Two Distinguished Local Rabbis To Share Stories Of Scholarship And Friendship At Jewish Women's Theatre

Nashuva's Naomi Levy and Lev Eisha's Toba August met when they were both members of the first class of women admitted to the Jewish Theological Seminary's rabbinical school. Now, more than 30 years later, they have continued to study Torah together, and the lessons they learned will be shared with viewers via Jewish Women's Theatre (JWT).

JWT will present Friends with (Torah) Benefits at a special Sunday Morning at The Braid Zoom event featuring Levy and August and moderated by author Lisa Rosenbaum, on May 31 at 11 a.m. PDT. The digital edition of JWT's popular Sunday Morning at The Braid series is free and can be located at www.jewishwomenstheatre.org/zoom. Registrants will be directed to Zoom, and instructions for joining the program will be provided.

Since 2009, JWT has been interviewing women rabbis across the globe to gather their poignant, thought-provoking insights and spiritual points of view. Two of these remarkable women, Levy and August, broke through the stained-glass ceiling and changed local L.A. Judaism forever.

"For over 3200 years, men have been the spiritual leaders of Judaism," says Ronda Spinak, JWT's artistic director. "JWT is proud to present two leaders of the unprecedented revolution of theology, prayer, and text interpretation that brought gender equity to the pulpit. And equally important, they will discuss the friendship that has enriched their scholarship and enriched the way they led their congregations to the benefit of the entire Los Angeles Jewish community."

Levy is a best-selling author and was the first female rabbi at Mishkon Tephilo in Venice. She is the founder and spiritual leader of Nashuva, the groundbreaking Jewish community in Los Angeles that identified a pressing need in the Jewish community...a desire for joy, spirituality, belonging, and a relationship with God. Through the creation of Nashuva, Rabbi Levy has drawn thousands of unaffiliated Jews back to Judaism with a soulful, relevant, and fun spiritual experience. She is also a nationally recognized speaker of revitalizing faith, spiritual healing, and prayer.

August is the founding rabbi of Lev Eisha, the vibrant Westside congregation of women engaged in prayer, song, meditation, dance, meaningful study, and spiritual growth. She is also the senior rabbi at Temple Shalom in Hermosa Beach.

"At a time when normal life is disrupted beyond our wildest imaginations, we can all use some advice from these remarkable women about how to survive and thrive in these challenging times," says Rosenbaum. "I'm looking forward to interviewing these spiritual leaders, and I know our audience will gain tremendous insights from this uplifting conversation."

Visit www.jewishwomenstheatre.org/zoom to register for this free Zoom event. Registrants will be directed to Zoom and instructions for joining the program will be provided.

Jewish Women's Theatre, voted one of the "Best Live Theatres on the Westside" three years in a row by The Argonaut, presents American Jewish stories, art, and other programming that highlights Jewish contributions to contemporary life. Now in its 12th season, JWT's salon theatre of original dramatic shows, each written to a specific theme, displays the diverse and eclectic community of writers, artists, and creators who celebrate Jewish life, one story at a time.

Learn more about JWT at: www.jewishwomenstheatre.org

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