Editorials	Print

Publisher's Message: Focus on the Rambam

Several early issues of The Jewish Review contained a feature called "Focus On," the goal of which was to offer several in-depth articles on a particular subject. After two attempts, we quickly dropped the idea because the topics and the concept grew faster than our ability to obtain good articles. This issue, however, marks the return of a similar concept, featuring several articles commemorating the 787th anniversary of the death of the Rambam (December 14 or Teveth 20). The articles include a biography by Dr. Fred Rosner, a reknowned Maimonides scholar, one about the secular influences on the Rambam's writings by Professor Yoseph Udelson, one discussing Chanukah through the eyes of the Rambam by Rabbi Kenneth Brander, and one about the Rambam and his views on holistic healing by Andrew Krakauer. We welcome reader comments on the articles and/or the idea of a Focus On section. Future topics to be featured are "Women in Orthodoxy," and "New Perspectives on the Holocaust."

This issue also marks our first foray into the quasi-political arena, featuring two pairs of articles, one pair concerning Israel and the return of land - both articles are written by Americans who made aliya several years ago - and one pair discussing the display of religious symbols on public land - both articles are written by attorneys.

On the financial front, we recently received non-profit status from the Internal Revenue Service making all donations, in the past and in the future, tax deductible to the extent allowable by law. We are hopeful that several of our grant proposals and requests for corporate donations will now be granted based on our new status. In the meantime, The Jewish Review continues to grow in readership with new subscribers in Sweden, Australia, Germany and Curacao, Netherlands Antilles. Remember, a subscription to The Jewish Review makes a perfect Chanukah gift for your friends and family -- see the ad and subscription blank on the back page. If you are still receiving a complimentary copy or picking it up at your synagogue or community center, please consider taking out your own subscription. We will be discontinuing much of our free distribution within the next several months.

With our expanding geographic distribution, we felt that it was time to eliminate the sometimes narrowing title of The New York Jewish Review which appeared in previous issues on the front masthead. We are now, simply, The Jewish Review. While there has never been anything particularly ?New York? about The Review, we have, at times, found it limiting in terms of advertisers and potential subscribers -- ?Why should I distribute a New York journal in Los Angeles?? With this change, we have also decided to provide some further explication of the journal to people immediately upon their picking it up; beneath the title is now the motto: ?A Journal of Torah, Judaism, Philosophy, Life and Culture.? A future Publisher's Message will discuss the origin of this phrase.

Finally, I would like to thank Ms. Nechamah Reisel, one of The Jewish Review's contributing editors, who has been doing much of the copy editing since the resignation of our Editor-in-Chief. While none of The Jewish Review's staff receives any remuneration, Ms. Reisel's service to the journal has been above and beyond the call of even voluntary duty!

Harris Z. Tilevitz