Mishpacha looks back in time after 15 years in print
Mishpacha’s first English-language edition was literally hot off the presses when I received an e-mail, sent to all the freelancers, that made me sit up and say “wow!”
The fledgling publication was seeking a qualified editor or writer to assume responsibility for a weekly news section. I had a degree in journalism from NYU and almost a decade of experience as a newsman, so the opportunity seemed tailor-made for me. I immediately updated my r?sum? and sent it in for consideration.
The magazine soon learned firsthand that a journalist will always be captive to events that are out of his control. On June 5, 2004, the day before we went to press for Issue #10, former US president Ronald Reagan passed away. It was Shabbos, and in those days, we went to print Sundays. Mishpacha wasn’t really equipped for a rush job, but I volunteered to do a full profile of the Reagan presidency, from a Jewish and Israeli angle, for the very next edition. The article was well received, but more significantly, it proved that our small, Jerusalem-based publication working from cramped headquarters in Givat Shaul could play in the major leagues. And it provided new impetus to launch a proper news section.
Initially, I would meet on Thursday mornings with a team of editors culled from both the English and Hebrew editions to review that day’s Hebrew-language Mishpacha and select articles for translation that we felt were suitable for an international readership.
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