Temple Beth Jacob in Concord will be in conversation with Sarah Hurwitz for the synagogue's annual Shapiro Family Lecture, on Thursday, March 4, at 7:00 pm via Zoom. Please email office@tbjconcord. org or rabbi@tbjconcord.org for the Zoom link.

Sarah Hurwitz was a White House speechwriter from 2009 to 2017, starting out as a senior speechwriter for President Barack Obama and then serving as chief speechwriter for First Lady Michelle Obama. Sarah worked with Mrs. Obama to craft widely-acclaimed addresses – including her 2016 Democratic National Convention speech and her political speeches during the 2016 campaign cycle – and traveled with the First Lady across America and to five continents. Sarah also worked on policy issues affecting young women and girls as a senior advisor to the White House Council on Women and Girls.

Before working at the White House, Sarah was chief speechwriter for Hillary Clinton during her 2008 presidential primary campaign. Prior to the Clinton and Obama campaigns, Sarah served as deputy chief speechwriter for Senator John Kerry’s 2004 presidential campaign, deputy chief speechwriter for General Wesley Clark’s primary campaign, and a speechwriter for Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa. Sarah was also a lawyer at the Washington, DC office of WilmerHale.

A graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School, Sarah is the author of Here All Along: Finding Meaning, Spirituality, and a Deeper Connection to Life – in Judaism (After Finally Choosing to Look There). Michelle Obama tweeted about Hurwitz’s book saying, “Sarah Hurwitz is a brilliant writer with a big heart and a kind soul—and I’m sure Here All Along will reflect her thoughtfulness and eloquence, which I depended on for so many years. I’m so proud of you, Sarah, for sharing your journey and your voice with the world!”

This is the tenth program of the Shapiro Family Lecture Series. On the occasion of their 50th wedding anniversary, Betty and Peter Shapiro endowed the Shapiro Family Lectures in memory of Peter’s grandparents Harry and Hattie Shapiro, founding members of Temple Beth Jacob, and Peter’s parents Milton and Blanch Shapiro, TBJ members who were instrumental in TBJ’s decision to affiliate with the Reform Movement. The purpose of the endowment is to provide the TBJ and greater Concord community the opportunity to engage with a variety of speakers on significant subjects of contemporary relevance. Past speakers have included Rabbis David Saperstein, Jill Jacobs, David Ellenson, and Lawrence Hoffman, and Professors Sylvia Barack Fishman and Mehnaz Afridi. Donations to the fund are welcome.