Rabbi Sharon Brous is the founding rabbi of IKAR, a thriving Jewish community that stands at the intersection of soulful, inventive spiritual and religious practice and a deep commitment to social justice. Brous has been recognized as one of the nation’s leading rabbis by Newsweek/ The Daily Beast and among the 50 most influential American Jews by the Forward. In 2013 she topped the Daily Beast list, which credited her with reanimating Jewish community and reenergizing prayer at a time of growing disaffection and declining affiliation. In 2013 she blessed President Obama and Vice President Biden at the Inaugural National Prayer Service. She sits on the faculty of the Hartman Institute-North America, Wexner Heritage and REBOOT, and is a Senior Fellow at Auburn Theological Seminary. She serves on the International Council of the New Israel Fund and rabbinic advisory to American Jewish World Service. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and their three children.