Chessed Under Fire: Acts of Kindness and Unity Amid a Nation at War - as told by Shai Graucher

by Rabbi Nachman Seltzer

Genres: Jewish

450 pages, Hardcover

Published August 25, 2025

Reviews

[Kressel Housman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since October 7th, videos of Shai Graucher’s acts of chessed and tzedokah (kindness and charity) have been all over the feeds of every religious Jew who uses social media. Like the “Make a Wish” foundation fulfills the requests of kids with terminal illnesses, Mr. Graucher has been making dreams come true for as many victims of the war as possible, whether they’re former hostages, children of fallen soldiers, or wounded men. The video of him giving a BMW to Emily Dahari is one of the most famous, but my favorites are the ones of kids who receive pet dogs. So it’s no surprise that my favorite chapter in the book was “The Boy and the Pony.” All the stories about his charity were inspiring, and it was something he learned from his father, a Jewish pop star who regularly visited his fans that were ill. But some of the chapters on his personal background seemed extraneous. If not for that, I would have given this book a full 5 stars.

[Grant F. Booth · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very moving book by Rabbi Seltzer. Incredible accounts of Shai making dreams come true for families of those who lost loved ones during the October 7th, 2023 massacre and the war. This is a book for everyone. It shows the caring and love of Hashem working through His amazing people to bring comfort and healing in impossible circumstances.