Who was Moishe the Beadle?
He was a "foreign" Jew in Sighet. His job was to keep the temple clean because he was the caretaker. He taught Elie the Kabbalah secrets and revelations.
How do the people of Sighet feel about Moishe the Beadle?
Because he made himself invisible to them, they tolerated his presence. But they weren't fond of people who were poor, like Moishe.
Where is Elie from?
Sighet, Transylvania (modern day Romania)
What is Elie's family like? Who's in it?
His mother, father, two older sisters, and his younger sister.
What happened to Moishe when he was expelled from Sighet?
He was taken to a remote location. SS officers had the foreign Jews dig a large trench. SS shot the adults and threw babies in the air for target practice.
Why did the Jewish people of Sighet doubt Hitler's ability?
They didn't think that it was possible for one person to exterminate an entire population that was spread across several countries.
What did the Jews of Sighet first think when they Germans arrived? Why?
They thought that they seemed nice because they were so polite. They were not violent or oppressive at first.
What restrictions were placed on the Jews of Sighet by the Germans? Name at least three.
Leaders of the community were arrested, Jews couldn't leave their homes for 3 days, own gold/valuables, go to restaurants, ride the train. Had to wear a star.
What happened to the Jews of Sighet after they were in the ghettos?
Deportation to the concentration camps.
How did the Jews of Sighet get to the concentration camp? Describe what it was like.
They took a train. The SS crammed 80 people into one cattle car and gave people some bread and two buckets of water to share. The ride took at least three days.
How was the fate of the Jews foreshadowed?
By Moishe the Beadle and Madame Schachter.
What is Elie's actual age? How old does he tell Dr. Mengele he is? What about his dad?
Elie is 15 and says that he is 18. His dad is 50 and says that he is 40.
Who is Dr. Mengele?
A doctor at the concentration camp that performed harsh experiments on Jews at the camp.
What camps was Weisel at? List them in order.
Birkenau, Auschwitz, Buna
What lie did Elie tell to Stein?
He said that his family was safe.
How did the people on the train try to get Madame Schachter to be quiet?
They tried to reason with her and put a damp rag on her forehead. When that didn't work, they bound, gagged, and beat her.
