I’m so grateful to fellow writer Emma Dixon for the lovely article about me and my book in the most recent issue of J Life Magazine. It feels extra special to be featured in my favorite local publication!
-
The day is finally here! Thanks to everyone who has pre-ordered, ordered, and supported me. If you have your copy of Just Say Welcome and love it, please leave a review on Amazon or Goodreads.
-
And I love this sign outside a church in my neighborhood. My dog picked up the welcoming scent too.
-
Thank you to Lerner Publishing for these cute questions on my author webpage. The answers are short but show some of my writing motivation and inspiration.
-
Not only does this house have one of the best-stocked Little Free Libraries in town, it often sports lovely garden flags with positive messages. I had to share the sign they have out now.
-
Thank you to Rebecca Kirshenbaum for her positive review of Just Say Welcome! in School Library Journal:
…the story offers young children an avenue toward connecting despite cultural differences, a message that, especially now, deserves to be amplified.
VERDICT A useful addition to collections in communities welcoming immigrants and refugees, especially with its celebration of inclusivity.
-
Enjoy this video round-up of Kar-Ben’s new children’s Jewish fiction books for the fall! I’m proud to have Just Say Welcome on the list!
-
On July 31, Capstone released my books, We Gather at a Jewish Synagogue: A Place in Our Community and Yom Kippur, and I received my author copies today! Both books are part of larger series that cover world religions. The “Where We Gather” series explores customs, traditions, anthropology, and architecture at a K-3 interest level and a first- through second-grade reading level. Yom Kippur is part of the “Traditions and Celebrations” series, which covers religious customs and traditions at a K-3 interest level and a second- through third-grade reading level. I love that Capstone embraces inclusivity and recognizing similarities through our differences. When children learn about other cultures and communities, the world becomes a more accepting place, where curiosity blossoms into knowledge.
-
I take great pride in my friendships–whether it’s the bestie I talk or text with daily, the busy mom friends I meet for dinner less often than we’d like, the college roommate I meet with our kids when we’re in town together, or the pre-college school friends that share infrequent reunions, Sunday-night Zoom calls, and Wordle scores in our group chat. There are friends whose bat mitzvahs I went to, and now we’re attending our children’s b’nai mitzvahs. Maintaining these friendships over decades has been gratifying in so many ways, and I have no plans to stop.
Emily Raij 