AVENTURA, FLA (VINnews) – Author, rabbi and speaker David Nesenoff has released Little Book of Big Faith, a personal account of his struggle to maintain bitachon, or trust in Hashem, while facing the possibility of an incurable illness.

Known for his humor, storytelling and talks delivered to Jewish communities around the world, Nesenoff writes that the medical uncertainty challenged the very principles he had spent years teaching others. Despite encouraging audiences to embrace life’s unexpected turns and trust in Hashem, he found himself struggling to hold onto that faith.

“I felt like a fake” and “a phony,” Nesenoff acknowledges in the book, describing the gap between the messages he shared publicly and the fear he experienced privately.

Nesenoff is a rabbi, journalist, filmmaker, author and speaker whose career has included Jewish communal leadership, publishing and anti-bias education. He previously served as a Conservative rabbi for approximately two decades and published and edited The Jewish Star newspaper on Long Island and The Jerusalem Observer in Israel. He also worked as an anti-bias consultant for the U.S. Justice Department’s Civil Rights Monitors Office.

Later in life, Nesenoff became affiliated with Chabad-Lubavitch, the Orthodox Hasidic movement, embracing its teachings and traditions. He has since spoken at hundreds of Chabad centers worldwide, sharing messages about Jewish identity, faith, Israel, antisemitism and the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe.

Nesenoff became internationally known in 2010 after recording an exchange with Helen Thomas, a longtime White House correspondent, during a Jewish American Heritage Month event at the White House. When asked about Israel, Thomas made remarks telling Jews to leave the land and return to their countries of origin. The video sparked widespread condemnation and led to her resignation from her position as a columnist.

The incident brought Nesenoff into the international spotlight, but his work has extended well beyond that episode. He has continued using humor, personal experiences and Jewish teachings to address the challenges people face in their lives. He is also the author of I Never Met the Rebbe Many Times, a book reflecting his connection to the teachings and legacy of the Lubavitcher Rebbe.

In Little Book of Big Faith, Nesenoff turns to a more personal subject: what happens when the faith one encourages in others becomes difficult to sustain in one’s own life.

He explores the meaning of bitachon and describes his desire for that trust to remain firmly rooted during his medical ordeal. Instead, he writes, he felt his faith was “gushing off me like a waterfall.”

The book also examines how people confront uncertainty when they cannot control the outcome. Nesenoff shares correspondence with the Lubavitcher Rebbe and recounts what he describes as a natural miracle he witnessed.

The short volume is designed to be accessible to readers who may themselves be struggling with illness, anxiety or other difficult circumstances and want encouragement without committing to a lengthy book.

For Nesenoff, the central message extends beyond the specifics of his diagnosis. He intends to continue speaking and writing about life’s unexpected detours, even as he navigates his own uncertain path.

The book has received positive responses from readers and professionals in several fields.

Rabbi Alex Carlebach of Johannesburg described the story as gripping and praised Nesenoff’s honesty. Psychiatrist and speaker Dr. John Yaakov Guterson recommended the book for people dealing with anxiety, citing its combination of spiritual depth, humor and love.

Dr. Robert Gluck, a former surgeon and associate professor at Hofstra-Northwell School of Nursing, characterized it as an honest and tense journey through darkness. Rishe Deitsch, editor-in-chief of the N’shei Chabad Newsletter, praised Nesenoff’s writing and described him as a talented writer and chossid.

Robert Phillips, Ph.D., founder of the Center for Coping, highlighted the book’s emphasis on finding meaning and personal growth amid fear. Yael Trusch, host of the Jewish Money Matters podcast, described an advance copy as raw, real and relatable.

Little Book of Big Faith is available in bookstores and on Amazon. More information about Nesenoff and his work is available at DavidINSPIRES.com.