It’s hard to believe that this week’s edition represents our paper’s ninth anniversary. Looking back, I realize the last time I wrote an anniversary piece was for our seventh anniversary, at the beginning of March 2020. I began that column saying “Although I know the coronavirus has everyone on edge in our community….” Wow…what an understatement!

Of course, shortly after I wrote those words, the coronavirus, as we called it back then, would do a lot more than keep everyone on edge. I don’t think there is a single person reading this whose life wasn’t affected in a profound and significant way by COVID’s onslaught. Its effects are still lingering on many levels.

Having said that, I am happy to be writing these words during a week in which the state of New Jersey will shortly lift indoor masking requirements in schools and the state of Israel no longer requires vaccination to enter. Although large events and other pre-COVID social norms or “normalcy” do seem to be coming back quite strongly, it’s clear that COVID’s impact, and the losses we endured, will linger with us for a while.

I am also proud to note that this week’s ninth anniversary edition is also our largest-ever edition not preceding a major Yom Tov, at 188 pages! This is partly due to the growing sense shared by many individuals and businesses that COVID is now finally in the rear-view mirror. It took a while to get here, with many fits and false starts, but I think we are finally there.

Moments and editions such as these are a wonderful chance to look back and reflect a bit and, most importantly, to say thank you. First, on behalf of my partner and co-publisher Mark (Mendy) Schwartz and myself, I want to thank our ever-growing staff of dynamic and talented editors, writers, columnists, contributors and salespeople who got us through the last two years of COVID and bring The Jewish Link to the printed page and your screens every week. Thank you! We have come such a long way since the days when I sat at my dining room table and pulled multiple all-nighters and yes, even delivered the paper myself.

Thanks as well to our ever-growing group of dynamic advertisers who believe in our growing publication and platform. I sincerely believe that I and The Jewish Link are full partners in almost every sense of the word with the many businesses local and from afar and nonprofits big and small who are helping to serve, grow and care for our community’s growing needs on so many levels. I am always inspired whenever I field a call or email from a passionate entrepreneur, either from inside or outside our community, who is taking tremendous personal risks and investing so much of their lives, money and effort to make their idea succeed. And of course, I love the fact that they look to The Jewish Link for help in getting the word out about their unique product or new business or innovative program. Thank you again and kein yirbu!

Last but not least, I must also say thank you to our readers and our community members who read our paper weekly. It was a real joy this past Sunday night to attend the incredible SINAI Schools dinner (pics and write up in next week’s edition) and hear first hand from literally dozens of people about what they like (or don’t like) about our paper or about something they read that they acted upon, or something new they learned. It really never gets old for me, nor for my editors and staff to hear these kinds of comments. The bottom line is that we feel very privileged to write about and cover our community, week in and week out, and look forward to doing so for many years to come. Thank you!

By Moshe Kinderlehrer/
Co-Publisher, The Jewish Link