My sister Gloria and I were four and eight years old, respectively, when we first met Elie Wiesel. It was 1960 and we were aboard the SS Jerusalem. One evening as we were strolling the deck with our parents, a solitary, lonely man approached us from afar. Imagine our surprise when my father Sam Bloch exclaimed “Elie!” and rushed forward to embrace him. Elie’s reserved countenance lifted into a warm smile as we were introduced. Later, my father explained that Elie was his good friend and a very important writer.
Throughout my childhood during the 1960s, my father’s close relationship with Elie filtered into my life in powerful ways—through Elie’s books; his advocacy for Soviet Jewry, Israel and Holocaust memory; his special relationship with my future parents-in-law Hadassah and Josef Rosensaft and the Bergen-Belsen DP camp survivors; and his loving mentorship of my future husband Menachem.
But he always seemed so alone—until Marion.
I vividly remember when Marion entered into our lives—it was right after the Six Day War. Suddenly, Elie was no longer alone, and a new light shone from his eyes, as he regarded Marion with so much love and admiration. Her keen intelligence, beauty, elegance, sophistication, creativity and vision transformed his life—and ours too!
Marion’s own childhood persecution and displacement from her Vienna roots during the Holocaust provided a profound connection to Elie’s survivor persona. Their mutual understanding and shared commitment to memory, coupled with Marion’s joie de vivre created a powerful bond and brought forth an extraordinary life together that flourished for fifty years.
With her inimitable, exquisite taste, Marion created a beautiful home for Elie that was an intellectual and artistic salon, attracting the best and the brightest in the worlds of publishing, art, music, fashion, Jewish communal life and human rights. She nurtured these relationships that expanded and enriched the scope of his life in so many ways. Furthermore, she was a true partner in his literary career, serving as the trusted and gifted translator of his works from the French and ensuring the best possible English- language editions for his ever-growing readership.
Marion and Elie’s loving partnership modeled a unique synergetic union that galvanized his career and greatly broadened his impact. Marion recognized Elie’s capacity to take on an ever greater public role in the Jewish and public sphere, and she encouraged him every step of the way. From his ardent Zionist support for the State of Israel and his founding chairmanship of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council and Museum, to his missions to Cambodia, Bosnia, and Rwanda to defend the victims of genocide, Marion was right there with him. When Elie became the preeminent spokesman for Jewish survival and international human rights, Marion was always there, by his side, offering guidance, spurring him forward, reinforcing his relationships with U.S. presidents, Israeli prime ministers, world leaders and leading international human rights activists.
[Read “In Memorium: Marion Wiesel, 1931-2025”]
Marion surely shared in Elie’s achievement when he deservedly received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986, the voice of conscience of his generation. Soon after, they established the Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity to promote international dialogue and youth-focused programs promoting acceptance, understanding and equality. Under Marion’s leadership, the foundation’s significant initiatives include the Beit Tzipora Centers in Israel, named for Elie’s sister who perished during the Holocaust, which educate thousands of Ethiopian-Israeli students to participate fully in Israeli society, and her convening of international conferences of Nobel Laureates to discuss social problems and develop suggestions for change. Until her passing, Marion continued to lead the foundation, sustaining Elie’s vision and mission of combatting indifference, intolerance and injustice into the future.
Most importantly, Marion created a family for Elie. The arrival of their son Elisha brought infinite joy to Marion and Elie’s life, amplifying that of Marion’s daughter Jennifer. Elisha represented the miraculous continuity of their families, whose members had suffered so much tragedy and loss. Elisha was a source of delight and the ultimate confirmation of their hopes for the future. Marion and Elie took great pride in Elisha’s development as a man of great professional accomplishment and as a wonderful husband to Lynn, with whom he brought forth the next generation—Marion’s beautiful grandchildren Elijah and Nova. Marion would glow with joy whenever she spoke of them.
On a personal note, Elie and Marion were part of our extended family. We vacationed together in San Remo and enjoyed spending time together frequently in each other’s homes. When Menachem and I married, Elie not only officiated at our wedding, Marion hosted a “honeymoon” party for us a month later. When Elisha was born, we were at his bris and witnessed the great happiness he brought into Marion and Elie’s lives. Elie reiterated his wedding blessing to Menachem and me almost three decades later to our daughter Jodi and son-in-law Michael at their wedding, and he blessed our twin grandchildren Hallie and Jacob at their bris/simchat bat. These longstanding ties are deep and precious to us.
Marion was a source of inspiration to all who knew and loved her. Her strength of purpose, integrity and wisdom are needed today, more than ever. Together with Elisha, we will continue to sustain her life’s work to preserve Elie’s legacy as the guardian of the memory of the Jewish people and the advocate for all those facing injustice in the world today.
Top image: Elie and Marion Wiesel (seated) officiated at the wedding of Jean Bloch and Menachem Rosensaft (above). Photo courtesy of Jean Bloch Rosensaft.