1. Moche the Beadle was the caretaker of the Hasidic synagogue in Sighet and Elie Wiesel’s spiritual mentor.
2. The townspeople thought of Moche as insignificant, almost invisible, and considered him a poor, harmless man.
3. Elie is from Sighet, a town in Transylvania (now part of Romania).
4. Elie’s siblings are Hilda, Bea, and Tzipora.
5. Elie prays because he is deeply religious and seeks to understand God and connect with Him through prayer and study.
6. Moche was expelled from Sighet because he was a foreign Jew, and the Hungarian authorities deported all foreign Jews at the time.
7. After being expelled, Moche was captured by the Nazis, forced to dig mass graves, witnessed babies being thrown into pits and shot, and saw people being killed and burned alive.
8. The people didn’t believe Moche because his story was too horrific to comprehend; they thought he was seeking pity or had gone mad.
9. The Jewish people did not believe Hitler would exterminate them because they found the idea unimaginable, clung to hope, and trusted in humanity or divine protection.
10. Three restrictions placed on the Jews in Sighet were: wearing the yellow star, being forbidden from owning businesses or traveling freely, and being confined to ghettos.
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of night elie wiesel worksheet.
