It’s no stretch of the imagination to suggest that nearly everyone reading this article has benefitted from ArtScroll/Mesorah’s attractive, affordable and accessible publications at some point in their religious lives. And for many, ArtScroll seforim continue to play a profound role in our learning on a weekly if not daily basis.
Residents of the Garden State can take pride in the fact that this giant in the world of Jewish publishing recently relocated to New Jersey. The company, located for decades in an industrial section of Brooklyn, decided to remake its headquarters not in Lakewood, Passaic or Teaneck, but rather in Rahway (right off Route 1).
In early March of this year, ArtScroll/Mesorah celebrated the opening of its new home in a large warehouse—at 313 Regina Ave.—with a ribbon-cutting event attended by Mayor Raymond Giaccobe; Assemblyman James Kennedy; Councilman David Brown; Chief of Police John Rodger; ArtScroll/Mesorah’s president, Rabbi Gedaliah Zlotowitz; General Editor Rabbi Nosson Scherman; and a host of other dignitaries.
To truly appreciate why ArtScroll’s relocation is such a big “win” for New Jersey, and a sound and strategic move for the company, it is important to understand the history of the company and its remarkable journey to this point.
ArtScroll was founded in 1965 by Rabbi Meir Zlotowitz, who had no initial plans to set up a publishing house. A skilled graphic artist, Rabbi Zlotowitz envisioned his ArtScroll company as a platform for designing visually appealing ketubot for couples and artwork for Jewish organizations.
In 1976 Rabbi Zlotowitz was crestfallen when a close personal friend, Rabbi Meir Fogel, died at a young age without any children. He decided that, as a tribute and zechut for his dear friend, he would write an original commentary on Megillat Esther and complete it in time for the conclusion of the Shloshim.
Rabbi Zlotowitz worked day and night to meet his goal; his son Gedaliah recalls seeing his dad working on the project at the dining room table when he woke up and when he went to bed. When the Shloshim ended, Rabbi Zlotowitz had finished his publication, which he offered for sale through ArtScroll.
He was not prepared for the incredible response to his publication; that year, over 20,000 copies of ArtScroll’s “Commentary on Megillat Esther” were sold. Seeing the overwhelming response to his work, which drew on a host of commentators to narrate the text and offered an English translation designed for the modern reader, he decided that he might have identified a serious need in the Jewish community. He started work on a commentary on Megillat Ruth, which was also received quite well. These two successes convinced Rabbi Zlotowitz, together with his partners Rabbi Nosson Scherman and Rabbi Sheah Brander, that there was a wide market for the type of works he had begun producing—essential texts of our tradition with easy-to-read translations, accompanied by a survey of the leading commentators through the ages, and bound in eye-catching covers that added beauty to each publication. This realization launched ArtScroll/Mesorah Publications.
Though the early days of ArtScroll/Mesorah were not easy, with struggles to create suitable publications for its market and bring in funds to meet their payroll, Rabbi Zlotowitz persevered and built a following of customers and supporters. Along the way, he established the Mesorah Heritage Foundation in order to partner with generous benefactors to underwrite the cost of extensive projects and thus enable the publications to be sold at reasonable costs for the average consumer.
Two of the many crowning achievements of ArtScroll/Mesorah are “The Stone Chumash,” which has sold over a million copies, and the Schottenstein edition of the Talmud, which Rabbi Gedaliah Zlotowitz states has had a direct role in the phenomenal growth of the Daf Yomi movement.
In the years since the publication of that first commentary on Megillat Esther, ArtScroll/Mesorah has grown to now encompass over 3,000 titles—Torah study, Halacha, novels, children’s books, Mussar and more. Over 100 scholars now regularly work for ArtScroll, and the Mesorah Heritage Foundation manages an annual budget of over $8 million dollars to support these scholars.
In 2017 the ArtScroll family suffered the terrible loss of Rabbi Meir Zlotowitz, who died at the age of 73 from a liver ailment. He was mourned widely and lovingly throughout the Jewish world. In a video tribute on the Mesorah Heritage Foundation website, titled “Architect of a Revolution,” dozens of admirers spoke of his impact. In the video, Rabbi Berel Wein termed Rabbi Meir Zlotowitz “the greatest teacher of our generation. He made Torah accessible to millions of Jews.” Rabbi Steven Weil, a top leader of the Orthodox Union, stated: “[Under his leadership] ArtScroll has reached places no one else has been able to reach.”
Fortunately for ArtScroll/Mesorah and the Jewish world, Rabbi Meir Zlotowitz had already identified and designated his worthy successor—his son, Rabbi Gedaliah Zlotowitz, who has ably taken the reins of the company and continued the work to build its reach and renown.
One of the first major challenges Rabbi Gedaliah Zlotowitz faced was the fact that ArtScroll/Mesorah had outgrown its headquarters in Brooklyn and sorely needed a facility that better supported its growth. The company searched for a suitable site and decided to move to Rahway, in part because of the Grow NJ tax incentive program championed by then-Union County State Senator Raymond Lesniak and in part due to the warm welcome from the Rahway mayor and town council.
Mayor Giaccobe said, when ArtScroll confirmed the move to his town, “The city of Rahway is thrilled to welcome ArtScroll/Mesorah to our business community. The influx of jobs is significant for us and ArtScroll’s extensive renovations for its use and for additional tenants will bring new life to a quarter-million square feet of industrial space that has been vacant for years” (Quoted in ROI-NJ, 10/14/19).
The location’s easy proximity to major markets in Brooklyn, Lakewood and North Jersey also played a role in their selection of this location.
ArtScroll/Mesorah is now well poised for further expansion and ground-breaking work. The company employs over 100 people in a facility that serves as its headquarters, printing shop, bindery, warehouse and shipping center. The expansive printing floor is maximized for efficiency and the spacious warehouse allows for advance planning and a nimble response to unexpected requests.
As Rabbi Gedaliah Zlotowitz described it, the biggest challenge they face now is “identifying quality manuscripts that will appeal to the current generation.” ArtScroll/Mesorah publishes 60 titles a year, yet receives about three proposals a week (156/year) so the selection process is critical to its continued growth.
“We are humbled that during these challenging times, so many people are turning to Torah study for inspiration, more than ever,” said Rabbi Gedaliah Zlotowitz. “It is truly a zechus to be able to serve the Jewish community in such a way.”
By Harry Glazer
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