Students at Beit Tzipora
Current Foundation Activities
Beit Tzipora
In the mid-1990’s, soon after thousands of Ethiopian Jews were rescued from violence and persecution in Africa, The Elie Wiesel Foundation created two educational centers in the State of Israel. These Beit Tzipora Centers – named in memory of Elie Wiesel’s younger sister, who died in Auschwitz – are located in Ashkelon and Kiryat Malachi, and focus on educating the Ethiopian-Jewish community and giving Ethiopian-Israeli young people the opportunity to grow, excel, and participate fully in Israeli society. The centers currently enroll more than 1,000 boys and girls in after-school programs and serve as a model for other schools.
We created the Beit Tzipora Centers because there was a great need for the Ethiopian children to feel they were learning and being cared for in general. They give the children a sense of importance and give them similar learning privileges that other children in Israel enjoy. Visiting the Centers, it is so rewarding to see how happy the children are and how wonderful their teachers are.Marion Wiesel about Beit Tzipora
Current Foundation Activities
Prize in Ethics
We believe in the power of ideas and their ability to change the world. It is through these ideas that we can inspire millions to witness, learn, teach, share, protest and reflect. As such, each year we award five Prize in Ethics scholarships to qualifying college juniors and seniors who are unafraid to take action against injustices and stand up for what is right, even when it’s hard. Entrants must submit an essay that articulates with clarity an ethical issue that they have encountered and analyze what it has taught them about ethics and themselves to be considered.
2014 Honorable Mention winner Katelyn Edwards with Professor Wiesel
Current Foundation Activities
Mark Podwal Prize
Mark Podwal, one of the great American Jewish artists, earned international acclaim and numerous awards for his evocative art depicting the Jewish experience and antisemitism. His body of work spanned many forms: paintings and drawings, over 40 illustrated books—including several with Elie Wiesel—commissions from major institutions, political cartoons for The New York Times, textiles, art objects, PBS films, and more. Inspired by the deep personal and artistic bond between Podwal and Wiesel—whose collaborations gave visual voice to Jewish history, faith, and hope—participants are encouraged to create works that reflect their own interpretations of Jewish identity and the power of friendship in shaping our stories.