Fill 'er up and let's roll

Zion Public Radio (ZPR) was conceived on a Sabbath day in late July last year. That’s when a philanthropist came to visit me in Nashville, Tennessee. She said, “I have done my due diligence and will provide the start-up funding for Zion Public Radio.”

That meant $100,000 to $250,000.

“But first,” she continued, “you need to incorporate and get official recognition from the IRS.”

I was ecstatic. We immediately incorporated. I immediately immersed myself in completion of the IRS application for official approval. My co-founder and I made immediate plans to produce pilot programs: you-are-there interviews of Israelis in their land, their nation: Israel.

Those programs were produced. And they are awesome. There is nothing else like them on the Internet, on the radio or anywhere in the world.

But hey. Listen for yourself. Those programs are right here, on this site. (Click on the links at the top of the page.)

On 27 December 2007 Zion Public Radio was added to the IRS list of recognized nonprofits.

We were ready to roll.

I called our benefactor with the wonderful news.

“Congratulations,” she began. “And yes, I know what I told you. But I have prayed about it, and G-d has told me to put my money someplace else. My decision is final. I wish you all the best. Goodbye.”

So. ZPR is like a brand new car sitting in the driveway. It’s beautiful and paid for. Donations this year have been enough to start the engine and let it idle now and then. But not enough to put it into gear and drive it toward our destination. Not yet.

Great news: we have a business plan that will produce the long-term fuel that’s needed. All that’s needed to implement that plan is one year’s tank of gasoline.

What I mean is that we have a viable strategy to generate money needed to operate and grow, to run, Zion Public Radio. But in order to make that strategy work, we need a few dollars to get it chuggin’, pumping out the fuel we know that, with G-d’s blessing, it will produce.

Help us fill the tank. Let’s get ZPR on the road, on the air, with purpose, style and pride. This is a far, far greater thing we do than almost anything we've ever done.

You are invited: become a Charter Member of Zion Public Radio.

Just click on the icon above. It will take you to
our PayPal link where you can give by bank transfer
or credit card. You do not have to have a PayPal account.

Let's fill 'er up and let's roll!

Brian

...Have a question? Shoot me an email by clicking on this line.

Presenting... Zion Public Radio

Friday, August 31, 2007

Can't believe it's been so long since my last post. It feels like I've been submerged in a kind of ectoplasmic Twilight Zone: yech. Now, at least for 7 days, I have surfaced to try and catch my breath. Then once again I plunge into a world far different from our Western U.S. homes.

Sound a bit abstruse? Sorry about that. Could be oxygen deprivation. Or maybe it's because I've aged another year! Okay, so here's a headline summary; maybe it'll clarify...

ZION PUBLIC RADIO, A NONPROFIT CORPORATION, LAUNCHED ON AUGUST 3RD

SEQUESTERED FOR 3½ WEEKS COMPLETING IRS FORM 1023

LEAVING SEPTEMBER 7 FOR ANOTHER MONTH IN ISRAEL

FOUR RADIO PROGRAMS PLANNED

Don't worry. As I write these words I'm battling the enemy of TMD (Too Much Detail). Oh the agony. Here then, for those of you who know me, are shockingly brief synopses:

ZION PUBLIC RADIO (ZPR) is the umbrella organization for our emerging radio-Internet-podcast program, This Week In Jerusalem. ZPR is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) corporation. It's structured so that, as feasible, it can produce or acquire other programs down the road.

IRS FORM 1023 is the U.S. government's application for official recognition as a 501(c)(3). The law allows new nonprofits up to 2 years before filing this lovely document, but all-in-all it seemed best to do it now and get 'er done. Meanwhile ZPR is, nonetheless, a fully registered State of Texas nonprofit corporation.

And 1 week from today I leave again for Israel. It will be my third full month there this year, most of it in Jerusalem.

My cohort in this venture is Greg Cromartie. While he is in his Texas studio and I'm about 8,000 miles away, we plan to produce 4 one-hour programs.

Why are we moving so fast? 3 major holy days are happening in Israel during these four weeks:

• Rosh Hashanah: the Jewish New Year of 5768!


• Yom Kippur: the Day of Atonement; and


• Sukkot, also known as The Feast of Booths--a full week of party-hearty time in Israel

Wow, what rich opportunities to record unique Israeli sounds and intriguing interviews.

Soon, I'm sure, ZPR will be inviting Charter Members. But more about that in another post.

Meanwhile if you haven't heard the audio clips from Israel, especially our sample program, take a listen. It's in the post called On the air in Israel: hear it here!

Click on What Do You Think at the bottom of each post. And then, well, do it! Let us know what you think. Greg and I would love to hear your thoughts.

Crazy as it often feels...here we go. Oy vey. Grateful for your encouragement,

Brian

P.S. Feel a need to read ZPR's incorporation, bylaws and/or Form 1023? Click on this line to shoot me an email with your request. I'll send links to our pdf copies.