At a pretty dark moment in my life, a dear friend insisted I read a book written by a man named Bill Wilson. Sure enough, the volume was overflowing with useful wisdom. But from start to finish I kept getting distracted from the message — because it was so beautifully written!
I love writers. Sometimes I even like writing — but it’s hard. Which is one of the reasons I love to read other writers. We all stare at the same blank page.
I also love to see what other minds are thinking and how they’re conveying it through the written word. So I learn from other writers. We learn from each other. It’s a community of folks — most of whom have never even met.
The reason I’m professing my affection for writers here is because I’ve recently put together a spectacular team of them that I can hardly wait to spring on the world. But first, I want to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude to you.
For more than 30 years, every part of my career has relied mightily on writing and speaking. But I only started sharing my own perspectives about 10 years ago. At first, the opinions I expressed focused exclusively on politics. But soon enough, no topic was off limits.
I’d like to think that all of that scribbling over the last decade has made me a better writer — but there’s one fact of which I am certain: ANY improvement in the content I put out there is due in the largest part to:
- The encouragement and inspiration I’ve drawn from your interest in what I’m writing, and;
- The thoughtful and honest feedback that so many of you have shared with me; it has been like oxygen.
For your invaluable time, warm praise, and tough criticisms — thank you. It has meant the world to me.
It’s with that gratitude in mind that I’m so excited to send you this announcement — and invitation — to become a part of Jewdicious. There’s nothing that you need to do — soon enough you’ll just see it!
At its core, Jewdicious will be a destination for folks who simply like to take in fresh thinking and original writing on matters of consequence. Our 18 scribes share one overarching goal: To present you with new ideas and slices of life that will hit your head or touch your heart.
From decoding politics to the latest thinking on wellness to the human angle on sports to the maze of parenting and personal relationships — as well as our unsparing take on what’s happening in the Jewish world — the canvas at Jewdicious will be limitless.
The title of our soon-to-be-released platform suggests a few signature traits. First among them is our unflinching commitment to publish our views in a ‘judicious’ fashion. Though we write commentary — as opposed to reporting news — our first charge is to do so with attention to detail, fact, and decorum. This principle was once a given; it has been sorely lacking of late.
The second facet of Jewdicious is spelled out right in our first syllable: We’re a collection of Jewish voices whose lives and identities have been shaped in various ways by our common background — as have the prisms through which we see humanity.
The shared history of the Jewish People has bred a community that is anchored in the traditions of constant learning and the imperative to speak out. Because of that, it has also birthed some of the boldest and most righteously hilarious voices in the world. We realize it’s a tall order for us to emulate the icons on our Mount Rushstein — but it is precisely their legacies that inspire us to take a shot!
Finally, Jewdicious is our humble literary contribution to “Tikkun Olam” — taking action to help repair the world. Though this Hebrew phrase first appeared in the Jewish Talmud roughly two centuries ago, it is a universal concept. Our team’s shared belief in its importance is yet another element that binds us together.
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On a personal note, for me Jewdicious feels like the inevitable product of a long and winding career that’s always been driven by storytelling. As far back as the time I spent as a TV and radio news reporter in the 90s, on the eve of the digital era, I dreamed of drafting a roster of talented colleagues who would create engrossing newsmagazine content — while never sacrificing the goal of public service.
The media playing field has dramatically transformed since that time; so the dream has morphed too. All these years later, having the opportunity to convene this squad of writers and share their creativity with you is both an honor and a privilege.
Yet setting my sentimentality aside, I am fully aware that the bottom line will be the product we deliver to you. What Bill Gates first announced three decades ago is still true: “Content is King.” All that matters is the writing — and we expect you to judge us wholly on the strength of our ideas and the quality of our words.
The Jewdicious team believes that excellent opinion journalism is fact-based, ethical, engaging, and has a point. These four traits congeal to form our central mission: to write judiciously as we try to connect our ideas with your sensibilities — in an effort to better connect us all.
It adds up.
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The Golden Mean will still be right here, and I’ll keep sharing stuff that I’m learning from time to time. The frequency may be a tad reduced, as I’ll be editing and writing a great deal for Jewdicious. But many of you know me —the wheels never stop.
Thank you in advance for giving Jewdicious a good look when it unveils. It won’t be long now — and I think you’re going to love it!
