Rabbi Sharon Brous believes these three simple practices can transform lives: 1) show up and be present in hard times; 2) walk around your neighborhood once a week and greet everyone you see; and 3) set aside time daily to do something that brings joy.

Sharon is the senior and founding rabbi of IKAR, a leading edge Jewish community based in L.A., author of the national bestseller “The Amen Effect: Ancient Wisdom to Mend Our Broken Hearts and World,” and is considered one of the most influential rabbis today. She’ll take the stage at the 29th Festival of Faiths: 𝘚𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘉𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨, where we’ll celebrate the interconnectedness of all people and the world we share.

According to a recent Jewish Journal article: Sharon was raised secularly and became curious about Judaism as an undergrad. For months, she searched for a synagogue where she felt at home, but to no avail. Then she attended a service at the progressive B’nai Jeshurun NYC, and she was brought to tears because her “soul had been awakened.” She enrolled at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem and was determined to become a rabbi. She found the religious texts she studied powerful and moving, but many voices were lacking: “Those are the voices of women, queer people, disabled people, people out of the mainstream.” This only reinforced her desire to become a rabbi and make space for marginalized voices.

Rabbi Brous will speak on a panel about the “Dangers of Othering” during the Festival of Faiths (Nov. 12-15, 2025, in Louisville, KY). Learn more, see the full lineup, and get your all-access pass: https://festivaloffaiths.org/

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