages – but it is dynamic.

Jewish communities anywhere are of high value, Wiesel implies, and must be safe-guarded by all of us. Wiesel emphasizes how long Jews have been in that particular place in France to show that it means they belong there. The comparison comes to mind of how long Palestinians have been in Palestine, but the Jews don’t want them there because they want all the land for themselves. Why is it that Jews want to share in everyone else’s land, but cannot share their own, which was given to them on conditions they have not fulfilled.



In the streets, you can see Jews wearing yarmulkas. Nobody thinks of anti-Semitism. Spiritually, it is one of richest Jewish communities in France.

In spite of the fact that they have been in France since the Middle Ages, they are still a “Jewish community in France” not Frenchmen or a French community. That says a lot. The four Jews who were killed were flown immediately to Israel for burial, which tells us even more that this Jewish community does not consider itself French.

Obviously, the terrible murderous attack evoked tears and rage among both Jews and non-Jews. The President, his ministers, and other political figures in France, as well as all the newspapers, have demanded that the murderer be found and punished.

How often does a President, his ministers and politicians take a personal interest in solving a crime? This shows the power of the Jews in Europe, not love for them. Politicians and newspapers believe they have no choice when it comes to catering to the Jews in their country. This has been true ever since Jews came to control the money, banks and financial systems (think Goldman-Sachs), and Wiesel knows it.

It often happens like this. Jewish blood is spilled and, temporarily, sympathy for Jews grows; the world warms to them.

Wiesel believes in a spiritual eternal opposition to the Jews. Gentiles will never accept Jews as they are, he is saying … since Jews are a people who insist on being and remaining separate from all others while they live and flourish in others’ nations … often at the expense of the people of those nations. At the same time, he expects sympathy for Jews as a persecuted class. He expects special protection for them. And to non-Jews who don’t want to give Jews that special place and special protection, he points the accusing finger.

But the pain does not go away, nor does the anger. We think about the martyrs: Rabbi Yochanan Sandler, his sons Aryeh and Gavriel, and Miriam Monsonego. We say, as is Jewish tradition: “May G-d avenge their blood.” That will be the response from Above.

Vengence is the cornerstone of Jewish thought. While he adds that it should come from above, from G-d, he wants it to come. He knows that young Jews will hear him. Wiesel now wants to make new Jewish martyrs of these four victims.



Our own answer must be concrete and to the point. When we are persecuted, our response must be: We will remain Jewish – and do everything to become more Jewish.

Those are fighting words. Our separation, our apartness, will never end, he proclaims. Nor will our demand for special protection. Elie Wiesel remains always a Hasidic Orthodox Jew who reveres the Talmud, the Cabala, and all esoteric Jewish rabbinical texts. Therefore, he is comfortable expecting the impossible. Animosity toward their host populations is a constant for Jews. Their crime against us is that they paint it the other way around. In this little essay, Wiesel provides another example of just how it’s done. … how we are convinced that it is our failings, not theirs. That’s why I have analyzed it in so much detail. Gentiles should take heed and reject Wiesel’s image of us … and reject him.



