West Hartford, Conn. (February 25, 2020) – “People are looking for meaning and belonging, as they always have. But they’re finding it in some unexpected places,” said Casper ter Kuile, co-founder of Sacred Design Lab, a firm that is designing and prototyping “the community and spiritual infrastructure of the future.”

 

A Harvard Divinity School Ministry Innovation Fellow who has spoken at the Aspen Ideas Festival and who co-hosts the award-winning podcast “Harry Potter and the Sacred Text,” ter Kuile will bring his decidedly unorthodox take on American religion and spirituality to Hartford for a free community forum, “New Generations, Ancient Wisdom: Leading Jewish Life in the 21st Century,” presented by the Greater Hartford Jewish Leadership Academy at The Mark Twain Museum on Tuesday evening, March 24. 

 

“We are so excited to bring Casper to Hartford,” said Heather Rubin Fiedler, director of the Jewish Leadership Academy and vice president of Jewish education and leadership at Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford. “He has such a unique view of what it means to build community in 21st-century America. His talk will unpack the ramifications for Judaism and other faith-based communities. Anyone who cares about leadership, religious expression, or spirituality – regardless of faith or affiliation – will find it inspirational.”

 

“This program is part of our ongoing commitment to spark conversation and creativity in Jewish Greater Hartford,” added Alan Parker, who chairs the Jewish Leadership Academy’s advisory board. “Casper’s findings have a direct link to the current challenges that local leadership is facing. Even the most traditional communities can benefit from fresh perspectives.”

 

The March 24 forum is sponsored by The Mark Twain Museum; it is open to the public and there is no cost to attend. Networking and light kosher appetizers begin at 6 p.m.; remarks start at 6:30 p.m. Registration is required; visit bit.ly/CasperTKHartford. To learn more about this program or the Jewish Leadership Academy, call (860) 727-6151 or email info@jlahartford.org.