Looking back, and ahead - The Jewish Standard

This past year was a difficult one for Jewish Rockland. Starting in January, Reuben Gittelman Hebrew Day School announced its closing. Less than two months later, the Jewish Federation of Rockland County announced that it would be restructuring, shedding some positions and jettisoning its newspaper.

In short order, the Rockland Jewish Academy got rolling, and this September, moved into the Rockland Jewish Community Campus. Likewise, in September the Bergen/Rockland Jewish Media Group, which had long managed the newspaper’s layout, advertising and distribution, decided to publish the Rockland Jewish Standard.

A community’s health is measured by what it can offer. Rockland County started out the year in deficit, closing beloved Jewish institutions. It was an inauspicious beginning to the year.

The tide turned in the summer. Watching 1,200 youth come together from across the country to participate in the JCC Maccabi Games was exhilarating. Watching how our JCC could spearhead worldwide attention petitioning for a minute of silence at the London Olympiad in August in memory of the 11 Israelis murdered during the 1972 Olympics, was inspiring.

In the fall, a new school and a new newspaper greeted our community. The year 2013 is about to begin. May it build upon the successes we saw from the summer and the fall.

Wishing all our readers a happy new year.

Editorial

comments