Dear Hamodia Reader

It is now ten years since you and we began to meet five times a week.

We have developed a special relationship, based on your trust and confidence.

As a loyal reader, you trust us to consistently bring you the highest standard of clean, “kosher” news, avoiding all sensationalism and gutter journalism.

Hamodia pledges, b’ezras Hashem, to continue to justify that trust.

Close to eleven years ago, I was approached and asked to do the unthinkable: Start a daily publication in addition to our weekly edition. Never one to turn down a challenge, I consulted with a highly respected member of the community regarding this proposal. He immediately referred me to a good psychiatrist! Five years later, he sent me a long, heartwarming letter describing how when he sits on the train each day, Hamodia separates him from the rest of the world.

Defying all odds, the Daily Hamodia was launched in December 2004, and currently boasts a readership that appeals to readers aged 8 to 80-plus, and spans the broad spectrum of Torah Jewry.

Hamodia carries the awesome responsibility of publishing the only English-language Orthodox Jewish daily in the world, and the only Jewish daily in the Diaspora, serving as a window to the world for our community — and a window to our community for the world, including leading elected officials.

Countless people attest to having stopped bringing any secular papers into their homes, since there is no longer any need to do so.

To this end, a crucial part of our mission is protecting our readers’ right “not to know.” Far more difficult a task than providing you with newsworthy and ethical reading material is  ensuring that you,  our loyal reader, aren’t exposed to material you would find unfit to enter your home, your mind, and your heart.

Books could be filled with Hamodia articles that were written, proofread — and then pulled at the last minute, on the chance that they might contain a touch of lashon hara, or inadvertently embarrass or hurt an organization, individual, or child, or in the case of a tribute, at just one family member’s request.

Significant sums have accumulated in my special “savings account” of unpublished ads, which appeared in numerous other publications but not in Hamodia, because we considered them lacking in tznius or containing a message inappropriate for our readers. I share the “funds” from this special account with all those who supported me in my decision to pull  these advertisements.

Ten years have passed, and notable siyatta diShamaya has accompanied us through them.

At this  time I wish to thank the members of the staff who help make  Hamodia a reality. Fully recognizing that this isn’t a mere job but rather a lofty mission, they  routinely go beyond the call of duty,
working late nights and early mornings to produce a daily newspaper.

While others are resting or eating a seudah on Motzoei Yom Kippur, taking apart their sukkah on Motzoei Sukkos, or putting away dishes on Motzoei Pesach, our staff comes to the office so that you can have a newspaper to read the next day.

Most of all, my deepest gratitude is to Hakadosh Baruch Hu for granting us this great zechus. As the voice of Torah Jewry,  may we be zocheh to announce the coming of Moshiach, b’karov b’yameinu.

And with Hashem’s continuing grace, there will, iy”H, be a Hamodia daily published in Yerushalayim the very next day.

Ruth Lichtenstein

Publisher

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