The Forgiveness Experiment Book Launch | Rabbi Yisroel Bernath in conversation with Ilana Zackon

You don’t often see a book launch feel like a collective exhale.

This recording is from the Montreal launch of The Forgiveness Experiment, featuring the author Rabbi Yisroel Bernath in conversation with Ilana Zackon.

Ilana Zackon, an award-winning actor, writer, and filmmaker. Together, they dive into the heart of the book: why forgiveness matters, how it changes us, and what it means to live with open hearts even in a fractured world. Expect laughter, honesty, vulnerability, and plenty of inspiration.

Held in the days leading up to Yom Kippur, this wasn’t just a discussion about forgiveness, it was an exploration of freedom. Together, Rabbi Bernath and Ilana unpack the heart of The Forgiveness Experiment:

Why forgiveness isn’t about excusing harm. Why it’s not spiritual bypassing. And why, sometimes, forgiveness is the bravest form of self-respect.

What unfolds is honest, funny, vulnerable, and deeply human. Stories are shared. Assumptions are challenged. And the room slowly softens. 

This conversation and the book weaves together Jewish wisdom, lived experience, and psychological insight, offering a grounded, compassionate approach to letting go of pain without losing your truth.

If you’ve ever wondered: Why is forgiveness so hard? Is it possible to forgive without minimizing what happened? What if forgiveness is something I do for myself, not for them?

This conversation is for you.

Since that night, The Forgiveness Experiment has become a #1 bestseller on Amazon, and Rabbi Bernath has traveled across North America sharing its message.

Recorded live at the Montreal Book Launch at Rohr Chabad NDG on September 28, 2025

Filmed and recorded by Yehuda Chiche

Available now:

Paperback (US): https://www.amazon.com/Forgiveness-Experiment-What-Would-Your/dp/1069217638

Paperback (Canada): https://www.amazon.ca/dp/1069217638

Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FR2QNJL6

It's also available on Amazon just about everywhere else, UK, Australia, Europe... 

The audiobook is on the way and will be released next week.

If you’d like to take this work a step further check out www.forgivenessbook.org 

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Available now:

Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/Forgiveness-Experiment-What-Would-Your/dp/1069217638

Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FR2QNJL6

Audiobook: https://bit.ly/4tPFZhV