Reimagining the Possible: A Conversation With David Arnow and Erin Leib Smokler
Reflecting on these challenging and complex times, UJA-Federation of New York and The Jewish Week invite you to a moderated conversation between David Arnow, author of Choosing Hope: The Heritage of Judaism, and Erin Leib Smokler, editor of Torah in a Time of Plague: Historical and Contemporary Jewish Responses— winner of a National Jewish Book Award. Together, they will speak about Jewish wisdom and the power of hope and resilience in light of Jewish history, theology, traditional texts, and ritual.
You’ll also discover UJA’s latest work in response to the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine and our Covid recovery efforts.
David is a psychologist, author, and scholar. In addition to his most recent book. Choosing Hope: The Heritage of Judaism, he is the author Creating Lively Passover Seders: A Sourcebook of Tales, Texts & Activities, co-editor of My People's Passover Haggadah, a contributing scholar to the online Haggadah Exodus Conversations ~ How the Story of the Exodus Speaks to Jews, Christians, and Muslims: An Interfaith Commentary and Passover Haggadah, and co-author of Leadership in the Bible: A Practical Guide for Today.
Rabbi Dr. Erin Leib Smokler
Erin is the dean of students and mashgicha ruchanitat Yeshivat Maharat. She is also the editor of Torah in a Time of Plague: Historical and Contemporary Jewish Responses — winner of a National Jewish Book Award. She is also a faculty fellow of the Shalom Hartman Institute of North America. She received semicha from Yeshivat Maharat, earned her Ph.D. and M.A. from the University of Chicago's Committee on Social Thought and her A.B. from Harvard University. She previously served as assistant literary editor of The New Republic, and her writing has appeared there, as well as in The New York Times Book Review, The Jerusalem Report, and The Jewish Week.
Sandee Brawarsky
Sandee is an award-winning journalist, editor, and author. Her most recent book is 212 Views of Central Park. She was the longtime culture editor of The Jewish Week.