The story of Australian journalist Nikki Goldstein isn't one you often hear: a brush with death, a profound spiritual awakening, an unlikely friendship, and then, horrific tragedy. It’s the kind of narrative that forces a reckoning with belief, and it’s all woven into her upcoming book, Conversations With My Rabbi: Timeless Teachings for a Fractured World. Set for release in May from Harper Influence, the book arrives under a cloud of immense loss, making its core message about faith and connection all the more poignant.
The core of this narrative centers on the late Orthodox Rabbi Eli Schlanger, who was brutally murdered in 2025 during a Chanukah celebration on Sydney's Bondi Beach. That attack claimed 15 lives and left many wounded. Rabbi Schlanger's death didn't just end a life; it tragically cut short a unique intellectual and spiritual partnership that began under equally dramatic circumstances, fundamentally reshaping Goldstein’s understanding of her own Jewish identity and the nature of faith itself.
A Near-Death Awakening and an Unexpected Mentor
Goldstein, who identifies as a secular Jew, found herself critically ill in 2022, in a coma. It was during this vulnerable period that Rabbi Schlanger entered her life. He performed the traditional acts of prayer and blew the shofar on her behalf, rituals typically reserved for the deeply observant. When Goldstein emerged from her coma, she described feeling "a sense of deep joy, mystical interconnectedness and lightness." She knew, she says, that something radical had shifted. Learning about Schlanger’s intervention solidified this transformation. She wasn't just culturally Jewish anymore; she was, in her own words, "mystically Jewish," drawn into an intimate, personal relationship with her religion for the first time.
This experience birthed an unusual friendship. Goldstein and Schlanger began to talk, exploring deep questions of purpose and belief. It was Schlanger who suggested they co-write a book, a testament to their unfolding conversations and shared explorations. The dynamic itself is fascinating: a secular journalist engaging an Orthodox rabbi on the very essence of faith. It’s a compelling bridge-building exercise, especially in a world often defined by stark ideological divides. This wasn't merely a dialogue; it was a collaborative project aimed at distilling wisdom for a broader audience.
The Book's Enduring Message for a Fractured World
Their book, as Goldstein explains, functions as a direct conversation between these two perspectives. It seeks to explore the meaning of faith in the contemporary world. What makes its framework particularly intriguing is its reliance on the Noahide Laws. These aren't obscure theological tenets; they are seven principles, said to be given by God to Noah after the biblical flood, designed to establish a just society. Crucially, these laws aren't exclusively for Jews; they are intended as universal principles for all humanity.
Positioning the book around these universal tenets suggests a conscious effort to transcend sectarian boundaries, offering a common ground for ethical and spiritual reflection. It’s a move that speaks directly to the "fractured world" of the subtitle. By grounding their discussions in principles meant for everyone, Goldstein and Schlanger were implicitly suggesting a path toward shared understanding, even if their own interpretations sometimes differed.
Grappling with Grief and Authentic Faith
The rabbi's murder, of course, casts a long, dark shadow over the book's completion. Finishing it without her teacher and friend presented Goldstein with an unimaginable challenge. Yet, the tragedy also brought a sharper focus to one of the book's central themes: how to reconcile faith with suffering. Goldstein recalls pushing back against Schlanger's deep acceptance of God's will, what she saw as an "over-willingness to comply" rather than rail against the inexplicable. Her personal experience of his loss now makes that pushback deeply personal and acutely felt.
Here’s the thing: Goldstein isn't presenting a sanitized, grief-free spiritual journey. She's remarkably candid, admitting she's still angry and profoundly sad for Schlanger’s family. But in this anger, she finds an authentic relationship with God, echoing Schlanger's own teaching that "it's not forbidden to be angry with God." This refusal to gloss over the raw human emotion is, perhaps, the most powerful aspect of her continued spiritual exploration.
In a tangible tribute, Goldstein has begun reciting Shabbat prayers, a practice Rabbi Schlanger encouraged. He saw Shabbat as "the center of Jewish spiritual mojo," a crucial pause in the week where one "stop[s] and let[s] the world run without us." It’s a quiet, defiant act of continuity in the face of violent disruption, a personal commitment that also serves as a public embrace of his teachings.
A Legacy Forged in Loss
What Goldstein is doing with Conversations With My Rabbi is more than just publishing a book; she’s ensuring a legacy. She's translating a deeply personal, transformational journey into a shared experience, offering guidance rooted in tragedy. The book's arrival in May will no doubt prompt reflection on faith, loss, and the enduring human need for meaning, especially as the world continues to feel, as its title suggests, deeply fractured. It's a reminder that even in the most profound grief, conversations about hope and connection can persist, sometimes louder than ever.