Latest news with #ElieWiesel
Irish Independent
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Independent
Letters: Wise words of Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel that could very well apply to Gaza today
These are the words of Holocaust survivor and writer Elie Wiesel: '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 centre of the universe.' At this moment in time, Gaza is the centre of the universe. Chris Fitzpatrick, Dublin 6 Disturbing similarities between Warsaw in 1943 and Palestine in 2025 On April 19, 1943, the Jewish residents of the Warsaw ghetto refused to surrender. The SS commander ordered the destruction of the ghetto brick by brick. A total of 13,000 residents were killed. There were 110 German casualties, including 17 dead. According to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, the uprising was 'one of the most significant occurrences in the history of the Jewish people'. I look at the images from Gaza and cannot but gaze in amazement at the similarity between Warsaw in 1943 and Gaza in 2025. John M Nolan, Dublin 3 Politicians and media in Ireland distort war Israel is fighting as 'genocide' The increasing demonisation, vilification and singling out of Israel by the Irish political platform and media is now beyond rational explanation. A war is being fought in Gaza, which is not easy to accept as a society, but it is a war and not a genocide or ethnic cleansing as is being claimed by the media, activists and political elites. In fact, the most inflammatory claims once fact-checked are inaccurate, false or media spin. It is a war that Hamas and its supporters started on October 7, 2023, and continue to prolong based on perceived Western support and a genocidal policy of destroying the Jewish state. It is a war Hamas could end tomorrow by releasing the hostages and laying down its weapons. The continued weaponisation of language and distortion of words have an impact and have destroyed any chance of a diplomatic solution to this conflict. The constant criticism of Israel as the only protagonist and the spread of inaccurate accusations has emboldened not only Hamas, but every anti-Israel group across society. This is now manifesting in the increase in acts of intimidation, violence and murder directed towards Jews and Israelis. Chris Harbidge, Harold's Cross, Dublin After camogie decision, choice should now be in hands of pupils in schools If the Camogie Association can modernise its dress code for greater mobility, what's stopping schools from doing the same? At 15, I successfully campaigned for the option to wear trousers in my secondary school. I immediately switched to cycling – getting there faster and stress-free. Fifty years later, I still cycle regularly (with waterproof over-trousers when it rains), but now I find myself campaigning again – this time for my granddaughters. This week, Irish citizens are funding a new government campaign to encourage children to be more active. With €1m a day in public funds spent on active travel (Irish Independent, September 9, 2022), why are many schoolgirls still forced into skirts – impractical, unsafe and a barrier to cycling? This outdated rule discourages use of the very transport infrastructure their parents' taxes help fund. Only one in 250 teenage girls cycle daily (An Taisce, AndSheCycles). The Road Safety Authority advises cyclists to wear clothes that won't catch in chains or obscure visibility. Skirts, especially in wind, do both. Schools mandating skirts are ignoring these safety concerns. Let's retire outdated uniform rules that undermine girls' health, safety and mobility. Orla Farrell, address with editor Shortage of Irish players in top sphere unlikely to be remedied any time soon Last Saturday (Irish Independent, Sport, May 17) your soccer correspondent highlighted the fact that for the past nine years no Republic of Ireland player had played in the English FA Cup final, with Damien Delaney in 2016 the last to do so. This contrasts with the 1978 final between Ipswich and Arsenal when eight Irish players participated, and the 1980 final between West Ham and Arsenal when six played, albeit that a minority of them were from Northern Ireland. The position is not likely to change any time soon given that eight Republic of Ireland players in the league have seen their clubs relegated to the Championship this season, which leaves three players – Jake O'Brien (Everton), Nathan Collins (Brentford) and Matt Doherty (Wolves) – who could be considered regulars during the past season attached to clubs for next season's Premier League with perhaps Josh Cullen, promoted with Burnley, joining that list. James Healy, Highfield Park, Galway Name for new children's hospital must be inclusive and represent the island The name of the new children's hospital in Dublin must embrace all the children of Ireland. The All-Island Congenital Heart Disease Network is a collaborative healthcare initiative between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. This recently established network aims to provide comprehensive and high-quality care for children with congenital heart disease. Much co-operation has gone into its establishment, with surgery and interventional procedures now centred at Children's Health Ireland (CHI) in Crumlin. Other collaborative initiatives are anticipated. The peaceful future of our country requires 'hands across the Border'. Has Royal Belfast Children's Hospital been involved in the choice of the name? Have political sensitivities of Northern families been considered? Let our children lead us into that future by choosing an inclusive name for their hospital, such as the Ireland Children's Hospital. I believe Dr Kathleen Lynn would approve.
South China Morning Post
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Top 10: Who would you meet from history, and what would you say?
This week's question: If you could add one rule to your school, what would it be and why? To take part, drop us a line via this form by 12pm on Wednesday, May 21. Sana Zaman Wong Sum-wai, 14, PLK Mrs Ma Kam Ming Cheung Fook Sien College: Mahatma Gandhi was an Indian leader who played a crucial role in the country's struggle for independence. I would ask him about his principles of non-violence and how he would address today's social issues, such as inequality and climate change. His insights could inspire modern movements for change. Lareina Ma Lok-yin, 12, Pui Kiu College: Elie Wiesel was a Holocaust survivor. I would ask him, 'What was it like? How did you persevere despite the horrors?' Lynette Tang Hin-liem, 14, St Mary's Canossian College: Ada Lovelace, known for her groundbreaking insights on the creative potential of computing in the 19th century, continues to inspire us today. I would ask how she envisioned machines going beyond mere calculations in a time before modern technology, and how she blended poetry with logic. Her resilience in the face of gender barriers and her lasting impact on STEM remind us that innovation flourishes where imagination and precision intersect. Top 10: If you could own any piece of artwork in the world, what would it be, and why? Vivi Chui Tsz-laam, 14, Pooi To Middle School: I would choose Thomas Edison and ask him: how did you cope with failures in your quest to invent the light bulb? What motivated you during that time? You mentioned that genius is 1 per cent inspiration and 99 per cent perspiration, but how did you continue your efforts when everyone told you your ideas were impossible? Do you have any advice for students today? Gabrielle Leung Tsz-yau, 16, Tin Shui Wai: Patrick Steptoe is an obstetrician who, along with Robert Edwards and Jean Purdy, pioneered in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and persevered despite societal doubts. If I could meet him, I would say, 'Thank you for your relentless research, which has allowed people like me to be born.' His work transformed science into life-changing miracles. Jenny Chan Tsz-yan, 18, Tak Nga Secondary School: If I could meet Adolf Hitler, I would ask him, 'Your decisions during World War II had a profound impact on the world. How do you view their long-term effects on humanity? Did you ever consider the possibility of achieving peace?' This question could help illuminate his motivations and the historical consequences of his actions. Chrisom Johnbosco Emedom, 12, CCC Yenching College: Julius Caesar. I would tell him, 'As you are the dictator for life now, be careful of traitors and assassination attempts against you.' He died as a result of an assassination. Julius Caesar was a powerful Roman dictator. Photo: Shutterstock Ryan Wong Cheuk-man, 15, TWGHs Li Ka Shing College: Ludwig van Beethoven experienced gradual hearing loss in his midlife. I would love to ask him how he continued to pursue his music career despite such a significant setback. If I could learn from his mindset, I could apply those lessons to many aspects of my life. Jane Tong King-kiu, 15, Christian Alliance SC Chan Memorial College: William Shakespeare was a renowned English playwright, poet and actor. During my junior studies in English literature, I learned about some of his famous works, including the classics Hamlet and Othello, which are widely recognised and discussed. So Wing-yu, 15, Carmel Alison Lam Foundation Secondary School: Empress Dowager Cixi was a ruler during the Qing dynasty. I would advise her not to waste so much money on extravagant decorations and fragrances for her chambers. Additionally, she should avoid taking opium. As a leader, she should serve as a role model and prioritise the well-being of her people over her own desires.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Holocaust museum in St. Petersburg sets a reopening date
ST. PETERSBURG — The Florida Holocaust Museum, which closed last July for major renovations, is going to reopen to the public on Sept. 9. The museum at 55 Fifth St. S. in downtown St. Petersburg was founded in 1992 and is one of the largest such museums in the United States — and a leader in getting Holocaust studies added to Florida public school curriculum. Once it reopens, there will be a new entrance and larger gallery that will include the Danish fishing boat Thor that was brought to the museum in December to add to its permanent display. The 80-year-old boat was part of a remarkable story in 1943, when with just a few hours notice, a flotilla of 300 Danish boats — everything from kayaks and rowboats to cargo vessels and fishermen — showed up to rescue Jews and take them to neutral Sweden. The boat will be on display next to the longstanding exhibit of a railroad boxcar, one of the few remaining types used by the Nazis to transport Jews and other prisoners. The renovation project will also include a new entrance with enhanced security features, a second-story balcony and a temporary installation of the Elie Wiesel collection. The museum was chosen as the permanent home of author Elie Wiesel's entire collection, including his Nobel Prize and the entire contents of his personal office. Museum officials are planning reopening events later this summer before the Sept. 9 reopening.
Fox News
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
UN marks Holocaust Remembrance Day by redefining the Holocaust, comparing Israelis to Nazis
On Thursday, April 24th, the State of Israel and Jews around the world mark Yom HaShoah, or Holocaust Remembrance Day. At the very same time, to paraphrase U.S. U.N. Ambassador Daniel Patrick Moynihan, the United Nations has unleashed a great evil upon the world: Holocaust revisionism. To begin with, there is a concerted campaign to sever any connection between the Holocaust and Israel. Yom HaShoah was created by the State of Israel in April 1955. But on April 21, 2025, the United Nations commemorated Yom HaShoah by holding an event at United Nations headquarters in New York City without any input or invitation to participate by anyone from Israel. Organized and hosted by the U.N. Department of Global Communications, Israel was never mentioned. Moreover, now hanging on the wall of U.N. Headquarters outside the Security Council chamber is a "Holocaust" exhibit that has wiped any reference to Israel, even in sections on "after the Holocaust," "the Aftermath," and "remembrance." The Holocaust was the fate of the Jews in the absence of Israel. The majority of survivors returned to their ancient homeland. As the embodiment of Jewish self-determination, Israel is the ultimate hope and commitment to "never again." The U.N.'s omission of Israel is not an oversight. It is part of a much broader, and insidious, agenda. The U.N. has strategically placed its Holocaust exhibit in consecutive sequence to an exhibit entitled "The United Nations and the Question of Palestine." Onlookers are encouraged to make the obscene analogy of the experience of the Jews in the Holocaust to the experience of Palestinian Arabs. The message is that the creation of the Jewish state was a great wrong ("violated the provisions of the U.N. Charter"), and was foisted upon peaceful Arabs without agency. The current U.N. Holocaust exhibit has also eliminated key features of the original display from 2008. It no longer includes the infamous photograph of naked skeletal Jewish men crammed into wooden barracks in the Buchenwald concentration camp – one of whom was Nobel Prize winner Elie Wiesel. Also gone is the notorious photograph of a terrified little boy with his hands up in the air, as a Nazi points a rifle at him for the crime of being Jewish. They have been replaced by slide shows that include dozens of happy faces doing ordinary things before, during and after the war. No crematoria, open pits of the dead, humans cataloged by numbered tattoos, or emaciated Jews in striped uniforms behind barbed wire. Even the title of the current exhibit now reads, generically: "A warning to all people of the dangers of hatred, bigotry, racism and prejudice." In the same vein in 2024, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres opened the U.N.'s "International Day" to commemorate the Holocaust by talking about "antisemitism and anti-Muslim bigotry around the world." Perhaps most important, is the U.N. exhibit's audacious redefinition of the word "Holocaust." The move marks the culmination of a long public campaign at the U.N. to deny Jews recognition even in death, and to impede our understanding of the Holocaust and antisemitism then and now. A Roma speaker invited to address the General Assembly in 2020 on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, put it this way: "It is time now, 75 years since the ending of the Second World War…that the very definition of the Holocaust is corrected." "Corrected" for the one million visitors – including tens of thousands of American students – who visit U.N. headquarters every year. Thus, according to the U.N. permanent exhibit: "the Holocaust was the state-sponsored, ideologically-driven persecution and murder of six million Jews across Europe and half a million Romas and Sinti by Nazi Germany (1933-1945) and other racist states. Nazi ideology built upon preexisting antisemitism and antigypsyism." By contrast, according to Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Center located in Jerusalem, Israel, "the Holocaust was unprecedented genocide, total and systematic, perpetrated by Nazi Germany and its collaborators, with the aim of annihilating the Jewish people." And according to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum located in Washington, D.C., "The Holocaust was the systematic, state-sponsored persecution and murder of six million Jews by the Nazi regime and its allies and collaborators." The redefinition comes after the U.N. mounted temporary exhibitions with such titles as "Holocaust of the Roma People." Acknowledging other atrocities, crimes or genocides is entirely appropriate. Appropriating the Holocaust and Jewish history is not. The first does not, and should not, require the second. Instances of special U.N. focus on specific populations abound, including for people of African descent, Muslims, and indigenous peoples. Beyond U.N. exhibits are decades of U.N. authority figures who have equated Israelis to Nazis, likened Hamas to Second World War resistance fighters, and boasted talk of a "Palestinian Holocaust" on their resumé. Twenty years ago, U.N. sources alleged "Gaza is a huge concentration camp." After October 7, 2023, U.N. officials claimed Israel was conducting "a new holocaust," "extermination fields," and "death marches." As the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) rightly points out: "comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis" is not only a lie, but also antisemitism. Indeed, the very same U.N. actors defend or deny Palestinian terrorism. We are witnessing a calculated effort by the United Nations to thwart the essential conditions of "never again," namely: comprehending the depravity of Nazi treatment of the Jews, the unique evil of Jew hatred, and the devastation that antisemitism wreaks on human civilization. On this Holocaust Remembrance Day, it is painfully clear that the institution built on the ashes of the Jewish people deserves to be relegated to the ash heap of history.
CBS News
26-03-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Minnesota school district sued by students, parents over book ban policy
Two lawsuits were filed Monday against St. Francis Area School District over its book banning policy. The ACLU of Minnesota and Lockridge Grindal Nauen PLLP filed one of the two lawsuits on behalf of two parents of children in the school district to end the "illegal banning of books from the district's school libraries and classrooms." The lawsuit is in response to the district's recent policy change that removed librarians and teachers from the book approval process and replaced them with a website called "Book Looks," founded by Moms for Liberty, a group that has been at the forefront of the conservative movement targeting books that reference race and sexuality. The website rates books on a scale of zero to five, with zero being "for everyone" and five being "aberrant." St. Francis banned books with a rating of three and above, according to the ACLU. If a book is already in the library and has a rating of three or above and is challenged, policy dictates that the book must be removed. Since the policy change, the lawsuit claims at least 46 books were removed or are in the process of being removed from St. Francis schools. Education Minnesota-St. Francis also filed a separate lawsuit over the book ban on behalf of eight students in the district whose parents are teachers. That lawsuit claims the district's policy is "antithetical to the values of public education and encouraging discourse." Both lawsuits allege the policy violates the Minnesota Constitution and state law, saying school districts cannot discriminate against viewpoints expressed in books and that it violates the right to free speech and to receive information, as well as the right to a uniform and adequate education. "The Book Looks rating system that is now binding upon the school district discriminates extensively based on viewpoint, particularly with regard to topics of gender, race, and religion," the lawsuit said. The teachers' union says the Holocaust memoir "Night" by Elie Wiesel is set to be removed after a recent complaint. On Sunday, Book Looks announced it was ceasing operations and taking all reports down from its website. "Our charge was always to help inform parents and it would appear that mission has been largely accomplished. We pray that publishers will take up the torch and be more transparent regarding explicit content in their books so that there will be no need for a in the future," an announcement posted to the website says. St. Francis Area Schools says its legal team is reviewing documents from both lawsuits and determining next steps. About 4,100 students attend the school district.
