Book Notes

Letters for Life

Guidance for Emotional Wellness

From the Lubavitcher Rebbe

Levi Y. Shmotkin

Ezra Press

As a teenager, Levi Shmotkin lost his oomph for life. Apathy, cynicism, and indifference became his default disposition. But then, as he writes in his introduction, he discovered the Rebbe’s letters: “An alternative world opened up before me. New perspectives on life and its complexities, new methods of thought, new strategies to approach internal struggles.”

Letters for Life explores the private correspondence of the Rebbe with ordinary individuals in the midst of heartbreak, loss, fear, and confusion. In these letters, the author found the tools that would teach him to “walk through life with confidence and serenity.”

The book is divided largely into two sections—“Essentials for Healthy Living” and “Overcoming Darkness.” Each letter is accompanied by the author’s commentary and a takeaway for direct application. A final section traces the Rebbe’s guidance to biblical and Talmudic sources, and provides the reader with a more expansive discussion of the themes addressed in the letters. 

Make Peace

A Strategic Guide for Achieving Lasting Peace in Israel

Elisha Pearl 

Yonah Press

Making peace with its hostile neighbors has been the clarion call of Israel’s allies ever since its establishment. But to the tiny nation fighting for its life while destruction looms at every border, the call often rings hollow and absurdly naive. 

October 7 magnified the threat to Israel, while the demands that she make peace with enemies who don’t want peace just grew louder. What is the answer to this perennial conundrum? 

Since the 1950s, Israeli military and political leaders have sought the wisdom of the Lubavitcher Rebbe. Distilling thousands of pages of his commentary into a systematic guide, Make Peace represents the Rebbe’s timeless vision for Israel’s security and an enduring peace. 

Mendy of Australia

Ella Verzov, Chana Oirechman

Menucha Publishers

Mendy from Australia was born with Angelman syndrome. He cannot speak or walk, but the nine-year-old son of Chabad shluchim in Melbourne invites readers to follow him as he goes about his daily routine and his vibrant life. 

With beautiful photography accompanying loads of interesting facts about Australia’s geographical, natural, and local features, readers get an inside view of life Down Under, as seen through Mendy’s eyes.  

We learn how he navigates his disabilities, communicating with classmates using his eyes and a computer. We follow him as he joins his siblings and his parents in their Chabad outreach activities, and how he enjoys the natural wonders of the Australian landscape.  
A winning addition to the Young Lamplighters series that has taken readers into the homes and lives of young shluchim from Venice to Nigeria, Mendy of Australia will inform and inspire readers of all backgrounds, while demonstrating the art of giving and caring for others.