New York – Highly Acclaimed Bio Of Lubavitcher Rebbe Earns Spot On Prestigious Best Seller Lists

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    New York – A new biography of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, released just in time for the 20th yahrtzeit of the iconic leader, has been well so well received that it has made The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and Reuter’s top ten best seller lists.

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    Rebbe, The Life and Teachings of Menachem M. Schneerson, the Most Influential Rabbi in Modern History, received glowing reviews from numerous publications including The Wall Street Journal, The Huffington Post, The Chicago Jewish Star and New York Journal of Books. The 640 page book, written by Rabbi Joseph Telushkin, was published by Harper Collins Publishers and includes a detailed biography of Rabbi Schneerson’s life as well as a detailed look at seven of the Rebbe’s philosophies of life.

    “I have long felt that the Rebbe was one of those uncommon leaders whose reach extended well beyond his community to most traditional Jews and even those who are non-traditional and the non-Jewish world as well,” Rabbi Telushkin told VIN News. “I think the fact that there are now Chabad houses in 49 states and over 80 countries marks the Rebbe’s influence as unique.”

    Rebbe, which went on sale on June 10th, sold out its first printing before its official release date and, according to Katherine Beitner, director of publicity at Harper Collins, the biography is already in its fourth printing, with 55,000 copies printed to date.

    “While we always knew we had a real winner on our hands with Rebbe, the public’s interest in this remarkable leader is even greater than we realized,” said Beitner. “We are thrilled that the book has hit The New York Times Bestseller List. Clearly the Rebbe’s message and example are as vibrant and vital as ever, and people of all walks of life are hungry to learn about them and apply them to their lives.”

    Rabbi Telushkin, a 65 year old author of more than sixteen books, and lecturer who lives on the Upper West Side and has been named as one of the 50 most influential rabbis in America by Newsweek magazine, began working on Rebbe five years ago.

    “I thought it would be fascinating to examine the life and times of a man who influence was felt, and continues to be felt throughout the Jewish world,” said Telushkin, who noted that two decades after Rabbi Schneerson’s death, the Lubavitch movement continues to grow.

    Rabbi Telushkin observed that Rabbi Schneerson’s influence extended far beyond the Jewish world and is the only rabbi to have been honored with a Congressional Gold Medal, awarded posthumously in November 1994. The bill to honor the Lubavitcher Rebbe with the highest civilian award in the country was sponsored by then Congressman Charles Schumer and co-sponsored by Congressmen John Lewis, Jerry Lewis and Newt Gingrich.

    “John Lewis was one of Martin Luther King’s closest aides and on the day the award was presented Lewis said he didn’t know of any other issue he and Gingrich had ever agreed on.”

    Rabbi Telushkin said that during his research he discovered that President Reagan was so taken with the Lubavitcher Rebbe that when he would receive letters from him, the former president would take them upstairs in order to be able to reply to the Rebbe personally and that former Polish president Lech Walesa carries a dollar given to him by the Lubavitcher Rebbe to this very day.

    While not a member of the Lubavitch sect himself, Rabbi Telushkin said that the Rebbe has had a profound effect on his own life.

    “The Rebbe was a big believer in using optimistic language,” said Rabbi Telushkin. “He would never call a hospital a ‘beit cholim’ a place for the sick, but rather a ‘beit refuah’ a place of healing. He never used the word ‘deadline’ but instead would talk about ‘due dates’. One word connotes death and the other connotes life and I have start adopting this use of positive language.”

    Rabbi Telushkin also noted how as far back as the 1970’s the Rebbe would never refer to children as ‘retarded’, preferring instead the term ‘special’, acknowledging the potential within every human being.

    The Lubavitcher Rebbe was also unique in his insistence that women be well educated and not be relegated to performing supporting background tasks.

    “The Rebbe insisted that the Chabad childrens’ magazine have girls on the cover as well as boys, always in a very tzanua way,” said Rabbi Telushkin.

    “He wanted the girls to have that recognition and when shluchim are sent out, they are sent out as a couple, with both playing a vital role. The Rebbe place a lot of emphasis on the education of Jewish women because he knew that even though women have been historically focused on raising the family, they have an enormous capacity to influence others.”

    The Rebbe’s greatest legacy, according to Rabbi Telushkin, was his ability to bring the knowledge of G-d out into the world.

    “The Rebbe was a classical tzaddik, who was scrupulously observant and a master of the Talmud and while he knew the most difficult teachings and the most obscure, he remained very committed to the simple pure love of his fellow Jew and wanted to transmit that message throughout the world.”

    Rabbi Telushkin observed that even 20 years after his death, the Rebbe is still as reserved and as recognized as he was during his life, even by those who never knew him.

    “They say that you can judge a tree by its fruit and the fruit of the Rebbe is those who are still around after all these years,” explained Rabbi Telushkin. “People want to learn more about the man who planted the tree that gives such sweet fruit.”


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    2 Comments
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    Sociologist
    Sociologist
    9 years ago

    I pre-ordered from Amazon and read it cover to cover within 24 hours of receiving it. Excellent.

    cynic
    cynic
    9 years ago

    just a minor grumble… Amazon’s Kindle d/l kept saying it had sent it to me, but the file never arrived. So I’ve ordered the print copy…