Author, Rabbi David Wolpe to speak at Schaarai Zedek Sisterhood event

Rabbi David Wolpe Rabbi David Wolpe, an acclaimed spiritual leader and author on the Newsweek magazine’s list of most influential rabbis in America, will be the keynote speaker for Congregation Schaarai Zedek’s 2010 Sisterhood Star Event.

Open to the entire community, the event will be Monday, Nov. 15 at the Renaissance Hotel at International Plaza. Registration will begin at 10 a.m., followed by lunch and program, said Deborah Rosenthal, event chair.

Rabbi Wolpe has written and debated on the presence of faith and spirituality in everyday life. He is the author of seven books including national bestseller, Making Loss Matter: Creating Meaning in Difficult Times and his latest book, Why Faith Matters.

As rabbi at Sinai Temple in Los Angeles, Newsweek said he is considered by many the No. 1 pulpit rabbi in the country. The temple’s Shabbat eve services regularly attract 1,800 young people, lured by the euphoric music and dance—and the socializing afterward. To increase participation, Rabbi Wolpe said he wanted to make the experience more accessible. He told Newsweek he realized, Jews with little or no religious affiliation were intimidated by going to temple. “When they walk into a synagogue they don’t know if they’re doing it right. They feel incompetent, stupid. Unless we can structure it so that we have open borders, they aren’t going to come.”

Rabbi Wolpe previously taught at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America in New York, the American Jewish University in Los Angeles, and Hunter College. He currently teaches at UCLA.

Rabbi Wolpe’s work has been profiled in the NY Times, and he regularly writes for many publications, including the Los Angeles Times, the Washington Post’s On Faith website, the Huffington Post, New York Jewish Week, the Jerusalem Post, and LA Jewish Journal. He has been on television numerous times, featured in series on PBS, A&E, the History channel, the Discovery channel, as well as offered commentary on the TODAY show, CNN, and CBS This Morning.

Presenting sponsor for this year’s program is Charles Segal of of Segal Funeral Home. Information about other sponsorship opportunities is available by contacting Rosenthal through the temple office.

As Schaarai Zedek Sisterhood’s major fundraiser, the Star Event provides funds for numerous projects locally, nationally and in other parts of the world. For more information, e-mail office@zedek.org.