Night Characters

When the book begins, Eliezer is essentially a child—very innocent. He’s also a deeply observant Jew, studying Talmud by day and Kabbalah by night, and dedicated to becoming closer to his merci...

At the beginning of the book, Eliezer’s father is a respected Jewish community leader in Sighet. Despite his elevated position in his community, he makes the same mistakes as the other Jews: he d...

A poor, foreign Jew who lives in the town of Sighet, Moishe the Beadle is a teacher. A compassionate man, he befriends Eliezer to teach him Kabbalah, but he also returns to Sighet after a massacre...

Mrs. Schächter, like Moishe, is another prophet-like character. She is a middle-aged woman who goes crazy after she’s separated from her husband and packed into a cattle car headed to Auschwitz....

Stein, Eliezer’s cousin by marriage, wants nothing more than news of his family. Eliezer lies to Stein, telling him that his wife (Reizel) and children are fine. Eliezer’s lie allows Stein to f...

Idek is in charge of Eliezer’s work unit at Buna. He has the reputation of occasionally going crazy, but the unit he’s in charge of is considered a good one to work in because the labor is ligh...

Franek is Eliezer’s foreman at Buna, a selfish man who wants Eliezer’s gold crown and does what it takes to get it. He is typical of the people in charge at Auschwitz, from the higher ups to th...

Rabbi Eliahu is the rabbi of a small Polish community, beloved and kind. He retains his holiness, despite his time in the concentration camps. He is portrayed as a man to be pitied because his son...

Juliek is a young man from Warsaw who played the violin in the Buna band, which is where Eliezer met him for the first time. Later he is transported with Eliezer to Buchenwald but he dies en route...