Last night, NYC's World Trade Center was aglow with Israel's blue and white lights to honor the life of international humanitarian Elie Wiesel. Mr. Wiesel, age 87, passed away in New York City on Saturday and was reportedly laid to rest at Sharon Gardens Cemetery in Valhalla, NY. A native of Romania, he is survived by his wife, Marion Erster Rose Wiesel, and son, and father's namesake, Shlomo Elisha Weisel. Some few days before he died, Elie Wiesel dreamt that he was back in his little Romanian hometown, walking with his parents. Such dreams are not so unusual when one is slowly dying. Mr. Wiesel came to the American literary forefront in 1960 with the English translation of his Holocaust memoir "Night," excerpted here. “Never shall I forget that night, the first night in camp, which has turned my life into one long night, seven times cursed and seven times sealed,” Mr. Wiesel wrote. “Never shall I forget that smoke. Never shall I forget the little faces of the children, whose bodies I saw turned into wreaths of smoke beneath a silent blue sky. Never shall I forget those flames which consumed my faith forever. Never shall I forget the nocturnal silence which deprived me, for all eternity, of the desire to live. Never shall I forget those moments which murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams to dust. Never shall I forget these things, even if I am condemned to live as long as God himself. Never.” Not only did "Night" startle the human conscience. It freed other Holocaust survivors to tell their truths and unify in perennial remembrance of those who died during the terror of WW2's German atrocities. It also became required reading in many Metro NYC high schools. Students were struck by its stark immediacy. Elie Wiesel won the Nobel Peace Prize, wrote over sixty books, and gleaned international respect for decades. Because his personae was so magnanimous, I expected him to be different than he was. When I was an undergrad, the Literature Chair at SUNY Purchase, Dr. Theodore Gross, invited Mr. Wiesel to speak there. Afterwards, just five literature majors were invited to meet with Mr. Wiesel for coffee. I expected someone huge in stature, and perhaps loud and grandiose. Rather, he was soft spoken, pensive, deliberate in his speech. His methodical way of speaking drew me in to listen. At the time, I wondered if this was how people felt when they met Ghandi, awestruck by his brilliant subtlety. Our world is quieter since Saturday. I'd like to say it's a more peaceful world than once upon a time. However, it was enriched by Elie Wiesel's brilliant light that shone through, that shines through. May God bless and cherish his most beloved son, Elie Wiesel. Barb [email protected] @BAMS, 7/4/2016