Rabbi Lawrence Kushner is a writer, speaker and teacher at Congregation Emanu-El in San Francisco. He is also a visiting professor of Jewish spirituality at the Graduate Theological Union. He wrote the book Jewish Spirituality: A Brief Introduction for Christians (Jewish Lights Publishing, 2001).

Luke A. Powery is assistant professor of homiletics at Princeton Theological Seminary and the author of Spirit Speech: Lament and Celebration in Preaching (2009).

Juan M. Floyd-Thomas is associate professor of African-American religious history at Vanderbilt University’s Divinity School and a member of the cultural resources team for the African American Lectionary. He is also an expert on religion and protest music and black religious experience in America.

The African American Lectionary provides cultural and worship resources, as well as lectionary commentary, for use by congregations year-round, including on Watch Night.

The National Jewish Outreach Program was established by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald in 1987. It is now one of the largest and most successful Jewish outreach organizations in the world.

Read a description of Hanukkah at Judaism 101.

Souls in Transition: The Religious & Spiritual Lives of Emerging Adults (2009) examines the spiritual values of today’s college students. Christian Smith and Patricia Snell are the co-authors.

Cultivating the Spirit: How College Can Enhance Students’ Inner Lives (November 2010) is based on a five-year study of the changes students go through during their college years and the role schools can play in spiritual development. Alexander Astin, Helen Astin and Jennifer Lindholm are co-authors of this just-released book.

Building Jewish Bridges is an outreach program run by the Jewish Community Federation of Greater East Bay in San Francisco for intermarried couples. It provides support for honoring the Jewish tradition.