News & Events
Audiobook Now Available!
I’m grateful to Cedar House Audio, producer Lyssa Brown and narrator Susanna Burney for the outstanding audiobook version of The Skeptic and the Rabbi they produced. Their attention to detail, especially in a book with so many Hebrew words and phrases, was of the highest caliber. I couldn’t be happier with it! It’s available through Audible, Libro.FM, Google Play, Kobo, HooplaDigital, Audiobooks.com, and many other platforms. If you get your audiobooks from your local library, please request it. Listen to a clip here:
From Sydney, Australia to Fairbanks, Alaska, “The Skeptic and the Rabbi” gains fans
Bookstores and libraries across the country and around the world are ordering “The Skeptic and the Rabbi” in ever-increasing numbers. I expected to see it in larger cities, such as New York, Boston, and Chicago, and Austin, but to my delight, it is also being sold in Tualatin, Oregon; Athens, Alabama; Calgary, Canada; Honolulu, Hawaii, Boise, Idaho, Cheyenne, Wyoming and many other towns and cities.
When the book first was published, it was featured prominently in the High Holiday displays at many Barnes & Noble stores across the country.
Praise for The Skeptic and the Rabbi
“Honesty shines throughout the book, as Gruen refuses to sugarcoat her narrative. She frankly discusses the many real challenges she encountered in her decision to take upon various mitzvot. The memoir is a terrific read for anyone curious about the Torah lifestyle.” – Leah Aharoni, Jewish Action Magazine
“This marvelous book should connect with the widest possible readership – ferociously religious or fervently secular; Jewish, Christian or humanist; baby boomer, Gen X’er or millennial . . . Judy’s relationship with Judaism comes across as a serious romance, but one that raises as many new life questions as it settles. The call to ‘rules, rituals and restraint’… don’t bring an end to thinking and choosing but provide a means to think more deeply and choose more richly.” – Michael Medved, author of The American Miracle: Divine Providence in the Rise of the Republic.
“Gruen’s ebullient positivity is a counterweight to religion-as-abuse memoirs… an uplifting spin on an often-misunderstood life choice.” – Library Journal
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Mirth & Meaning Blog
As Summer Ends…
by
Mothers and fathers across the country are beginning to catch their collective breaths because school has begun! In recognition of this milestone, I offered as my first contribution to the new online magazine called Nashim one of my favorite columns, called The Kids Are Back in School and I’m Broke. I am really glad that over the years I chose to write so many “evergreen” columns as opposed to time-sensitive pieces, because now I can share some of my tales from the front lines of motherhood with a younger generation of parents. So far, they are enjoying the parental commiseration!
Speaking of school, three of our four children are employed as teachers in Jewish education, and our son who is not actively teaching is in law school, but he also teaches on the side. Jeff and I are so proud of our kids for so many reasons, first and foremost because they are wonderful human beings who have brought into our family equally wonderful spouses and in a few cases, grandchildren (lots of extra points for grandchildren!). We are proud of their commitment to Jewish education, where they have the potential to have enormous and lasting positive impact on how children learn, and see the world, and their place in it.
The latest news about The Skeptic and the Rabbi: Falling in Love with Faith
For you Kindle readers who haven’t yet downloaded The Skeptic and the Rabbi, hurry up! Now through September 7, it’s on sale for the practically free price of .99! As they say on the radio, “this promotion won’t last,” so here’s the direct link to purchase: https://amzn.to/2OyswqS
In other news, the audiobook version is in the final editing stages, and I hope that within a month it will be for sale. As soon as it is, I’ll let you know and will also upload an audio clip from the first chapter. I couldn’t have asked for a better narrator, Susanna Burney, and producer, Lyssa Browne of Cedar House Audio.
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