Mitchell’s Blog Archive

Eternal Rose

“Eternal Rose” — Mitchell’s poem to honor his mother, Lucia, on her 81st birthday.


Papa in the Sky: A Letter to My Father on Rosh Hashanah

  Dear Papa,   When you left us 25 years ago, passing away peacefully in your sleep, I wonder what was foremost in your mind. Was it your legacy? Were you worried about us carrying on?  Please be assured that your legacy is very much cherished and honored, and that we have carried on in […]


I Refuse to Let My Grandfather Be Erased From History

This month, I am launching a search for anything and anyone related to my maternal grandfather, Michael Berl, who died in the Holocaust. What’s worse (if that’s even possible) is how little is known about him. There is no photo of him. I’m not sure what he did for a living. There is not even […]


Why I Wrote the Rose Temple

In “Why I Wrote the Rose Temple,” Mitchell Weitzman recounts how working with his mother allowed him to bear witness to her strength and conviction of faith while also helping heal his own wounds wrought as a child of Holocaust survivors. Unexpectedly, he also comes to view the book not only as an inspiring story of a woman reclaiming her authenticity, but also as a call to action for healing and repairing our troubled world.


Elie Wiesel’s Legacy and Tomorrow’s Headlines

Have you ever wondered about the headlines on the day that carries the news of your passing? If you could see them, would you be uplifted? Surprised? Apathetic? Upset? I thought about this last week when I read The New York Times on Sunday, July 3, 2016. The paper ran a story about the passing […]