The Forever Letter, Second Edition
Writing to Deepen, Heal, and Uplift
- Marriage, Family & Relationships
- Publisher: Resource Publications (Wipf and Stock)
- Published: 2025
FritzSearch.com earns a commission on purchases made through Bookshop.org links.
Publisher's Description
Inspired by the centuries-old Jewish tradition of the ethical will, the forever letter is a new kind of letter that not only shares our wisdom and values but opens the door to deepening, healing, and uplifting relationships. And we can write forever letters at any age to anyone we choose. We never know how much time we have to live—and forever letters give us the opportunity to connect with the people who matter most to us while we still can. Through empowering stories, sample letters, and writing tips, Elana Zaiman serves as your companion on a journey of self-discovery, encouraging you to make yourself known to the people you love.
Endorsements (11)
“Praise for The Forever Letter: “More than any time in our recent history, it’s critically important for families to come together and share their love and support for one another. Elana Zaiman’s The Forever Letter offers tools, guidelines, and examples for grandparents and parents to share their love, respect, and values with the next generation.”
“I love this little book because it’s about writing real letters, a lost art in our time. Even more important, it’s about writing letters that matter to people who matter to us. What could be better than putting words to paper to tell people who we are and what we are becoming, and what it is that we cherish and value—thanking them for the way they helped point us toward our own North Star?”
“Elana Zaiman has a mission: She loves connection, deep and personal, and wants others to experience the sweet joy she has lived of shared truth-telling. Her forever letter embodies the passing on of wisdom, humbling experience, dreams, and love from one person to another. It is a beautiful concept that all of us should embrace.”
“Step by step, Elana guides us to bring the essence of who we are to the page.”
“The Forever Letter is an exceptional book. Rabbi Zaiman offers moving stories and profound insights that have the potential to enrich, even transform, your most important relationships. It’s a book to read and give to members of your family.”
“The Forever Letter is one of those rare books that could change your life. It is chock full of stories—from the author’s own life and from the lives of hundreds of people she’s worked with—that will inspire readers of all ages to reflect on what and who is important to them and to express these values and this bond in a letter to a loved one. The author’s gorgeous writing is mesmerizing and intimate and insightful and will get you writing even if you are no writer. Highly recommended.”
“In her beautiful book, The Forever Letter, Elana breathes critical life back into the healing art of letters. With joy and insight, she shows us how to use the written word to heal our relationships and live with greater intention. It is the perfect gift for our hectic and frenzied hearts.”
“Here is a book to help you clarify your deepest values and transmit them. Rabbi Zaiman shows us how to leave not a legacy of possessions, but the legacy of a life.”
“One of the most important ways to support wise aging.”
“The Forever Letter is an invaluable resource for anyone involved in the estate planning area. I plan to recommend Elana’s book to my clients as a matter of course. If more people composed thoughtful forever letters in conjunction with their estate plans, I believe many painful will and trust disputes could be avoided.”
“I found Elana’s approach to sharing our values thought-provoking. It made me realize we do not share enough meaningful and heartfelt words with the people we love during life. Using her approach, we can keep clients centered on their values, on what they want their family to remember in the present and long after they are gone, especially if something happens unexpectedly and they are no longer able to communicate what is in their soul. A great gift for you and for your clients.”
See something wrong on this page? Report a problem