Rabbi David Eliezrie’s biography Undaunted powerfully illuminates the courage of the Sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, in his struggle against Soviet communism. The book vividly describes how, during the 1920s, as the Communist regime—through the Yevsektsiya and secret police—systematically closed synagogues, Jewish schools, and threatened rabbis, most religious leaders fled Russia. Rabbi Schneersohn, however, remained, determined to sustain Jewish life even at great personal risk, earning recognition as “the last man standing.” Despite enduring torture and a death sentence, he maintained his defiance and was ultimately released due to international pressure.

Drawing on historical documents, letters, and rare archival sources, Undaunted details how the Rebbe developed strategies to introduce Chabad teachings in Western Europe, pioneered a new Chassidic historiography, empowered women, and established a network of yeshivas to revitalize Chassidic life. The biography recounts his dramatic escape from Nazi-occupied Europe and his arrival in the United States in 1940, where he famously declared, “America is Not Different,” and began transforming Jewish life in the U.S. and beyond.

Undaunted documents the close personal relationship between the Sixth Rebbe and eventual successor, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson.

The book emphasises that Rabbi Schneersohn did not seek martyrdom but was unwavering in his mission, embodying a philosophy of self-sacrifice for the survival of Judaism. Even after exile, he continued to lead Jewish resistance from abroad, laying the foundation for the revival of Jewish life in Russia and worldwide.

Ultimately, Undaunted portrays the Rebbe’s courage as both personal and communal, showing how his fearless leadership inspired generations of Chabad emissaries to persevere under the most oppressive conditions, ensuring the survival and resurgence
of Jewish religious life.