Elie Wiesel's 'Night' is a compelling account of his experiences in concentration camps during the Holocaust. It should be required reading in our high schools or colleges.

Around 1991 I was working at a voting location helping a colleague of mine, who was running for a local office. I spent the day working there with an older man, who was supporting another candidate in another race. His name was Sam Sharon. From the early morning on he talked to me about everything from the weather to newspaper stories, and asked me all kinds of questions about my family, work, etc. He had worked elections for many years, and I began thinking that this little old man was a party hack, who was going to drive me crazy.

He referred to his father dying young, and I asked what had happened. He said he wasn't sure, but they had been separated on a train to Auschwitz. He recounted how he couldn't understand at the time why his father was crying when he hug him, which was the last time he saw him. He was also separated from his sisters and mother, who all died during the Holocaust. He showed me the number tatooed on his arm. I was transfixed, and ashamed that I had dismissed this guy as an old blowhard after learning his story.

He has spoken in grade schools, high schools, churches and scout troops, and I understand that he would have as many questions for the kids as they'd have for them. A young neighbor was doing a school report on the Holocaust and I referred her to Sam. She said he was a wealth of information, but he talked her ear off about anything that would pop into his head.

He died 6 or 7 years ago.