"Resiliency & Faith in Difficult Times" - Rabbi Naomi Levy in Converstation with Rabbi Elie Spitz

Both in her writing and from the pulpit, Rabbi Naomi Levy has drawn upon her own experiences of weathering crisis to give others the tools to survive. Part of the first class of women admitted to the Jewish Theological Seminary in 1984, Rabbi Levy graduated in 1989 to become the West Coast’s first female Conservative rabbi at Congregation Mishkon Tephilo in Venice, California. In 1998 she published her bestselling book, To Begin Again: The Journey Toward Comfort, Strength, and Faith in Difficult Times, describing her reaction to her father’s murder when she was fifteen and offering insights about resilience and faith. To Begin Again contained original prayers, which led Rabbi Levy, with readers encourgement, to compose Talking to God: Personal Prayers for Times of Joy, Sadness, Struggle, and Celebration (2002). Many of those personal prayers became part of synagogue liturgy. Rabbi Levy developed those ideas further in her 2010 book, Hope Will Find You: My Search for the Wisdom to Stop Waiting and Start Living, which described her rejection of her daughter’s potentially fatal diagnosis and her decision to live in the present and not assume the worst. In 2004 she founded Nashuva, an experimental synagogue for unaffiliated and previously disengaged Jews. Both in her synagogue and as a scholar in residence around the country, Rabbi Levy teaches lay people and rabbis to craft personal prayers and reach for a more engaged spiritual life. She has appeared on "Oprah" and "The Today Show" and has regularly been honored as one of the Forward 50 and Newsweek’s 50 most influential rabbis. This engaging session will offer a rare glimpse into Rabbi Levy's life journey, her path to spiritual leadership, and her unique perspectives on faith and resilience. Join us as we explore how her insights can guide us in navigating the complexities and challenges of our world today.