Let's Make Things Better

"Let's Make Things Better" by Gidon Lev and Julie Gray is an inspiring memoir of resilience and optimism. Gidon Lev, a Holocaust survivor, shares his extraordinary journey from surviving Theresienstadt to building a life filled with adventure and love. With a message of hope and a celebration of life's beauty, this book reminds readers to stand against hate, cherish the present, and find joy in connection and kindness. A powerful testament to the human spirit, it's both a heartwarming memoir and a guide to living meaningfully.

Gidon Lev was born Petr Wolfgang Löw in 1935 in the Czech Republic. He was deported to the Theresienstadt concentration camp north of Prague in 1941 at the age of 6 , and remained in the camp until liberation in May 1945. Married twice, Gidon is the father of six with fifteen grandchildren and two great-granddaughters. He now lives in Northern Israel with his life partner of many years, Julie Gray.Julie Gray is a writer and native Californian whose work can be found in the Times of Israel, Moment Magazine, the Huffington Post, the Jewish Journal the NY Post and many other publications. She has spoken and taught about storytelling techniques at Warner Bros. Studios, Cal Arts, the London Screenwriter’s Festival, The Haifa International Film Festival as well as the Weitzman Institute and the IDC in Israel. Julie has volunteered with the Middle East Peace Initiative, Kids for Peace, Amnesty International and Combatants for Peace.

"People who share their stories of pain and suffering of are brave. People who feel they cannot share their stories yet should be respected, too, because everybody is different. I didn’t share my story for decades, so I understand. The truth is that we, Holocaust survivors, the last generation old enough to remember what happened, are coming to the ends of our lives. That’s natural. But I hope that makes people think about how our memories can be preserved and used to teach coming generations". Click here to read the full article.

"By sharing his inspiring life story, Holocaust survivor Gidon Lev reminds us that the human spirit is larger than even the most severe and unjust trauma. Through one of history’s darkest nights, he preserved his brightness and warmth" David Von Drehl, author of the New York Times bestseller The Book of Charlie

"A book by Gidon Lev and Julie Gray is cause for celebration. Few contemporary writers offer us a vision of hope more compelling than this extraordinary duo. In “Let’s Make Things Better,” they have written both a beautiful memoir and a powerful manifesto for a life of meaning, a much-needed reminder that humanity is still worth believing in and fighting for." Yossi Klein Halevi, senior fellow, Shalom Hartman Institute, author of the New York Times bestseller, Letters to My Palestinian Neighbor.

“Gidon Lev is a gem and his joie-de-vivre is completely contagious. This memoir, written with his partner, Julie, is an antidote to hate. It’s about trauma and resilience, but at its core it’s about the triumph of the human spirit. Let’s Make Things Better has a resolute message of hope. It is uplifting and inspiring!” Ariana Neumann, author of the New York Times bestseller, When Time Stopped.

"In a clear and compelling way, Gidon Lev tells his fascinating story of survival, a story of hope that began to kindle when he was held in a Nazi concentration camp. Readers will feel empowered by Lev’s adventures and his companionate voice" Oded Adomi Leshem, author of Hope Amidst Conflict