Debra Nelson Memorial Lecture Featuring Rabbi Elie Kaunfer – “Can American Jews Pray Again?”

The entire community is invited to the inaugural Debra Nelson Memorial
Lecture, as we welcome the world-renowned Rabbi Elie Kaunfer of New York’s
Hadar Institute.

Please join us to lift up Debra’s memory, and to continue to bring comfort to
Alicia and Rabbi David Nelson and their family. We are grateful to the
anonymous donor who is generously sponsoring the event.

Can American Jews Pray Again? Prayer, when taken seriously, is miraculous. It
has the power to elevate us, to bring us closer to God, and focus our
priorities on what matters. And yet, we are often so far from that experience
of prayer. In this lecture, we will explore strategies to infuse prayer with
meaning. We will ask: Can doubters pray? What do you do when you disagree with
the prayer’s content? Does God really need our praise?

Rabbi Elie Kaunfer is President and CEO of the Hadar Institute. Elie has
previously worked as a journalist, banker, and corporate fraud investigator. A
graduate of Harvard College, he completed his doctorate in liturgy at the
Jewish Theological Seminary, where he was also ordained. He also received
semikhah from his long-time teacher, Rav Daniel Landes. A Wexner Graduate
Fellow and Dorot Fellow, Elie has been named multiple times to Newsweek’s list
of the top 50 rabbis in America. He is the author of Empowered Judaism: What
Independent Minyanim Can Teach Us About Building Vibrant Jewish Communities
and is completing a book on the Amidah.

Organized by: Congregation Shaarey Zedek

View event on Jlive: https://jlive.app/events/14793