Description

The stories collected in this book are filled with heartfelt experiences, surprise, admiration, and the shock of meeting the greatest figure of our time—the Lubavitcher Rebbe. For nearly half a century, from 1950 to 1994, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the Rebbe, met with thousands of people—from schoolchildren to presidents. Many of these audiences proved to be turning points in the lives of those privileged to speak with him. Few left his office unchanged: the Rebbe didn’t simply offer advice—he guided his visitors along a life path that suited each of them personally. This is evidenced by forty-one stories told in the first person.

The book contains copies and texts of the Rebbe’s letters and those of his respondents, as well as a large number of photographs, allowing the reader to become acquainted with the Rebbe’s extensive work, as well as with Jewish life across generations of the second half of the 20th century in various countries.

For a general readership.
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From a young mother to an Israeli Air Force commander, from a struggling dentist to a community rabbi, My Story presents forty-one true and inspiring stories about the Rebbe. These stories, culled from oral testimonies and part of the literary and historical project My Encounter, are illustrated with family photographs and documents, as well as a beautiful collection of portraits of the Rebbe from The Living Archive.
Many of these stories are being published for the first time, while others are expanded versions of stories from the popular weekly Here’s My Story.
The Rebbe’s wisdom and empathy, coupled with his incredible insight and sensitivity, provide an unexpected ray of hope amid life’s difficulties and adversity for the authors—the subjects of these stories. Through their encounters with the Rebbe and his influence, the stories’ lives were forever changed—just as reading this book will undoubtedly change yours.
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In his intensely busy life, the Rebbe found time for private meetings with tens of thousands of people seeking his advice and blessing. The number of people with whom the Rebbe corresponded was many times greater. It was largely in this way—guiding people through difficult times, proposing bold social projects, overseeing underground activities, and consulting with Israeli leaders—that the Rebbe influenced both the Jewish people and the world.
The goal of the literary and historical project, My Encounter with the Rebbe, is to preserve, as carefully as possible, the impressions people made of their personal encounters with the Rebbe. The project was initiated by the JEM organization to collect previously untold stories of countless people whose lives were changed by their interactions with the Rebbe.
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From the book…
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The door opened, I entered the office, and the moment the Rebbe shook my hand, all my fears disappeared. Seeing the Rebbe’s face and his eyes, I felt like a completely different person. Interestingly, I have heard many times from others who have met with the Rebbe about a similar feeling. Just a few minutes earlier, I was confused, but one look at the Rebbe was enough to come to my senses. I found absolute calm. — Chaim Bialik Chacham
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The Rebbe took into account all factors, such as international pressure, superpower maneuvers, and American-Israeli relations. He understood the nuances of these issues well. Israeli leaders came to him like students to their teacher. Yitzhak Rabin came, Ariel Sharon came—he personally told me several episodes from his meetings with the Rebbe, Menachem Begin and Zalman Shazar came. They all came and listened to his instructions. — Major General Yossi Ben-Hanan
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The Rebbe was especially keen for women to be well-educated in Jewish tradition, because it is women who spend most of their time with children. And even if she has a profession and the parents share the care of the children, the mother still has a greater influence on her children. — Alisa Zlotnik
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Rabbi Groner continued:
— We were looking for you, but the Rebbe said not to worry—you will come.
These words of the Rebbe shocked me—after all, I had no intention of coming! It was an impulsive decision that led me off the train on Atlantic Avenue. But I had no intention of being there, and I was not supposed to be there. It was just that suddenly—by inspiration or intuition—I jumped out as the doors were already closing. Can anyone explain this? — Freddy Hager