Fighting Hate Moshe Miller

Rabbi Moshe Chaim (Marvin) Hier, a feisty native of the Lower East Side who served as a pulpit for 15 years in the mainly kiruv community of Vancouver, now spearheads one of the most high-profile Jewish organizations in the world—The . Located in , this enormous organization boasts 400,000 member households and operates on a $26 million budget. It pursues its goals of fostering tolerance and Holocaust remembrance through educational programs, extensive museums, award- winning film documentaries and other media venues. Rabbi Hier hobnobs with the most powerful world leaders in his unending battle against bigotry and intolerance in general, and anti-Semitism in particular. The Center has observer status at the United Nations, and under Rabbi Hier’s direction maintains close contacts at the top echelons of world governments in its unending mission to make the world a safer place for Jews everywhere. Zman was delighted to meet with Rabbi Hier in his California office, where he shared fascinating insights into the constant battle against hatred.

114 | ZMAN • August 2012 ZMAN • Av 5772 | 115 abbi Moshe Chaim Hier wrinkled Reb Moshe Chaim blinked, momentarily is one of the most notable. The Center, as his nose at the plane ticket he was dumbstruck. Wiesenthal was nose to nose well as Rabbi Hier, is famous for its tena- Rholding in his hand. Boston! That with the younger man, the man’s son, who cious repudiation of anti-Semitism and wouldn’t do—he and his mentor, Mr. Simon was shouting and cursing at him. bigotry in all its forms. Wiesenthal, were heading for Chicago! “Listen here,” Rabbi Hier said in an The Center’s media watchdog teams “Stay right here,” he said. “The airline authoritative tone to the huge man. “This are constantly on the lookout for lies and made a mistake. I’ll take care of it right is Simon Wiesenthal. If you lift your hand slanders against the Jewish people and now.” in the press and in electronic media, As Rabbi Hier headed off toward the the same place your father is going….” such as the ones mentioned above. They Information Desk, Wiesenthal took a seat againstRabbi him, Hier you’ll grasped find yourselfWiesenthal’s in exactly hand employ experts in many world languages in the terminal, his alert eyes scanning the and guided him toward the American such as French, Spanish, Arabic and even The Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles, California. crowd. A Holocaust survivor and inmate Airlines representative. “Look,” he said, in numerous concentration camps, Simon “there is no way that Mr. Wiesenthal is going an Iranian website with a message from Wiesenthal has earned his reputation after on the same plane as these people. That man AyatollahPersian. WhenKhamenei they find,endorsing for example,a plan the war as a relentless hunter of Nazi war is a Nazi war criminal.” to destroy the Jews, they expose it and criminals (see companion article, A Nazi’s “Let me speak with my supervisor,” she denounce it to the world. Worst Nightmare: The Life and Times of replied. We may not think we can make a Simon Wiesenthal). Only three years before, The bewildered look on her face indi- difference, but Rabbi Hier has, and he in 1977, Rabbi Hier had founded the Simon cated that she had never witnessed anything Wiesenthal Center, an organization devoted quite like this before. A manager appeared, and Rabbi Hier explained the situation. It firmlyLaying believes the that Foundation each of us can, as well. As Mr. Wiesenthal waited for Rabbi Hier was decided that, despite their having valid to fightingreturn, hisanti-Semitism eyes settled in on all the its faceforms. of an Reb Moshe Chaim was born in 1939 older man in the crowd ready to board the would be transferred and forced to take a on the Lower East Side of Manhattan to plane. Over the years he had accumulated tickets for this flight, the father and son immigrant parents. His father came from Rabbi Moshe Chaim Hier visiting with Rabbi Hier and Mr. Wiesenthal continued Litovisk in Galicia, and his mother was Mr. Simon Wiesenthal in Wiesenthal’s office. Nazis, including everything from eye- onlater to flightChicago to Chicago.where they located the appro- from Belz. His parents were able to make witnessa file containing accounts 300,000of their documentsatrocities onto priate authorities and began the process their way to America in 1917. Tragically, photographs of them. He took another long of bringing another Nazi war criminal to both of their families were left behind in look at the face of the man in the crowd…. justice. —and perished in . Although his father barely eked out his most wanted list! The Simon Wiesenthal Center a living polishing lamps, Moshe Chaim’s Yes—it was one of the Gestapo officers on parents wanted to ensure an authentic at the Information Desk. After they handed The owner of an anti-Semitic radio and Jewish education for their son. The Hiers himMeanwhile, Wiesenthal’s Rabbi corrected Hier had justticket, finished he TV station in had just been invited sent young Moshe Chaim to cheder at turned and walked briskly back toward to speak before the European Parliament. A Yeshiva Rabbi Shlomo Kluger, where his Gate 5. As he neared the gate, he began Swedish art exhibit portrayed Jews as rats. rebbi was Rabbi Yankele Flantzgraben, a to hear a loud disturbance. Rounding the A United Nations meeting (“Rio+20”) gave Satmar chassid and author of the sefer Beis corner, he was astonished to see none other Yaakov on Shas. Later, he attended Yeshiva than Simon Wiesenthal standing in front who said he will wipe Israel off the map. As Rabbi Yaakov Yosef (also known as RJJ), of hundreds of spectators, engaged in a athe Jew, floor it pains to Iranian you, but President what are Ahmadinejad, you going to where he received his semichah. His rebbi heated yelling match with a tall, burly man do? Perhaps you accept virulent, public anti- there was Rabbi Mendel Kravitz, a close Moshe Chaim Hier (far left) as a young rabbi standing next to R' Isaac Tendler, a rebbe in Mesivta R' Yaakov Yosef. and an older man standing behind him. Semitism in some quarters as inevitable; disciple of Rav Aharon Kotler. “What happened?” he bellowed, as he “Reb Aharon used to come twice a year gleaming as he speaks, he peppered our ran toward the scene. Think again, says Rabbi Moshe Chaim (or to give shiurim in RJJ,” Rabbi Hier told Zman discussion with a generous helping of Yiddish Marvin,something as nothe isworth known fighting to the against. wider public) in a nostalgic tone. “Reb Aharon, the gadol expressions. Today, he channels his energies at the older man, who was returning a Hier. hador!” into the relentless pursuit of his chosen hostileWiesenthal glare. “This pointed man anis a accusing murderer! finger He Among the large organizations devoted Rabbi Hier has warm memories of his helped the Gestapo. Now, he’s going on the to combating anti-Semitism, the Simon childhood on the Lower East Side, and he passionately terms it, mechiyas Amalek same plane as us!” Wiesenthal Center, directed by Rabbi Hier, has never lost his New York spunk. Eyes (“wipingmission in out life: Amalek”). fighting anti-Semitism, or as

116 | ZMAN • August 2012 ZMAN • Av 5772 | 117