When you actually study Jewish law, the very quote and nitpicky nature of it actually is setting a very high bar for love.

So you have this very specific law that says if you go into a store and you have no intention of buying anything,

don't ask the shopkeeper for the price of an item because you're just wasting their time and getting their hopes up.

There's another law that says if you loan money to someone who's really financially struggling, and a couple of weeks later you happen to see them coming down the street towards you, you should actually try to avoid running into them because if you do, if you know they still can't pay you back, you're going to embarrass them, or you're going to stress them out. Now you could say like, come on. You can't just say treat workers well and help the poor, what you need these little nitpicky specific scenarios, but what Jewish law is trying to do with these hyper-specific scenarios is they're really trying to inculcate in you an exquisite sensitivity to the needs and dignity and humanity and specificity of every single person that crosses your path.

They're really trying to get you to see that particular person.

Welcome to the Deconstructionist podcast. I'm your host, John Williamson. And today we're kicking off a very special two-part conversation with author and former White House speechwriter Sarah Hurwitz.

She was part of President Obama's speechwriting team, helping to craft some of his more memorable addresses,

and she later served as the chief speechwriter for First Lady Michelle Obama,

shaping many of her most powerful and beloved speeches.

In recent years, Sarah has turned her considerable gifts

towards exploring her own spiritual life and Jewish identity. Her latest book, which is fantastic

and highly recommend you check it out, is called As a Jew, reclaiming our story from those

who blame shame and try to erase us. She's also got some other books, including here all along.

Worth checking out, I will have all of that information, of course, in the show notes.

But her latest book takes readers on that journey asking deep questions about faith, community,

and what it means to live a meaningful life.

In part one of our conversation, we dig into the

inspiration behind the book, Sarah's path from politics to spirituality, and the themes that make

this work so timely and resonant. So without further ado, here's Sarah Freakin Hurwitz.

All right, welcome to the deconstructionist podcast, Sarah Hurwitz.

Thank you so much for coming on the podcast today.

It is such a pleasure to be here.

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