Humans of Judaism

How did a rabbi who founded the Simon Wiesenthal Center become a two-time Academy Award winner and someone Frank Sinatra considered his rabbi? This is the story of Rabbi Marvin Hier.   Born in 1939 and raised on the Lower East Side, Hier grew up knowing what the Nazis had done to his relatives and dedicated his life to Holocaust education and promoting tolerance. In 1977, he founded the Simon Wiesenthal Center, named after the Holocaust survivor and Nazi hunter. His work soon caught the attention of Frank Sinatra, who admired Simon Wiesenthal and became a close friend and key supporter of the Center, helping Hier build connections throughout Hollywood. Hier later established the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles and founded Moriah Films, producing documentaries that brought Holocaust history to audiences around the world, two of which won Oscars.   Over the course of his remarkable career, Hier has met with eight US presidents, four kings, three popes and the Dalai Lama. His work also brought together some of the most recognizable voices in entertainment, including Orson Welles and Billy Crystal, as well as Elizabeth Taylor, who narrated one of his award-winning documentaries.   This photo shows Rabbi Hier with Simon Wiesenthal at Wiesenthal’s 90th birthday celebration in Vienna. Wiesenthal chose the Imperial Hotel, once a favorite of Hitler, because he wanted the hotel’s history to record that a Jew had celebrated there with a kosher dinner and Yiddish music, a powerful statement about Jewish survival. As Hier recalled Wiesenthal saying, “Hitler is no longer here, but even in the Imperial Hotel, Jews are still alive and still singing.”   Today, you may recognize Rabbi Hier from his recently released Netflix documentary, The Hollywood Rabbi. Having stepped down as CEO in 2023, he now serves as Founder and Dean Emeritus of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, an institution that continues his work of educating future generations and promoting tolerance. Photo: @simonwiesenthalcenter

One year ago today, all living hostages were finally reunited with their loved ones in Israel after two years of Hamas captivity in Gaza. 🇮🇱🎗️

Oskar Schindler passed away on October 9, 1974, and is buried in Israel. Pictured here are Holocaust survivors he saved, standing alongside individuals from the movie Schindler’s List at his grave in Jerusalem. Schindler is responsible for saving the lives of approximately 1,200 Jews during the Holocaust. In 1993, he was formally recognized as Righteous Among the Nations, and more than 8,000 descendants are alive today as a result of his efforts. Photo: @yadvashem

This is a photo of the Siman Tov family before October 7. Johnny, his wife Tamar, and their children, 5 year old twins Shahar and Arbel and 2 year old Omer, were together in Kibbutz Nir Oz when Hamas terrorists set fire to their home, broke into their safe room and opened fire. None of them survived. We will never forget.

Ariel and Kfir Bibas were the youngest hostages taken to Gaza on October 7 and were murdered in cold blood by Hamas. 🧡💔 There are no words.

“This is my father, Marc Mordechai Peretz z”l. He was murdered trying to save me from the massacre at the Nova festival. When the rockets started, he got in the car and drove toward me alone. He ran over two terrorists, broke through police checkpoints, and kept going until He was killed on Route 232. Dad, thank you for trying to save me. Thank you for 20 wonderful years, for your endless love, and for everything you gave us. I love you and will miss you forever.” - Maya Marc was 51 years old. May his memory be a blessing.

On the left are shoes of Holocaust victims from Auschwitz. On the right are shoes of October 7 victims from the Nova Music Festival. Each shoe belonged to someone, a child, parent, spouse, friend, loved one, and represents a life wiped out by senseless hate. Never Again is Now.

At 86 years old, Shlomo Mansour was the oldest hostage taken to Gaza. On October 7, the grandfather of 15 was abducted from his home in Kibbutz Kissufim. Born in Baghdad, he survived the Farhud, the 1941 massacre of Iraqi Jews, and moved to Israel at just 13 years old, helping to establish the kibbutz where he lived for 70 years. Sadly, in February 2025, his family was informed of the devastating news that he had been murdered by Hamas. May his memory be a blessing.

This is a photo of the Kutz family before October 7. They were found huddled together in their home’s bomb shelter. None of them survived. We will never forget.

These are photos of Eli Sharabi, one from before he was taken hostage in Gaza and the other from the day he was freed, after 491 days in captivity. Eli was abducted from Kibbutz Be’eri on October 7, 2023, and only upon his return to Israel on February 8, 2025 did he learn that his wife, Lianne, and daughters, Noiya (16) and Yahel (13), were murdered on October 7.