Since it was founded in 1977, the Jewish Journal has been covering the North Shore and Greater Boston, and as we approach the Jewish New Year, our paper continues to bring you award-winning stories that reflect an evolving America, and a changing Jewish and interfaith community. While we publish important news stories, we are also the central link that connects Greater Boston Jewry. On these pages, readers can find breaking news, profiles of community members, stories about our institutions – including day schools, Jewish community centers, synagogues, Jewish camps, and charities. Those stories, along with essays, columns, births and deaths, and calendar listings, provide an important connection to thousands of Jewish and interfaith families.
Here at the Journal, our job is to write and report stories that reflect our community. And our urgent mission is to continue to be financially solvent in order to publish and mail 29 papers a year at no cost to our 10,000 subscribers. We are a modest organization, with a staff of four full-time and four part-time employees. Our budget is around $750,000 annually and our revenue comes from three sources: advertising, voluntary subscriber donations and grants.
Over the last four years, our advertising has been impacted by the economy and it is still below pre-COVID levels. As we begin this New Year, we are also impacted by inflation and the soaring cost of living. In order to continue to print we will have to make up for lost ad revenue and the inflation that grips our country. To remain solvent, we need to raise $250,000 from our readers over the next 12 months.
Journalism is a labor-intensive profession, and the reporting and printing of facts cannot be automated. While the paper is free, the actual cost of an annual subscription is $90. Please consider becoming a volunteer subscriber. Our future rests on generous contributions and support from our readers. There are many ways to donate. There’s a donation envelope in the current print edition. You can donate online at the top of this page. You can send a donation directly to our office at The Jewish Journal, P.O. Box 2089, Salem, MA 01970; or call us at 978-745-4111.
As we turn to the New Year, we have great hopes for our publication. Please join us so we can continue to be the voice of this diverse and dynamic community. Θ