ChicagoPrayerBreakfast.org

Chair & Master of Ceremonies:              Anne M. Burke
                                                               Illinois Supreme Court Justice

 

Keynote Speaker:                                  Sherre Z. Hirsch
                                                               Rabbi and Author, Los Angeles, California

                                                              Raised in Southern California, Rabbi SHERRE Z. HIRSCH received a B.A. in
          American culture at Northwestern University. Long curious about becoming a
          rabbi, she devoted two years to seminary study only to find it wasn’t “the
          spiritual place that I’d imagined.” A year-long detour through Asia and an
          immersion in eastern philosophy finally led her to re-embrace the rabbinate.
          She returned to Jewish Theological Seminary in New York and, upon
          graduation, became ordained as a rabbi. In 1998, she joined Sinai Temple in
          Los Angeles, becoming the first female rabbi on staff in its century-long history.
                                                              During her eight-year tenure she was instrumental in its growth from 900 to
                                                              nearly 2,000 families, introducing new and innovative programs such as “Torah
                                                              in the Round” and “Friday Night Live.” She also developed the popular Jewish
                                                              Women’s Spirituality Retreat for Canyon Ranch, where she now serves as a
                                                              spiritual life consultant offering guidance, education and support. In January
                                                              2008 Rabbi Hirsch joined MomLogic.com, a website for thinking moms who
                                                              don’t have time to think, as their spirituality expert. Her discussion of interfaith
                                                              issues on Naomi Judd’s weekly “New Morning” show on the Hallmark Channel
                                                              led to a two-year gig as Judd’s sidekick. She has also served as a spiritual expert
                                                              for “The Today Show,” a relationship expert on “The Tyra Banks Show” and a
                                                              guest on the Chicago PBS series “30 Good Minutes.” Rabbi Hirsch is the
                                                              author of We Plan, God Laughs: 10 Steps to Finding Your Divine Path When Life Is
                                                              Not Turning Out Like You Wanted. She spends her free time practicing yoga,
                                                              shopping for shoes, and dancing in the living room with her husband Jeff and
                                                              three young children: son Emet and daughters Eden and Alia..

 

Music:                                                    Rachel Barton Pine
                                                              "Andante from Sonata No. 2, BWV 1003" - Johann Sebastian Bach
                                                              "Amazing Grace" - Traditional

 

Special Presentation:                            Interfaith Youth Core
                                                              Hafsa Kanjwal (Muslim), Julie Maxwell (Christian)
                                                              Hannah McConnaughay (Christian)

 

Prayer for Blessing of the Food:           Lewis A. Jordan
(from the Protestant tradition)                  

 

Opening Prayer:                                   Alejandro Silva
(from the Roman Catholic                     President & CEO, Evans Food Products
tradition)      

 

Mayor's Remarks:                                  Richard M. Daley           

 

Prayer for Those in Public Service:       Tariq Malhance
(from the Muslim tradition)

 

Closing Prayer:                                      Julie Hamos
(from the Jewish tradition)    

 

Music:                                                    William Buchholtz

 

 

 

  2007 PRAYER BREAKFAST

Chicago Leadership Prayer Breakfast © 2008 •