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The Rebbe: The Life and Afterlife of Menachem Mendel Schneerson
The story of one of the most compelling religious leaders of modern times
From the 1950s until his death in 1994, Menachem Mendel Schneerson―revered by his followers worldwide simply as the Rebbe―built the Lubavitcher movement from a relatively small sect within Hasidic Judaism into the powerful force in Jewish life that it is today. Swept away by his expectation that the Messiah was coming, he came to believe that he could deny death and change history.
Samuel Heilman and Menachem Friedman paint an unforgettable portrait of Schneerson, showing how he reinvented himself from an aspiring French-trained electrical engineer into a charismatic leader who believed that he and his Lubavitcher Hasidic emissaries could transform the world. They reveal how his messianic convictions ripened and how he attempted to bring the ancient idea of a day of redemption onto the modern world's agenda. Heilman and Friedman also trace what happened after the Rebbe's death, by which time many of his followers had come to think of him as the Messiah himself.
The Rebbe tracks Schneerson's remarkable life from his birth in Russia, to his student days in Berlin and Paris, to his rise to global renown in New York, where he developed and preached his powerful spiritual message from the group's gothic mansion in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. This compelling book demonstrates how Schneerson's embrace of traditionalism and American-style modernity made him uniquely suited to his messianic mission.
From the 1950s until his death in 1994, Menachem Mendel Schneerson―revered by his followers worldwide simply as the Rebbe―built the Lubavitcher movement from a relatively small sect within Hasidic Judaism into the powerful force in Jewish life that it is today. Swept away by his expectation that the Messiah was coming, he came to believe that he could deny death and change history.
Samuel Heilman and Menachem Friedman paint an unforgettable portrait of Schneerson, showing how he reinvented himself from an aspiring French-trained electrical engineer into a charismatic leader who believed that he and his Lubavitcher Hasidic emissaries could transform the world. They reveal how his messianic convictions ripened and how he attempted to bring the ancient idea of a day of redemption onto the modern world's agenda. Heilman and Friedman also trace what happened after the Rebbe's death, by which time many of his followers had come to think of him as the Messiah himself.
The Rebbe tracks Schneerson's remarkable life from his birth in Russia, to his student days in Berlin and Paris, to his rise to global renown in New York, where he developed and preached his powerful spiritual message from the group's gothic mansion in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. This compelling book demonstrates how Schneerson's embrace of traditionalism and American-style modernity made him uniquely suited to his messianic mission.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
October 22, 2014
Not having dug through the charges and counter-charges, I can't really comment on the disputes over how accurately the book recounts the details of the Rebbe's early life.
I can say that the story is amazing to the extent it is true (and would be an amazing novel if it wasn't!) The basic outline is as follows: in the 1930s, Menachem Schneerson, despite his Hasidic ancestry and father-in-law, basically lived as a modern Orthodox Jew (although an extremely pious one, at least in some respects). He tried to become an engineer, but his ambitions were frustrated when France refused to allow him to practice (because he was not a French citizen) and Hitler's invasion of France forced him to flee to America (where his lack of English skills limited his opportunities). He then worked full-time for his father-in-law (the then-leader of the Chabad/Lubavitcher sect) because of some mix of personal piety, personal devotion to his father-in-law, and the lack of any career alternative.
Schneerson was so brilliant and charismatic that Chabad Hasidim drafted him as rebbe of the sect himself a decade or so later, and over the ensuing decades he turned a tiny sect into a worldwide Jewish outreach organization. This is a story as astonishing as Moses' evolution from Egyptian prince to leader of Judaism- except it happened in our lifetimes!
The book tries to explain why the Rebbe was so successful in leading Chabad. Some of the factors in his success were:
*Because he had lived outside the bubble of a Hasidic neighborhood, he was somewhat able to relate to Jews outside that bubble.
*In particular, while the previous Lubavitcher rebbe emphasized that the Messiah would only come after Divine punishment for secularism, the Rebbe re-engineered Chabad to emphasize hope and positive evolution towards Messianism;
*He realized that Chabad's home base in Brooklyn was already saturated with Hasidim of various types; the only way for Chabad to grow was to go beyond Brooklyn. So the rebbe sent many (if not most) of his younger Hasidim beyond Brooklyn, to create Chabad Houses (essentially outreach-oriented mini-synagogues, just to oversimplify for brevity's sake).
*By reaching out to marginal Jews, as well as providing assistance to Orthodox travelers, his Chabad Houses created a base of financial and moral support for their activities.
The book does suffers from two weaknesses: first, it speculates perhaps a bit too much and with a little too much certainty about what the Rebbe might have been thinking. Second, in describing the last years of the Rebbe's life, it emphasizes the colorful antics of those Hasidim who believed that the Rebbe was the Messiah, implying that nearly all the Rebbe's followers believed this- something that seems not to be true today (although I don't know much about the situation when the Rebbe was still alive).
I can say that the story is amazing to the extent it is true (and would be an amazing novel if it wasn't!) The basic outline is as follows: in the 1930s, Menachem Schneerson, despite his Hasidic ancestry and father-in-law, basically lived as a modern Orthodox Jew (although an extremely pious one, at least in some respects). He tried to become an engineer, but his ambitions were frustrated when France refused to allow him to practice (because he was not a French citizen) and Hitler's invasion of France forced him to flee to America (where his lack of English skills limited his opportunities). He then worked full-time for his father-in-law (the then-leader of the Chabad/Lubavitcher sect) because of some mix of personal piety, personal devotion to his father-in-law, and the lack of any career alternative.
Schneerson was so brilliant and charismatic that Chabad Hasidim drafted him as rebbe of the sect himself a decade or so later, and over the ensuing decades he turned a tiny sect into a worldwide Jewish outreach organization. This is a story as astonishing as Moses' evolution from Egyptian prince to leader of Judaism- except it happened in our lifetimes!
The book tries to explain why the Rebbe was so successful in leading Chabad. Some of the factors in his success were:
*Because he had lived outside the bubble of a Hasidic neighborhood, he was somewhat able to relate to Jews outside that bubble.
*In particular, while the previous Lubavitcher rebbe emphasized that the Messiah would only come after Divine punishment for secularism, the Rebbe re-engineered Chabad to emphasize hope and positive evolution towards Messianism;
*He realized that Chabad's home base in Brooklyn was already saturated with Hasidim of various types; the only way for Chabad to grow was to go beyond Brooklyn. So the rebbe sent many (if not most) of his younger Hasidim beyond Brooklyn, to create Chabad Houses (essentially outreach-oriented mini-synagogues, just to oversimplify for brevity's sake).
*By reaching out to marginal Jews, as well as providing assistance to Orthodox travelers, his Chabad Houses created a base of financial and moral support for their activities.
The book does suffers from two weaknesses: first, it speculates perhaps a bit too much and with a little too much certainty about what the Rebbe might have been thinking. Second, in describing the last years of the Rebbe's life, it emphasizes the colorful antics of those Hasidim who believed that the Rebbe was the Messiah, implying that nearly all the Rebbe's followers believed this- something that seems not to be true today (although I don't know much about the situation when the Rebbe was still alive).
May 8, 2011
The book doesn't represent Chabad in the most positive light, so I can understand why Chabadniks had a problem with book.
I most enjoyed the parts about Menachem Mendel Shneerson's life in Europe. If circumstances had been different, he and his wife might have led a quiet life in France, Poland or Russia, with Menachem Mendel working as an engineer. But she was the daughter of Rabbi Yosef Yitzhak Shneerson, the 6th Lubavitche rebbe, and Europe was a mess, a tragic place for Jews. One learns about Moussia, Menachem Mendel's wife, and how she liked lipstick and fashion. She is described by other hasidim as "a private person."
The book emphasizes the messianic qualities of the movement that Rabbi Menachem Mendel S. did not squelch. I would have perhaps liked a little more on the positive qualities of Chabad, such as those that might have been uplifted from a drug-addicted life, but this wasn't the author's main focus.
If you have the opportunity to hear Samuel Heilman speak, I recommend his lectures. He spoke at Rutgers about this book, and I heard him speak a few years back in Edison about his previous book, Sliding to the Right.
I most enjoyed the parts about Menachem Mendel Shneerson's life in Europe. If circumstances had been different, he and his wife might have led a quiet life in France, Poland or Russia, with Menachem Mendel working as an engineer. But she was the daughter of Rabbi Yosef Yitzhak Shneerson, the 6th Lubavitche rebbe, and Europe was a mess, a tragic place for Jews. One learns about Moussia, Menachem Mendel's wife, and how she liked lipstick and fashion. She is described by other hasidim as "a private person."
The book emphasizes the messianic qualities of the movement that Rabbi Menachem Mendel S. did not squelch. I would have perhaps liked a little more on the positive qualities of Chabad, such as those that might have been uplifted from a drug-addicted life, but this wasn't the author's main focus.
If you have the opportunity to hear Samuel Heilman speak, I recommend his lectures. He spoke at Rutgers about this book, and I heard him speak a few years back in Edison about his previous book, Sliding to the Right.
September 9, 2018
This was a good read! I found it pretty hard to put down. I enjoy much of Heilman's stuff, and he and Friedman have definitely done a good job of matching the historical record with people's recollections to put together an interesting and provocative biography (as opposed to hagiography) on one of the most influential leaders in modern world Jewry. The background is helpful in understanding some of the worldview of Lubavitch, as well as the historical and ongoing success of movement.
April 3, 2011
I didn’t read the book.
That’s why you should read my review.
Why, you ask? Well, what type of question is that? Obviously if I would’ve read the book I wouldn’t have an “objective” opinion on the book, I might get “persuaded” by its contents and therefore write a hagiography-type review.
Therefore I chose not to read it. And that’s why you should read MY review, the unbiased, purely based on my own objective and “sane” knowledge review.
Let’s cut to the chase: The book is a beautiful one; its pages are made of a mixture of recycled paper and fiber. Its soft but bodily texture gives it a great feel and a pleasant but steady turn. The glossy finishing on the cover makes it attractive yet serene. Its dark colored jacket makes it an easy match with any of your other books on your shelf. With close to 400 pages it’s sure to be a great leveling object for that old table you inherited from your great uncle Sol which has seen better days.
In conclusion, “The Rebbe” is definitely worth buying.
You may be wondering about the contents of the book. Well, what in heaven’s name does that have to do with a review on a book? I’m not writing a review on the scholarly contributions of the book, I’m writing a review ON THE BOOK, what’s written in the book has little to nothing to do with the book. If you consider yourself in any way a scholar worth your reputation you should agree with that and if you don’t, then don’t bother reading this book.
(For those who are a bit confused, let me fill you in: the authors of this book where questioned by many how can they write a biography of a teacher of Rabbi Schneersohns’ stature without mentioning his teachings (a recorded amount of 200 volumes (!))?, to which they answered something to the effect of “we are not writing about his scholarly contribution, we are writing about the man”. Secondly, throughout the different blogs and reviews the authors kept on repeating that anyone that has some association with the Lubavitch movement cannot give an opinion of “The Rebbe” because it would automatically be a “hagiography”. Now read my review again.) For more on the authors’ brilliance: http://seforim.blogspot.com/2010/06/c....
That’s why you should read my review.
Why, you ask? Well, what type of question is that? Obviously if I would’ve read the book I wouldn’t have an “objective” opinion on the book, I might get “persuaded” by its contents and therefore write a hagiography-type review.
Therefore I chose not to read it. And that’s why you should read MY review, the unbiased, purely based on my own objective and “sane” knowledge review.
Let’s cut to the chase: The book is a beautiful one; its pages are made of a mixture of recycled paper and fiber. Its soft but bodily texture gives it a great feel and a pleasant but steady turn. The glossy finishing on the cover makes it attractive yet serene. Its dark colored jacket makes it an easy match with any of your other books on your shelf. With close to 400 pages it’s sure to be a great leveling object for that old table you inherited from your great uncle Sol which has seen better days.
In conclusion, “The Rebbe” is definitely worth buying.
You may be wondering about the contents of the book. Well, what in heaven’s name does that have to do with a review on a book? I’m not writing a review on the scholarly contributions of the book, I’m writing a review ON THE BOOK, what’s written in the book has little to nothing to do with the book. If you consider yourself in any way a scholar worth your reputation you should agree with that and if you don’t, then don’t bother reading this book.
(For those who are a bit confused, let me fill you in: the authors of this book where questioned by many how can they write a biography of a teacher of Rabbi Schneersohns’ stature without mentioning his teachings (a recorded amount of 200 volumes (!))?, to which they answered something to the effect of “we are not writing about his scholarly contribution, we are writing about the man”. Secondly, throughout the different blogs and reviews the authors kept on repeating that anyone that has some association with the Lubavitch movement cannot give an opinion of “The Rebbe” because it would automatically be a “hagiography”. Now read my review again.) For more on the authors’ brilliance: http://seforim.blogspot.com/2010/06/c....
June 29, 2010
I understand why this is a controversial book, but I think to a person who doesn't understand these things well, they would think that this is a book written with glowing admiration of Schneerson. For those that demand nothing less than a total hagiography, it falls short, of course.
I know Elliot Wolfson thinks this book is incomplete because it does not analyze the relevant Chabad texts. On the contrary, I agree with the authors of this book in almost entirely omitting that aspect. Indeed, Wolfson's book is so overly thick with those textual references as to be almost unreadable. It is so overwrought. This book leaves the reader with a better understanding of the important facts of Chabad's messianic flirtations based on human concerns.
I know Elliot Wolfson thinks this book is incomplete because it does not analyze the relevant Chabad texts. On the contrary, I agree with the authors of this book in almost entirely omitting that aspect. Indeed, Wolfson's book is so overly thick with those textual references as to be almost unreadable. It is so overwrought. This book leaves the reader with a better understanding of the important facts of Chabad's messianic flirtations based on human concerns.
September 29, 2014
Only such an important scholarly yet truly enjoyable book can have so much haters!
As a Hasid i am sick and tired of dogma of cultist biography books.
Finely a true critical yet objective book evenly sourced form pro Chabbad Hasidim and its critics.
A monumental historical study, that gives meaning to a controversial sect and its mystical leader.
As an insider of the Jewish world i encourage you to buy this book and read it thorough, to see what and why Chabad Lubavitch is so unique? What drives them to change the world into their worldview?
Yes they hate this book, and you will understand why once you see how deeply & intimately this book will take you inside their motives and machinery.
Enjoy it!
As a Hasid i am sick and tired of dogma of cultist biography books.
Finely a true critical yet objective book evenly sourced form pro Chabbad Hasidim and its critics.
A monumental historical study, that gives meaning to a controversial sect and its mystical leader.
As an insider of the Jewish world i encourage you to buy this book and read it thorough, to see what and why Chabad Lubavitch is so unique? What drives them to change the world into their worldview?
Yes they hate this book, and you will understand why once you see how deeply & intimately this book will take you inside their motives and machinery.
Enjoy it!
September 7, 2024
I read this after Joseph Telushkin's 2014 bio The Rebbe (see my review). The difference? He was an Orthodox rabbi familiar with Chabad and wrote a respectful profile of Menachem Schneerson, the last of the seven Lubavitcher rebbes. The fact he left no successor, added to the claims by some of his followers that he was the Moshiach, split the movement. For scholars Samuel Heilman and Menachem Friedman, the Rebbe's legacy is regarded more critically. They don't offer the anecdotal and personal portrait of Telushkin. But a more detached analysis of the Rebbe's mindset. After all, he did not take control until the advanced age of forty. He'd been schooled in interwar Berlin and Paris to be an engineer. Interestingly, this study doesn't make him the eminent scientist, student of Heidegger and Heisenberg, eminent holder of awards from universities in both the French and German capitals...
Rather, he's an introverted fellow who shifts, once he assumes leadership over the Lubavitch sect, to.move it into missionizing to those fallen away from traditional observance. Heilman and Friedman place the Rebbe well within postwar American attitudes. Chabad is refurbished to attract the secular Jew, the disenchanted whose success in the New World hasn't brought them spiritual peace or any grounding in deeper roots beyond materialism, intermarriage, assimilation, and Torah indifference.
The book gets better as it goes on. The recounting of the Rebbe's life and career lacks the richness of Telushkin's take. But it corrects some of the less rigorous claims made by their fellow biographer. You get an academic tone rather than a character-driven portrayal. It's dryer, but aimed at factual rigor.
The authors excel at framing Schneerson and his movement as energized by Israel's a967 victory and then survival despite Saddam's scud missile attacks a generation later, as causes for the foolhardy hubris (their word) which fueled the unwise messianic and "who is a Jew?" assertions which both risked alienating the audiences whom the schlichim emissaries had so labored to win over to a Torah- true turnaround towards Orthodox practices. This context enlarges within 1950s levels of religious conformity to blending in, 1960s reactions of dropping out, and post-hippie status-seeking and then a drawing back from self-indulgent excesses with an appreciation of greater respect for ritual and for varieties of religious expression. It also looks at Chabad campus, mitzvah tanks, and public menorahs.
Heilman and Friedman emphasize how those tasked with reaching out to worldlier fellow Jews themselves have possible cognitive difficulties in simultaneously adhering to very conservative Jewish lifestyles while remaining open to living among those for whom the symbolic taking on of a few mitzvot doesn't seem to truly motivate many into committing to a strict regimen of observant Judaism. Instead, the risk is that those charged with bringing stricter Judaism to the unaffiliated may be subsumed within the greater culture, or find their efforts wind up superficial, or taken as novelty.
The authors concur that at their vantage point fifteen years after the death of the Rebbe, Chabad remained in an uncertain state, lacking an eighth Rebbe, and facing a transition into a more corporate and less charismatic organization after their messiah failed to appear. Sue Fishkoff, in The Rebbe's Army, about Chabad's persistence a.quarter century after the passing of Schneerson, also reviewed by me recently, is a useful follow-up showing how the movement continues to flourish, after the messianic wing folded, and is also recommended. I'd be curious if three decades after the last Rebbe, given leadership must nearly all be fresh, how the impetus of Chabad has evolved or has embedded.
Rather, he's an introverted fellow who shifts, once he assumes leadership over the Lubavitch sect, to.move it into missionizing to those fallen away from traditional observance. Heilman and Friedman place the Rebbe well within postwar American attitudes. Chabad is refurbished to attract the secular Jew, the disenchanted whose success in the New World hasn't brought them spiritual peace or any grounding in deeper roots beyond materialism, intermarriage, assimilation, and Torah indifference.
The book gets better as it goes on. The recounting of the Rebbe's life and career lacks the richness of Telushkin's take. But it corrects some of the less rigorous claims made by their fellow biographer. You get an academic tone rather than a character-driven portrayal. It's dryer, but aimed at factual rigor.
The authors excel at framing Schneerson and his movement as energized by Israel's a967 victory and then survival despite Saddam's scud missile attacks a generation later, as causes for the foolhardy hubris (their word) which fueled the unwise messianic and "who is a Jew?" assertions which both risked alienating the audiences whom the schlichim emissaries had so labored to win over to a Torah- true turnaround towards Orthodox practices. This context enlarges within 1950s levels of religious conformity to blending in, 1960s reactions of dropping out, and post-hippie status-seeking and then a drawing back from self-indulgent excesses with an appreciation of greater respect for ritual and for varieties of religious expression. It also looks at Chabad campus, mitzvah tanks, and public menorahs.
Heilman and Friedman emphasize how those tasked with reaching out to worldlier fellow Jews themselves have possible cognitive difficulties in simultaneously adhering to very conservative Jewish lifestyles while remaining open to living among those for whom the symbolic taking on of a few mitzvot doesn't seem to truly motivate many into committing to a strict regimen of observant Judaism. Instead, the risk is that those charged with bringing stricter Judaism to the unaffiliated may be subsumed within the greater culture, or find their efforts wind up superficial, or taken as novelty.
The authors concur that at their vantage point fifteen years after the death of the Rebbe, Chabad remained in an uncertain state, lacking an eighth Rebbe, and facing a transition into a more corporate and less charismatic organization after their messiah failed to appear. Sue Fishkoff, in The Rebbe's Army, about Chabad's persistence a.quarter century after the passing of Schneerson, also reviewed by me recently, is a useful follow-up showing how the movement continues to flourish, after the messianic wing folded, and is also recommended. I'd be curious if three decades after the last Rebbe, given leadership must nearly all be fresh, how the impetus of Chabad has evolved or has embedded.
January 16, 2020
A very intelligent, even-handed, and thoughtful "biography" of the 7th Lubavitcher Rebbe and the movement that he led (continues to lead?). Extremely well written and accessible to those with little knowledge of Judaism.
August 12, 2023
The "afterlife" portion is a bit thin - more detail about the contemporary movement and its practices would be a strong addition. Absent that, the final portion is more abstract discussion than the preceding chapters of well-sourced biography.
June 26, 2014
I was raised Chabad but have moved slightly away from its ideological outlook, partly because of its cult like mentality and unquestioning adherence to the rebbe's every word, movement and gesture. However I do believe, based on the first hand encounters that those older than me have had with the Rebbe that he was an exceptional human being, with intelligence kindness and sincere caring for all creations.
I liked the book because it made the rebbe seem like a person, like a human with struggles and aspirations I could relate to. This is pretty groundbreaking for me since I was raised to think that the rebbe was infallible and couldn't possibly have been a human being in a spiritual level.
What I didn't like about the book is that it made the rebbe out to be self centered egoist whose only aim was to convert the world to his movement and to gain recognition on a global scale. Based on my upbringing in Chabad, I can testify that that simply wasn't true. His agenda was to gain worldwide recognition of Judaism in the form he believed to be most authentic (orthodoxy) and to get every Jew to see Judaism as an integral part of his or her identity. He didn't care if something good was credited to Chabad or not; all he cares for was the end result which was moshiach/ more Jews in touch with their Jewish identity.
There was also no mention of the supposed miracles that occurred as a result of his blessings. I really wanted to read more on that.
Overall good read if you have an interest in the topic but be careful not to take everything in it at face value since, although it's a biography, the authors often state their opinions as facts.
I liked the book because it made the rebbe seem like a person, like a human with struggles and aspirations I could relate to. This is pretty groundbreaking for me since I was raised to think that the rebbe was infallible and couldn't possibly have been a human being in a spiritual level.
What I didn't like about the book is that it made the rebbe out to be self centered egoist whose only aim was to convert the world to his movement and to gain recognition on a global scale. Based on my upbringing in Chabad, I can testify that that simply wasn't true. His agenda was to gain worldwide recognition of Judaism in the form he believed to be most authentic (orthodoxy) and to get every Jew to see Judaism as an integral part of his or her identity. He didn't care if something good was credited to Chabad or not; all he cares for was the end result which was moshiach/ more Jews in touch with their Jewish identity.
There was also no mention of the supposed miracles that occurred as a result of his blessings. I really wanted to read more on that.
Overall good read if you have an interest in the topic but be careful not to take everything in it at face value since, although it's a biography, the authors often state their opinions as facts.
August 27, 2014
In this book the authors are giving an interpretation of some facts in the life of the Rebbe.
I wouldn't call it a biography. It's more a demystification of the Rebbe.As liking to prove that he was completly human in all aspects. But in a fact what they are proving is that the Rebbe was not a myth and that he was a complete human being. Well there is his greatness: that he was a human being and not an angel.
The authors emphasize a lot on the first 40 years of the Rebbe. He lived as a university student in Berlin and Paris. He was openminded towards secular studies and lived with his wife, the daughter of the Rebbe Rayyatz, in Paris bohemian quarter. He read newspaers, etc.
My question: so what?
Afterwards he became the Rebbe (7th Lubavitcher Rebbe).
That what the book has tried to accomplish (in it constant critical approach) has a contrary effect.
As in page 148: This new beginning and its affinity for personal reinvention would be crucial for this new Rebbe.
Well the Rebbe said: “Anything worth doing is worth doing now."
After reading the book one can say: The Rebbe showed how it is possible to do great things and that all in life are stepstones for each of us reaching out to our full potential of goodness and kindness.
I wouldn't call it a biography. It's more a demystification of the Rebbe.As liking to prove that he was completly human in all aspects. But in a fact what they are proving is that the Rebbe was not a myth and that he was a complete human being. Well there is his greatness: that he was a human being and not an angel.
The authors emphasize a lot on the first 40 years of the Rebbe. He lived as a university student in Berlin and Paris. He was openminded towards secular studies and lived with his wife, the daughter of the Rebbe Rayyatz, in Paris bohemian quarter. He read newspaers, etc.
My question: so what?
Afterwards he became the Rebbe (7th Lubavitcher Rebbe).
That what the book has tried to accomplish (in it constant critical approach) has a contrary effect.
As in page 148: This new beginning and its affinity for personal reinvention would be crucial for this new Rebbe.
Well the Rebbe said: “Anything worth doing is worth doing now."
After reading the book one can say: The Rebbe showed how it is possible to do great things and that all in life are stepstones for each of us reaching out to our full potential of goodness and kindness.
July 16, 2012
Even though rich in information, the book fails to explain the particularities of the Chabad Hasidism and the personality of the Rebbe. Too much information does not mean necessarily understanding, after all. Very often I felt that there were many missed connections between facts and the temptation to share various events not too much discussed till now - as, for instance, the time before moving to the US - diminished the academic value of the book, because of the focus on too many 'sensational' facts.
July 23, 2013
If you live in Brooklyn and regulary encounter black-hatted Lubavitchers, mitzvah tanks, and flags and signs with images of the rebbe, this book will probably interest you. If you're not at all interested in Chabad and how they came to be a global force, then don't pick this one up. The authors explore Schneerson's life, contrasting his focus as a younger man on secular studies with his later life completely enclosed within the Lubavitcher bubble. Their analysis is hampered, however, by a lack of interviews and first-hand information from Lubavitchers and people who knew the rebbe.
September 16, 2015
The authors of this fine biography adopt a sympathetic tone with regard to their subject. They provide a clearly written account of his life and in the process of the Lubavitch Hasidim. This makes their social psychological analysis of the messianic movement that he created quite convincing. I'm not going to try to summarize their analysis because I don't want to over simplify their rich presentation. Anyone interested in Hasidiam and the question of what happens when prophecy fails will find this book interesting and valuable.
September 23, 2016
I came to this book openminded, filled with curiosity and seeking answers as to how generations of Rebbes have inspired such reverence for a lifestyle that is increasingly difficult to adhere to.
This book didn't actually answer those questions. But, I kept reading, in hopes of finding answers.
There appears to be some question as to the accuracy of details pertaining to his early years, and the detail may be too much for many readers, you can skim over parts that delve to deeply and still have a better understanding of the Lubavitch sect.
This book didn't actually answer those questions. But, I kept reading, in hopes of finding answers.
There appears to be some question as to the accuracy of details pertaining to his early years, and the detail may be too much for many readers, you can skim over parts that delve to deeply and still have a better understanding of the Lubavitch sect.
July 20, 2010
I read the book, along with the dialogue between the authors and Chaim Rapoport, a Lubavitcher rabbi in England. While the back-and-forth is illuminating, specifically for highlighting numerous errors in the scholarship, the book still has some merits. Too bad that we will need to wait for a revised second edition until they can be incorporated into the text.
August 4, 2014
Serious and academic study of the life of the last Lubavitcher Rebbe with an interesting theory that he promoted the whole "rebbe=moshiach" movement because by his 80s he was so insulated from the "real life" he had lived before becoming rebbe, and had no close family or friends for emotional support and reality checks, only followers. Readable, but a bit on the dry side.
April 23, 2013
An excellent book that gives both a comprehensive view of the man's life and an inquiry to the nature of the messianic idea that evolved around him. Only thing that it is missing is something deeper about his theology.
May 14, 2015
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Chabad…dangerous, messianic, evangelical, personality cult, a welcoming community, a celebration of being Jewish? In any case, Chabad is influential beyond the count of its adherents. Want to know more? Need to know more? Read this excellent book.
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Chabad…dangerous, messianic, evangelical, personality cult, a welcoming community, a celebration of being Jewish? In any case, Chabad is influential beyond the count of its adherents. Want to know more? Need to know more? Read this excellent book.
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October 15, 2020
Not in AVL
September 28, 2012
An insight into the Rebbe's life uninfluenced by Chabad mythology.
An interesting perspective and a worthwhile read.
An interesting perspective and a worthwhile read.
Read
October 27, 2012Thorough and insightful.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews