Book Talk: The Forever Letter

Date: Oct 30, 2018 - Oct 30, 2018

Time: 7:30 p.m.

Sponsor: The Library

Location: JTS

Category: Book Talks Library Events

 Discussion with Author Elana Zaiman

Tuesday, October 30, 2018, 7:30 p.m.

Inspired by the centuries-old Jewish tradition of the ethical will, Rabbi Elana Zaiman introduces the forever letter: a way of transmitting values, wisdom, and love to the people who matter most via the art of letter-writing. Through inspirational stories, sample letters and writing guidance, The Forever Letter serves as a companion on a transformational journey of self-discovery and deepening relationships.

RSVP

Admission to the book talk is free, but reservations are required. Please arrive early and have photo ID available.

This event is sponsored by The JTS Library. Dr. David Kraemer, Joseph J. and Dora Abbell Librarian and professor of Talmud and Rabbinics, JTS, will serve as moderator.

Praise for The Forever Letter

“I love this little book because it’s about writing real letters, a lost art in our time. Even more important, it’s about writing letters that matter to people who matter to us. What could be better than putting words to paper to tell people who we are and what we are becoming, and what it is that we cherish and value—thanking them for the way they helped point us toward our own North Star?”
—Parker J. Palmer, author of Let Your Life Speak, A Hidden Wholeness, Healing the Heart of Democracy, and The Courage to Teach

About the Author

Elana Zaiman, the first woman rabbi from a family spanning six generations of rabbis, has spent her life bringing people together. Her rabbinic career includes the Park Avenue Synagogue (Manhattan), Congregation Beth Shalom (Seattle), and Congregation Beth Israel (Vancouver, British Columbia). Elana travels throughout the United States and Canada as a scholar-in-residence, speaker and workshop facilitator. She is a chaplain at the Summit at First Hill, a retirement community in Seattle; a certified Wise Aging instructor (IJS), Adjunct Faculty at Seattle’s Harborview Hospital CPE Program, and Ethics and Spirituality columnist for LivFun, a publication for Leisure Care retirement facilities in 10 states. Elana also volunteers as a co-partner in the Seattle Limbe Sewing Circle, an intergenerational and interracial community which brings together Jews, Muslims, and Christians to create feminine hygiene kits for girls in Cameroon, Africa. Elana lives in Seattle with her husband Seth and their son Gabe.