Over a hundred people gathered last week at Chabad of Belgravia in Central London, run by Shluchim Rabbi Mendel and Chana Kalmenson, as the community came together to celebrate the launch of Rabbi Kalmenson’s third book, “Seeds of Wisdom 2.”
The book is a collection of short stories gathered from the archives of JEM’s My Encounter project, with universally relevant insights and heartwarming lessons.
The first book, which was very well received, is now in its sixth print, and, to date, has been translated into Russian, Spanish and Portuguese. It has been hailed by many Jewish leaders as a book which makes the Rebbe’s wisdom accessible to a wide and contemporary audience.
In the words of former Chief Rabbi of Israel, Rabbi Meir Lau: “The Lubavitcher Rebbe guided a generation of individuals who sought his wise counsel. Seeds of Wisdom makes this wisdom available, presenting his advice on leadership, faith, and interpersonal relationships for a happy and meaningful life.”
The evening began with a short film about the Rebbe, followed by various touching interviews from My Encounters. Afterward, Rabbi Kalmenson shared his personal memories of the Rebbe, and some of the stories of the Rebbe which he draws on for inspiration and which have generated his passion for sharing the Rebbe’s wisdom and example with a wider audience.
“Every story was taken directly from JEM’s My Encounter Project’s extensive footage of first-hand experiences with the Rebbe,” Kalmenson revealed. “There were hundreds of hours of history to sift through when mining for the stories.”
Regarding the experience of meeting the Rebbe, Kalmenson said, “whereas in the presence of celebrity or royalty one tends to lose themselves, in the presence of the Rebbe you tended to find yourself, becoming more aware and conscious of your essence and the person you really wanted to be.”
Kalmenson shared that the aim of Seeds of Wisdom is to share “the Rebbe’s philosophy on life taught through stories and examples.”
Many in the crowd were deeply moved by their first encounter with the Rebbe. They were also intrigued by the style of the book, including the one-liners at the bottom of each story which are meant to capture the essence of each story and help channel the message into a soundbite and practical takeaway.
Israel’s former Ambassador to the UK, Daniel Taub, commented after receiving the book: “I spent Shabbat reading Seeds of Wisdom, and what a beautiful and thought provoking book it is. The stories are inspiring and frequently surprising, and your codas are wonderfully creative and insightful.”
The evening concluded as many in the audience lined up to have their books signed and share words of congratulation with their Rabbi.
Seeds of Wisdom can be purchased at your local Judaica store or here
So beautiful to see one of Chabad’s rising stars bringing the Rebbe’s inspiration to the masses!
Another gem by this excellent author who so eloquently shares the Rebbe’s wisdom in such an accessible, relevant and palatable way. True Hafatzos HaMaayonos!
I love this book with its insightful stories of the Rebbe and practical lessons. Seeds of Wisdom 2 also makes a great gift- our community members were delighted and inspired by it.
I use Seeds of Wisdom all the time- whenever I need a quick, inspirational story of the Rebbe
Never Let’s me down