We are grateful to Sarah Hurwitz for speaking to us about her new book, As a Jew. Please enjoy the conversation recording below. We have two versions of the recording available, with and without ASL interpretation, thanks to Lisa Pershan.

For nearly 15 years, Sarah Hurwitz built a career finding just the right words. She served as a White House speechwriter from 2009 to 2017, first as a senior speechwriter for President Barack Obama and then as head speechwriter for First Lady Michelle Obama. Sarah worked with Mrs. Obama to craft widely-acclaimed addresses and traveled with her across America and to five continents.

Sarah’s first book, Here All Along: Finding Meaning, Spirituality, and a Deeper Connection to Life—in Judaism (After Finally Choosing to Look There), chronicled her rediscovery of Judaism with the same clarity and insight that defined her political writing. The book was named a finalist for two National Jewish Book Awards and for the Sami Rohr Prize for Jewish Literature.

If you would like a copy of Sarah’s latest book, As a Jew, you can purchase it here.

What a night! An Evening of Light was joyful, spiritual, and full of connection. Together, in the sanctuary at B’nai Jeshurun and across the country via livestream, we celebrated 25 years of the Institute for Jewish Spirituality, welcomed Hanukkah, and honored Dorian Goldman and Marvin Israelow for their extraordinary leadership and generosity.

The music, the reflections, and the energy in the room reminded us why this community matters — and how deeply we’re all connected by our shared pursuit of mindfulness, compassion, and light.

We invite you to watch the recording below: