Watch this interview with Sarah Hurwitz. From 2009 to 2017, Sarah worked in the White House, serving as head speechwriter for First Lady Michelle Obama and as a senior speechwriter for President Barack Obama. Prior to working in the Obama administration Hurwitz was the chief speechwriter for Hillary Clinton on her 2008 campaign for president and speechwriter for Senator John Kerry and General Wesley Clark during the 2004 presidential election. Hurwitz is a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School. Hurwitz was the quintessential lapsed Jew – until, at age thirty-six, after a tough break-up, she happened upon an advertisement for a beginner’s class on Judaism. She attended on a whim, but was blown-away by what she learned.

That class led to a challenging, moving – and ultimately life-transforming – journey. Hurwitz visited the offices of rabbis, attended Jewish meditation retreats, sat at the Shabbat tables of Orthodox families, and read hundreds of books about Judaism—all in dogged pursuit of answers to her biggest life questions. And she wondered:

How could there be such a gap between the richness of what Judaism offers and the way so many Jews like her understand and experience it?

Hurwitz is on a mission to close this gap by sharing the profound insights she discovered in studying Jewish law, history, spirituality, and ethics in HERE ALL ALONG: Finding Meaning, Spirituality, and a Deeper Connection to Life — In Judaism (After Finally Choosing to Look There). In this entertaining and accessible book, she shows us why Judaism matters and how its message is more relevant than ever.

You can purchase the book on Amazon or your local independent book store.

Join Moderator Aaron Masliansky the Producer and Host of the podcast, “Inside the Skev,” which is an exploration of the stories and life of the people and places of Skokie and Evanston, Illinois, a community rich in history, culture, and diversity.

Aaron will be joined by Ashton Gleckman is a filmmaker from Indianapolis. Ashton became interested in WW2 and Holocaust studies when he was just seven years old after visiting a local Anne Frank exhibition. He is also connected to the Holocaust through his great uncle, Harold Kerzner, who was one of the liberators of the Buchenwald concentration camp complex. Aside from filmmaking work, Ashton has also worked as part of Academy Award-winning composer Hans Zimmer’s company Bleeding Fingers Music and has contributed his original music to various feature and short films.

Join Moderator Aaron Masliansky the Producer and Host of the podcast, “Inside the Skev,” which is an exploration of the stories and life of the people and places of Skokie and Evanston, Illinois, a community rich in history, culture, and diversity.

Aaron will be joined by Surviving Skokie filmmaker, Eli Adler. Eli is a professional cinematographer/director. He’s won numerous awards, including the CINE Golden Eagle and two National Emmys. As a child of a Holocaust survivor, he has filmed several Holocaust-related films, including Hope Out of the Ashes (1985), Loosening The Grip (1999), filmed in Berlin and Auschwitz, and One Day In Auschwitz (2015), produced by The Shoah Foundation to commemorate the 70th Anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. His acclaimed film, Surviving Skokie was part of the 2016 JCC Chicago Jewish Film Festival.

Join Avshi Weinstein, Israeli violin maker who together with his world renowned father, Amnon, restored more than 50 string instruments played by Jewish musicians during the Holocaust as a tribute to those who were lost including hundreds of their own relatives. These are the Violins of Hope. Behind each of these violins is a uniquely fascinating and inspiring story representing strength and optimism for the future. Special guests are pianist Angela Yoffe, and violinist Vadim Gluzman who will help bring the music of Violins of Hope to Chicago in 2023. Learn About Violins of Hope.

Moderated by Aaron Masliansky the Producer and Host of the podcast, “Inside the Skev,” which is an exploration of the stories and life of the people and places of Skokie and Evanston, Illinois, a community rich in history, culture, and diversity.

Join internationally recognized Israeli photographer, Erez Kaganovitz, for a virtual viewing and discussion about his newest photography exhibition, Humans of the Holocaust. Erez will join us from his Israel to showcase his work that tells the story of survivors, their children and Jews around the world. Learn about the exhibition.

Moderated by Aaron Masliansky the Producer and Host of the podcast, “Inside the Skev,” which is an exploration of the stories and life of the people and places of Skokie and Evanston, Illinois, a community rich in history, culture, and diversity.