Conversations with My Rabbi by Nikki Goldstein

An unforgettable and profound book of wisdom, offering timeless teachings for living well in an uncertain world.

In September 2022, Nikki Goldstein was near death in a Sydney hospital when her family spotted Rabbi Eli Schlanger in the hallway and asked him to come pray for her. Standing beside her bed, he blew the shofar and whispered ancient prayers over Nikki. One day later, she began recovering from the life-threatening infection. The doctors called it a miracle.

As Nikki regained her health, this secular Jewish woman and the devout rabbi formed an unlikely and beautiful friendship, and discovered they were seeking answers to the same essential questions. Together, they turned to ancient Jewish teachings for guidance on living more ethically, compassionately and spiritually, and began to record their conversations as a book. But just weeks before they were to write the final chapter, Eli was killed at his annual Chanukah by the Sea celebration on Sydney’s Bondi Beach, in Australia’s second deadliest mass-casualty shooting.

Devastated by shock and grief, Nikki vowed that Eli’s legacy and his mission to bring light, love and moral clarity to the world would not die with him, because his teachings were more necessary than ever. Conversations with My Rabbi is Rabbi Schlanger’s eternal gift – a guide for all, regardless of faith, who wish to live with integrity, compassion and courage in a divided and uncertain world.

About the Author: Nikki Goldstein is an internationally recognised bestselling author of sixteen books – including GirlForce, a teen girl self-empowerment series that was converted into a brand of yoga wear, cosmetics and stationery for Target – and an award-winning copywriter and journalist. She began her career at Vogue and went on to senior editorial positions at Elle, Marie Claire and the Australian Financial Review Magazine. Nikki is married to Rowan and mother to Liberty, and when she’s not working feverishly on her fledgling publishing business Go2Guru, she attends to her two needy dachshunds.

Rabbi Eli Schlanger was Assistant Rabbi at Chabad Bondi, a role he held for eighteen years. He was also a chaplain for NSW Corrections and a chaplain at St Vincent’s Hospital, Darlinghurst, in Sydney. He was also the Rabbi for Community Engagement at Friends of Refugees of Eastern Europe for eighteen years. He was educated at the Central Yeshiva Tomchei Tmimim and the Lubavitch Yeshiva, Brunoy, France. Rabbi Schlanger oversaw the development and building of the Bondi Chabad and was an active and passionate community rabbi. He was the Founder of Project Noah, an educational initiative that brings the timeless values of the Seven Noahide Laws to young people through engaging, interactive programs. He is survived by his wife, Chaya, and their five children.

26 May 2026
 

Conversations with My Rabbi: Timeless Teachings for a Fractured World by Nikki Goldstein ISBN 9781460770146