JEM has released a new short film marking the yahrzeit of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Schneerson, the Rebbe's father. The film, available on YouTube, features analysis from scholar Rabbi Shais Taub and newly recorded commentary from JEM Executive Director Rabbi Elkanah Shmotkin, alongside previously unseen historical documents.
The film examines Rabbi Levi Yitzchak's resistance to Soviet persecution and his commitment to his community despite escalating hardship. It centers on a letter he wrote to his son, the future Rebbe, written in response to receiving a pair of shoes as a gift. The letter goes beyond expressing thanks, revealing Rabbi Levi Yitzchak's philosophical perspective and his approach to finding meaning amid adversity.
The video was made available in loving memory of Mrs. Riva Geisinsky, whose yahrzeit falls on 13 Av, by Yitzy and Yehudis Geisinsky. JEM invites viewers to support similar projects through a membership at JEM.tv/membership.