Of course, you heard about the chessed. How amid the darkness of October 7 and its aftermath, amid the missiles, the wounded or fallen soldiers, the hostages’ torment, the thousands of Jews who almost overnight became refugees – the light of Am Yisrael prevailed.

There was the light of unity when the nation came together. The light of volunteers, old and young, rich and poor, chareidi and not-yet-religious, bringing socks and barbecues and Shabbos meals and hospital visits and countless other deeds meant to comfort and strengthen a shocked and hurting nation.

In Chessed Under Fire, ArtScroll’s newly released (and already bestselling!) book by Rabbi Nachman Seltzer, you will discover yet another luminous light: the non-stop, unique, and incredibly effective chessed of Shai Graucher and his team. Take a look at this fascinating Inside ArtScroll interview, where Rabbi Seltzer and Shai share incredible stories of chessed that bring the book’s pages vividly to life.

Who would have thought to put washing machines and dryers on the back of a flatbed truck, so soldiers covered with the filth of battle could have a clean change of clothing?  Who realized early on just how powerful barbecues and food trucks could be in lifting morale? Who understood the importance of the spiritual needs of soldiers and arranged for the printing of tens of thousands of a special battlefield edition of the Schottenstein Edition Talmud?

Shai Graucher and his team, that’s who!

The amazing story begins literally the night after October 7, when Shai was approached by well-known philanthropists Bob Book and Jay Schottenstein. They realized that this was no passing phase, the country was at war, and they tasked Shai with the mission of reaching out to the thousands who needed help.  Shai answered the call, and he and the organization he founded, B’Yachad Nenatzeiach, threw themselves into the challenge — in hospitals and army bases, at funerals, and in the homes of those who had lost a loved one, whether taken as a hostage or fallen as a soldier in battle.

But Shai’s work didn’t actually begin on October 7. It started when he was a young boy watching the generous and genuine loving kindness of his parents, the famed singer Dedi Graucher and Dedi’s wife, Malca. His “chessed lessons” continued in a small room on Rechov Rashbam, as he became a ben bayis – almost a family member – in the simple home of Rav Chaim Kanievsky, zt’l. For years, Shai visited Rav Chaim regularly,   soaking in his guidance. He also fundraised extensively for Rav Chaim’s tzedakah causes, helping generate millions of shekels for poor families, widows, and yeshivos.

In Chessed Under Fire, Rabbi Nachman Seltzer turns his much-hailed storytelling talents to the incredible story of Shai and his team. We’ll join Shai as he alleviates the financial distress of a bereaved mother and as he brings a pony to a courageous boy living in the shadow of missile attacks. We’ll be with him as Shai and music legend Avraham Fried dance together with troops about to enter Gaza. We’ll attend brissos of infants who will never meet their fathers, and travel down south and up north and all through Eretz Yisrael with Shai, making birthday parties for war orphans or dedicating Sifrei Torah in memory of fallen soldiers. And the music-lovers among us (isn’t that everyone?) will particularly enjoy the special bonus feature: a tribute to Dedi Graucher.

Though the background is heartbreaking, Chessed Under Fire is not a book about sadness. It is an inspiring reminder of how much one person, with determination and caring, can do – and a testament to Klal Yisrael’s resilience and infinite kindness.

Don’t miss the chance to be inspired—and be sure to pick up your copy of Chessed Under Fire at ArtScroll.com or your local bookseller.