From the ground up
A childhood in Jerusalem, a new start in America, and a career built one decision at a time.
A Memoir & Self-Reflection Guide
Roots
Roots
We Grow
How challenges, opportunities, and choices shape the life we build.
A life rarely unfolds in a straight line. It bends, and it tests us — and in the bending, it reveals what we are truly made of.
Beneath the surface
When does a life begin to take root?
Who am I beneath what I have built?
About the book
A story built one choice at a time
Roots We Grow is the story of a life built one deliberate step at a time — and of the question that grew louder as the years passed and the buildings rose higher.
Avi Shlanger traces a path that begins in Jerusalem and leads to the United States, where he arrived with little money and very limited English. Step by step, he learned to turn obstacles into openings, building a real estate career from the ground up.
But more than a memoir, this is an invitation. With each chapter, Avi asks you to pause, look inward, and consider the challenges, opportunities, and choices shaping your own life — because understanding our choices is how we begin to do better.
What you’ll find inside
Part memoir, part mirror
Challenge into opportunity
How obstacles, met honestly, become the very openings that shape a life worth living.
A look inward
Reflections and questions that turn one man’s story into a mirror for your own.
Roots for what’s next
A commitment to giving back — and to helping others grow strong, grounded roots of their own.
Praise for the book
What readers are saying
An Inspiring Story of Resilience, Reflection, and Growth
“He took what many people would have seen as limitations and turned them into opportunities… engaging, thought-provoking, and leaves you reflecting on your own journey long after you’ve finished the final page.”
Worth Reading
“The story flowed easily, almost like a song, evoking emotion, reflection, and inspiration. I love a story where the hero acknowledges his flaws and then uses them to grow even more.”
Interesting and Thought-Provoking Read
“A beautiful, inspirational story… he overcomes consistent challenges, reflecting on each lesson as a way to improve and pivot his path. A real look at how your awareness can keep you moving with the right perspective.”
Amazing Book of Self Growth and Reflection
“Excellent—very raw and motivational… I appreciate the reflection this book inspired, and the strong analogy to a tree growing. The author really dug deep to share vulnerable experiences.”
A Story of Survival, Growth, and Perseverance
“Avi’s journey from a young boy who struggles to survive into a man who builds his empire using his childhood skills as a foundation… growth often comes from suffering, but facing and acknowledging that suffering can start the process of overcoming it—and even growing from any experience.”
Self-Reflections Were a Nice Touch
“I love the self-reflection questions and journaling after each chapter. They really provided me with insight… awareness into my own life.”
A closer look
The back cover of Roots We Grow
Begin your own reflection
“Because understanding our choices is how we begin to do better.”
Roots We Grow is available now in paperback on Amazon.
Buy the book →