Rev. Dr. Samora Smith
Head Minister/Assoc. Director of The New Seminary
Rev. Dr. Samora Smith serves as the Head Minister and Director of The Interfaith Temple and is the Associate Director of The New Seminary for Interfaith Studies. She is a Board-Certified Clinical Chaplain, Master Spiritual Coach, award-winning wedding minister, and practitioner of sound and vibrational medicine, dedicated to fostering healing, spiritual growth, and compassionate care across faith traditions.
A gifted musician and classically trained vocalist, Dr. Samora first joined The Interfaith Temple in 2020 as Minister of Music, where her passion for sacred music and contemplative practice became an integral part of the temple’s ministry. Today, she incorporates sound, voice, breath, sacred instruments, and intentional vibration into transformative experiences that support emotional balance, nervous system regulation, spiritual connection, and holistic well-being. Drawing from ancient wisdom and contemporary understandings of the therapeutic effects of sound, her work creates welcoming spaces where individuals can reconnect with themselves, restore inner harmony, and deepen their sense of peace and purpose.
Ordained as an Interfaith Minister through The New Seminary in 2008, Dr. Samora returned in 2019 to pursue advanced theological studies, earning graduate and doctoral degrees while serving communities during one of the most challenging periods of recent history. Her ministry reflects a lifelong commitment to honoring the sacred dignity of every individual and cultivating authentic relationships rooted in compassion, presence, and service.
For more than fifteen years, Dr. Samora has officiated over 3,000 ceremonies and has guided individuals, couples, families, and students from diverse cultural, spiritual, and religious backgrounds. Her ability to create meaningful, inclusive experiences has earned her recognition as a trusted spiritual leader, educator, mentor, and ceremonial officiant.
Dr. Samora also works in partnership with respected Lakota spiritual leaders in support of cultural preservation, healing, and reconciliation. In recognition of her commitment to fostering understanding and bringing people together across traditions, she was given the Lakota name Owanzila Win—”Unity Woman.” This name reflects her dedication to building bridges between communities while honoring the wisdom and sacred traditions of Indigenous peoples.
Raised in New York City within a richly multicultural and multi-faith environment, Dr. Samora developed an early appreciation for the beauty of diverse spiritual traditions and the common threads that unite humanity. Her ministry is grounded in the belief that every person possesses an innate capacity for healing, transformation, and meaningful connection.
Above all, Dr. Samora considers her greatest calling to be that of a mother to her two sons and daughter. They continue to inspire her life’s work and her unwavering commitment to helping create a more compassionate, peaceful, and interconnected world for future generations.
Through compassionate presence, interfaith wisdom, sacred ceremony, and the healing power of sound, Rev. Dr. Samora Smith invites individuals from all walks of life to discover deeper peace, authentic connection, and the sacred within themselves and one another.
Rev. Dr. M. Eve Hurwitz, aka Maven Eve
Associate Minister (Technology)
Maven Eve is an interfaith minister and former Jewish lay leader whose spiritual path wound through military service, politics, divorce, loss, anger, regret, and finally gratitude. As a combat veteran and ranking officer, Eve saw what humanity is capable of in the absence of love. She is determined to normalize love and help build an evolved, sustainable human race. Eve is an energetic healer who utilizes Reiki, words, data, and music to hold space for others. In her work as a cantorial assistant, she saw the power of music as a path to connection. Eve is also the founder of the March On Foundation, co-founder of Religion Of Love, and one of the founding members of the Abolish Slavery National Network. She is also the UN representative for The New Seminary.
Rev. Dr. Stacy Lee Goforth
Minister at Large
Rev. Dr. Goforth, MTh, DMin, graduated from The New Seminary as an Interfaith Minister and was ordained in 2011. She is the author of I Followed Anyway: The Spiritual Journey of a Lifetime and creator of the “The Divine Plan” spiritual gifts program, also writing the accompanying workbook. An intuitive and energy healer, she is sensitive to spiritual needs. Her ministry is to guide, support, and encourage us to discover and dismantle the fears and obstacles we face on our life’s journey. She was the host of the WebTalkRadio.net podcast, “Goforth on Faith.” She also served as co-pastor of Moodus United Methodist Church. Rev. Dr. Goforth holds certificates in spiritual coaching and direction, and in indigenous cultural awareness. She has been serving as a dean for The New Seminary and is also the creator-owner of Crystal Vibrations Jewelry.
Rev. Dr. Victor Fuhrman
Associate Minister
Rev. Dr. Victor Fuhrman, DScd, is a spiritual coach, healer, and author whose deep, rich, compassionate, and articulate sound inspired the nickname, “Victor the Voice”. Rev. Dr. Fuhrman is a 1997 graduate of The New Seminary for Interfaith Studies. He is the host and producer of two popular podcasts for OmTimes Radio, “Destination Unlimited” and “Vox Novus.” He played an important role in helping his spiritual community find healing, spiritual security, and feel peaceful in the new world of post 9-11 life in New York City. During that time, he offered meditation groups and spiritual survival counseling, and he helped with disaster relief work as a volunteer chaplain for the Red Cross, serving families and rescue workers affected by the World Trade Center attacks. He is co-author of Pet Prayers and Blessings, and his inspiring articles and poetry have been featured on websites and in magazines.
