First published 2019
Sarah Hurwitz spent a decade crafting speeches for Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, and Hillary Clinton. At thirty-six, following a difficult breakup, she spotted an ad for a Judaism class and enrolled impulsively. What she discovered shocked her. The rituals held beauty she had never encountered. The ethical teachings offered practical guidance. The concepts of God extended far beyond the stern figure she remembered from childhood Hebrew school. This single class launched Hurwitz into years of exploration. She interviewed rabbis, joined meditation retreats, shared Shabbat meals with Orthodox families, and consumed hundreds of books about Jewish thought. Her investigation revealed a vast disconnect between Judaism's rich offerings and how many modern Jews experience their faith. Hurwitz writes to bridge this gap, sharing insights about holidays, prayer, ethics, and social justice that transformed her understanding of what it means to be Jewish.
Genres: non-fiction, judaism, biography-memoir, jewish
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: personal-journey, self-discovery
352 pages · Hardcover · Random House