Our Authors Are Offering Free Resources to Cope with the COVID19 Crisis
Our founding Publisher John Hile set the tone for our entire community of authors and editors in early :
We’re known for publishing books that help people. In the middle of this pandemic, let’s find ways to do more.
Our authors are responding in many ways—and continue to come up with fresh ideas every week.
Want to follow the news from our writers? If you have not done so already, visit our popular online magazine www.ReadTheSpirit.com and sign up on the front page to get our free, weekly emailed newsletter of fresh stories and columns from our writers. (The quick sign-up is a green button in the upper-right corner; and you can always cancel that newsletter anytime.) Our online magazine publishes a new lineup of stories every Monday, and has done so since . That’s the place to find fresh news from our writers every week.
Then, this week (–), we just published news of university chaplain Nathan Albert who is offering an inspiring series of free podcasts about rediscovering ancient spiritual disciplines that can reconnect with God’s joyful presence—and he’s also offering a free downloadable Discussion Guide to his memoir, Embracing Love, that’s perfect for small groups meeting virtually these days.
Get Rabbi (and standup comic) Bob Alper’s Quick Laugh
Beloved author and standup comic Rabbi Bob Alper is offering a QUICK LAUGH in your email inbox. Bob is both a practicing rabbi and a nationally known standup comic as well as a regular part of the Sirius/XM Satellite Radio clean comedy lineup, often sandwiched between Bob Newhart and Jerry Seinfeld. In Spring , Bob is launching a Quick Laugh
email that sends a short video clip from his standup routines to your inbox—usually just a minute of mirth that will leave you smiling for the rest of the day. Visit Bob’s site and sign up for Quick Laugh—you can cancel anytime, but, hey, we know you won’t. You’ll enjoy it too much.
Make a New Facebook Friend
Martin Davis, a contributing columnist at ReadTheSpirit and a veteran journalist, knows how important it is to connect with online friends to share uplifting stories. He is inviting readers to visit his personal Facebook page and connect. Occasionally via Facebook, he plans to add further reflections on the news and stories we are sharing and invite friends to chime in as well.
Enjoy Debra Darvick Reading to You from This Jewish Life
Debra Darvick, the author of This Jewish Life: Stories of Discovery, Connection and Joy, recently began reading aloud chapters from her book on her YouTube channel. The book shares dozens of true stories about Jewish men, women and families experiencing the various seasons of the Jewish year. That includes Out of Bondage, in which Joanna Berger remembers inviting to her seder a Jewish family who had just emigrated from the former Soviet Union. (NOTE: Debra already has posted 3 videos of her readings, including Out of Bondage. She plans to add chapters in coming weeks. If you care to hear more of her stories, visit Debra’s YouTube channel and click Subscribe.
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GLOWING BLUE
for First Responders
Muslim author and internationally known founder of the Zaman International charitable program, Najah Bazzy, is sharing a video message inviting everyone to glow blue
in the effort to honor our front-liners—including health care professionals, first-responders and food service workers—who are leading the fight against COVID-19. Najah was recently honored by the CNN network for her work at Zaman, which specializes in helping at-risk women and children through a wide range of programs. She also was featured in People magazine’s Women Changing the World in . Najah began her career as a national leader in the movement to promote cross-cultural awareness in healthcare.
Here is her video (please share this with friends):