Since the holidays are here – Passover (April 8 – April 16, 2020), Easter Sunday (April 12, 2020), and Ramadan is on the horizon (April 24, 2020), the feeling of being isolated can truly bring an overwhelming feeling of sadness. I want to encourage everyone to reach out to speak with friends. My husband and I recently did a FaceTime Party with another couple and we had a blast. We drank wine, toasted, ate appetizers, with the other couple in their home doing the same. Of course there are more sophisticated technologies that can bridge the gap to staying home, such as zoom, or Facebook live, but don’t let it get in your way. Even is all you have (or can figure out) is putting your phone on speaker – you can still have your very own party.
During the holidays, be sure to reach out to your family and friends. There are also several online events that you can watch such as a Saturday Night Seder featuring stars Billy Eichner, Josh Grobin, Iding Menzel, Debra Messing, Ben Platt, Billy Porter, Rabbi David Wolpe, and many more. FaceTime with friends while enjoying a Passover seder with the family you never knew you had. To celebrate the fourth night of Passover, gather around a digital table to share stories, songs, and support the CDC Foundation’s Coronavirus Emergency Response Fund. The event takes place at 8pm/5pm (PT) on the website – https://www.saturdaynightseder.com/
For all you foodies….cook yourself a delicious meal. If you don’t cook, Chef Rachel Ray has some fantastic options for you to cook a quick and easy meal for the Passover holiday – CLICK HERE for more info.
Pope Francis will stream Easter Sunday service at St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. The stream kicks off at 4:55pm EDT and can be found HERE (on youtube).
The televangelist Joel Osteen will stream an Easter service at Lakewood Church in Houston. In addition to messages and music from Osteen and his wife Victoria, the service will feature remote performances by Kanye West (joined by his Sunday Service Choir) and Mariah Carey, who will sing her 1993 classic “Hero.” Tyler Perry will also join the broadcast. Osteen’s Easter Sunday services will stream Saturday at 8 p.m. EDT and Sunday at 9:30 a.m. EDT and noon EDT. They will be available to watch live on Lakewoodchurch.com/Easter, as well as on Facebook, etc. – https://www.lakewoodchurch.com/easter
Andrea Bocelli will perform a concert on YouTube. Music for Hope will be presented live on Easter Sunday from the historic Duomo cathedral in Milan. The online performance will provide a message of love, healing and hope to Italy and the world and will include religious songs “Ave Maria” and “Sancta Maria.”
Watch live at 10am (LA), 1pm (NYC), 6pm (UK), 7pm (CET). Click ‘Set Reminder’ on the video to get a notification ahead of the performance. CLICK HERE to go to the direct link or to watch Music for Hope on Sunday.
