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.