People of the Book author to talk about consummate rags-to-riches story

Review by Carole J Greene

The biography of Siggi B. Wilzig, titled “Unstoppable,” was written by our People of the Book presenter, Joshua M. Greene (no relation to the reviewer). I guarantee you will not soon forget this astonishing tale. The detailed account of Siggi’s horrific experiences in Auschwitz during World War II would be enough to make this book outstanding. But after the war, Siggi achieved incredible successes against overwhelming odds. His Holocaust experiences infused his life with purpose. Every time he relived memories of the atrocities, he affirmed that he survived only by “the hand of the Almighty.”

After liberation, he worked for the U.S. Army to hunt down Nazis and thereby earn a visa to America. On arrival, he made a solemn vow, “to never go hungry again, to support the Jewish people, and to speak out against injustice.” His life fulfilled that vow and more.

Once in America, the 21-year-old Siggi pursued any job that would put food on the table. Almost by miracles, our hero, with only an elementary school education, rose to astounding heights in business and banking. Jews were almost nonexistent in both those industries, but Siggi never let that stop him. The remainder of the book details these professional pursuits as, from the 1960s until his death in 2003, he catapulted from “penniless immigrant to Wall Street Legend.”

In 1961, he began purchasing shares in Wilshire, an oil company listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Only four years later, its board appointed him president, chairman and CEO. Then, he grew Trust Company of New Jersey to become a powerful commercial bank with more than $4 billion in assets, all the while employing unique ways to circumvent federal regulators and their — to him — unreasonable rules.

Siggi married and was a loving, if demanding, parent to three children. Because he lost nearly all his relatives to the Holocaust, he placed his family at the center of his life, piling up success after success so he could give them a better life.

Constantly aware of his vow to support the Jewish people, he donated generously to Jewish causes. When he was feted at a State of Israel Tribute Dinner at the Waldorf Astoria, the affair marked a milestone of contributions to Israel Bonds. Later, Siggi was appointed to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Council and helped make crucial decisions on what the Washington, D.C. museum should exhibit.

The author, Joshua Greene, is a renowned Holocaust scholar and filmmaker whose biographies have sold more than 500,000 copies. His documentaries on Holocaust history have aired on PBS and Discovery.

The People of the Book event, on Wednesday, Feb. 2, 7 p.m., at Temple Shalom, is available at no additional charge to patrons of the Jewish Book Festival. Others may purchase tickets for $36 by clicking on Jewish Book Festival, then scrolling to Feb. 2.

This event is in person only, and seating is limited. The People of the Book offers attendees the opportunity to purchase the book at the event and get it signed by the author