Shalom to all and a happy freaking new year!
There is not enough space, nor attention spans, to convey or summarize in one email all that we have been through in the year 2020. So, no greatest hits or “year in review” from me as I think we all know what that list would look like and I would rather focus on the positives. But, if you are interested in reading a few great summaries, here are a few links you might enjoy but, warning, they aint pretty. The first is from Susan Glasser of The New Yorker, who will also be the first JUD speaker next week. Here is the link to her summary of the year, and why we cannot simply forget about 2020 and move on. https://www.newyorker.com/news/letter-from-trumps-washington/the-trumperdammerung-is-a-fitting-end-to-2020?utm_source=onsite-share&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=onsite-share&utm_brand=the-new-yorker&mc_cid=6a636a6a0d&mc_eid=55440fe7bd The second is the latest installment from Heather Cox Richardson (FYI, great story about her in the NYT this week) and here is the link to her recap. https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/december-30-2020?r=2pvlx&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email&utm_source=copy
On a more personal note, this plague of a year had a few silver linings. First, there is nothing like new life (and vaccines) to renew hope and get me kvelling again. My son and daughter-in-law will be having our first grand child next April, and, they also bought a house in Sharon! And my amazing daughter completed her residency at MGH, passed her Board certifications, and started a new job at PM Pediatrics in Dedham. But, the kvelling doesn’t end there, as the JNR also celebrated many milestones this year, including:
- Doubled our readership from 23 to 46! – Including two new additions this week, Cousins Barry and Sara Goverman and long time family friend, Barbara Howard. If my linear algebra is correct, this puts our subscriber base on pace to surpass the New York Times’ (6,500,000) by the year 2039.
- No increase in our subscription fee while continuing to provide unparalleled and rich content on news impacting Jews – In a stunning and unanimous vote (1-0) by the JNR Board of Director, introducing a pay wall for the JNR was soundly defeated.
- Introduced a new logo and branding campaign including t-shirts (more swag coming in 2021!) – Feedback on our t-shirts has been nothing short of fabulous!
- Developed a new website and procured a twitter handle, all part of a broader social media strategy which will be formally launched later this month.
- Upgraded JNR office space – The room where it happens got a make-over in 2020 adding a white board and turntable to spin and play my favorite Klezmer tunes while creating the weekly JNR Review. I bet you didn’t know that the work klezmer is a combination of the Hebrew word for a vessel (“kley”) and melody (“zemer”).
All for now, and hey, let’s be extra careful out there!
The JNR will return next week with its usual weekly review of the news about Jews.
Brad out.
2020 JNR Swag
The room where it happens
Jew News Review 