From members of the Editorial Board

Carol Novis

Looking back on my years writing, editing and serving on the board of ESRA Magazine, I was struck by not only how pleasant it had been to work with so many interesting and devoted fellow writers and editors (in particular Merle), but also by how many wonderful people in Israel I had the privilege of meeting through my connection with the magazine.

They included the quilters who created works of art for October 7 survivors, the school-age short story writers who contributed their creative efforts to our competitions, the women's cancer support group, the volunteers who ran the vintage shops, the supportive parents of LGBTQ children, the Holocaust survivors who maintained hope, the heroes of October 7, who became the subjects of a children's book, and so many more.

I learned so much. I reviewed numerous books by local writers, visited a Yiddish organization; heard about hiking the Israel trail; about the new National Library; even enjoyed some piquant gossip, such as the fact that Ben Gurion had once had a girlfriend in Kfar Saba. Most astonishing of all, I met a previously unknown cousin through a book review which mentioned our mutual family shtetl.

We board members attended meetings at which there was laughter and occasional differences of opinion, went on a hike, hosted a prize giving ceremony, ran a book club and shared the good times and the bad in Israel over the years.

I am proud of what we accomplished and will miss ESRA Magazine. Our coffee tables are going to look empty without a recent copy on display! I am sure that not just my fellow writers, but many other avid readers will miss it as well.

Maia Aron

"This time, it became personal."

I wrote this opening sentence in an article about ESRA Magazine's Young Writers Competition – a program I was proud to have originated and managed along with Merle. The quality and emotional depth of the stories we received was overwhelming, which is why it became so personal for me and the other editorial board members who were involved. We were determined to do all we could so that these incredible high school students received the recognition they deserved.

Now I'm looking back at all the articles I wrote, many of which chronicle the personal Aliyah stories of myself and others, many of which chronicle the significant people and events we've experienced and encountered. There is both a personal and shared sense of accomplishment and now loss as we prepare the last issue of ESRA Magazine.

These magazines are a testament to the hundreds of stories that tell the "one big story" of Aliyah in the broadest sense of the word. In its entirety, the archive is a memorial to the past and beacon to the future.

Jennia Ganit Chodorov

I joined ESRA in 1989. After serving as chair of ESRA in the late 1990s, I thought it beneficial to initiate the Humor page in the ESRA Magazine. Humor contributes to tolerance and changes perspectives. My litmus test was always in the proofreading. If I laughed at the jokes again, it stayed in the column.

The various interviews, reviews and articles I have written throughout the years gave extra dimension to my life, especially because I also learned so much through the articles of other contributors.

The magazine under Merle Guttmann's direction has become a symbol of quality, commitment and pride for the English-speaking community. I shall miss it dearly.

Lucille Cohen

Even before I made our planned Aliyah in 2014, I was keen to help on the ESRA Magazine. My enthusiasm was duly repaid - after supplying the requested bio - by the arrival of an email from our doughty editor, Merle, inviting me to join the editorial committee.

Despite having been a professional journalist in the UK, with a period in Israel in the 1990s, I now found myself equally happy to be a volunteer on this high-quality magazine.

Merle always ensured everything ran smoothly, and editorial meetings were illuminating and entertaining - whether held in person or later, on Zoom. I was pleased to be consulted as to which articles we should include and to grade the many stories sent in for competitions. My own articles often appeared too.

It was only after some time that I discovered that Merle had founded and chaired ESRA for many years. Her drive and determination have always shone through and continue to do so. It has been an honor and a privilege to be on the editorial committee.

Thank you, Merle.

Vera Freudmann

It's many years since I was invited to join the ESRA Magazine Editorial Board, and I remember how thrilled I was to be asked. I'd been connected to ESRA for a long time. I had worked in the bookshop in its early days in the WIZO building in Raanana, delivered magazines for a time, attended lectures and functions, but becoming involved with the magazine in that way was the most meaningful activity for me. I was excited to write articles and see them published and to meet old friends and make new ones at meetings, which in those days still took place in Hanadiv Street in Herzliya. Since Hanadiv had been our very first address in Israel when we made Aliyah in 1977, I felt a special connection on returning to attend meetings.

Merle at that time was a legendary figure to me. I remember that while still living in Hanadiv, I had heard about a group of English speakers, who were setting up a group in Herzliya to do good works in less fortunate immigrant communities than our own. Look what that little group grew into! Meeting and working with Merle has been an honor, and an absolute pleasure. She makes each one of us on the committee feel important and necessary, our contribution unique to us. She remains calm whatever the provocation and conducts meetings kindly, firmly, with good humor and always with the end result of a magazine that has been bringing pleasure to readers all over Israel and will be dreadfully missed.

I shall always be grateful for having been part of that venture.

Nitzan Krivine

From Issue 167 to 226 — A Personal Note of Thanks
When I first started to work on ESRA Magazine, it was on Issue 167. Who could have imagined then that I would still be here designing Issue 226… the final edition of a publication that has been a constant in so many lives, including mine.

Over nearly fifteen years, this magazine has evolved in format, in voice, in design, in pace. What never changed was the dedication behind it.

Merle Guttmann has been the steady hand guiding every issue. Long before the files went to print, before layouts were finalized and headlines adjusted, there was always Merle… shaping, refining, encouraging, and somehow holding together the moving pieces that make a magazine possible. I have had the privilege of working alongside her through many seasons of the publication - growth, challenges, redesigns, reinventions… and through it all, her commitment to quality and community never wavered.

A magazine is more than paper and ink. It is deadlines and late-night edits. It is contributors and volunteers. It is discussions about commas and cover images. It is the quiet belief that stories matter. ESRA Magazine has given English-speaking residents across Israel a place to feel informed, connected, and at home.

Being part of its visual journey and helping shape how each issue looked and felt, has been an honor. I was never the only designer involved, but I was fortunate to contribute to a significant chapter of its life, and I carry that with pride.

While this is the final issue of the magazine, the spirit behind it continues. ESRA's mission remains strong, and the community it built through these pages does not disappear. It lives in the people who wrote, edited, designed, volunteered, advertised, and most importantly, read.

Thank you, Merle. For your leadership, your trust, and your partnership over the years.

And thank you to everyone who turned these pages, issue after issue.

From 167 to 226. It has been quite a journey.

Marian Lebor

I made Aliyah from the UK with my husband and three children in 1994. Soon after, I was introduced to Merle Guttmann, the editor of ESRA Magazine, by my friend Pamela Peled. I'd had experience of producing written material for nonprofit organizations in England, so when they asked if I would like to join the editorial board of the magazine, I gladly took up the opportunity of volunteering my services.

From the beginning, Merle was warm and welcoming. Throughout the following almost three decades, I greatly enjoyed working alongside the many interesting members of the editorial board, a number of whom also worked professionally as writers, editors and proofreaders. As a freelancer working in this field, I spend a lot of time on my own on my computer at home. The magazine editorial meetings gave me colleagues with whom to collaborate and socialize.

At each meeting, the numerous submissions that Merle had already received were passed around the room for at least three people to read and approve – or not – for publication. Sometimes, despite having had a clear recollection of a piece being rejected because it was much too long or unsuitable, I would find myself being asked to do a drastic editing job so it could be accommodated.

To her credit, Merle would always try to find a redeeming feature of a rejected submission and she tried to make room for most articles. Quite often in such cases, I would contact the writers and help them to shorten or rewrite their submission. As a writer myself, I know that it is hard to accept that any of the words you have spent precious time sweating over need to be cut or rewritten. Almost always the writer has appreciated the care and time taken by the editorial team to help. Merle always encouraged the writers on the editorial board to submit a wide range of stories, which allowed our own creativity to flourish. In all these ways, my voluntary work at the magazine helped me in my professional life here.

Every article was checked by three separate proofreaders. In the early years, each proofreader would check several hard copy articles at a time, mark the corrections with a pen, and then take them round to the next proofreader. When this wasn't possible, the articles were collected and delivered by taxi. Needless to say, a lot of time and money was saved with when we could track changes on our computers.

Since COVID, our editorial meetings have been on ZOOM. I have missed seeing my colleagues in person over the past few years and now the print magazine is to end with this issue. Thank you, Merle, and all my friends at the magazine for everything.

Morton Leibowitz

Ruth and I made Aliyah to Israel in 1996. Frenetically looking for anchorage in the turbulent waters we had gotten ourselves into, we turned for assistance to both AACI and ESRA. We subscribed to a life membership in AACI and started relating more and more on a practical level to ESRA. Their support systems and the ESRA Magazine which, at the time had extensive advertising, became our go-to site for identifying helpful resources within the Anglo community.

It was about the time I left hospital-based practice in 2011 and embarked on a less strenuous career at the Clalit Research Institute, that I was invited to join the Editorial Board of ESRA Magazine. This afforded me an outlet for my modest efforts in creative writing and more importantly, bestowed upon me the privilege to work closely with our esteemed editor, Merle Guttmann, and the large number of committed, talented, and enthusiastic Chevra that make up the Editorial Committee. It's been a blast!

Eli Libenson (Rabbi)

Our Wonderful Magazine

Oh, no! This can't be the last print issue of ESRA Magazine. But it is. If only it were just a rumor; if only someone in the know would declare "Lo Dubim V'lo Yaar" (literally, neither bears nor forest, but figuratively, it just isn't so) how happy we would be. But the reality is that this is the last print issue of ESRA Magazine.

When I began writing for the magazine, a veteran author told me to imagine the reader in this way: middle-aged, recently arrived in Israel from an English-speaking country, lacking a firm foundation in Hebrew, who eagerly awaits the bi-monthly magazine that speaks his language. That was very helpful advice. Over the years, perhaps that reader has become more proficient in Hebrew, but there's still nothing like reading the work of good writers written in the language which we love.

Could the print magazine have been saved? I'm not sure. Even if there were a most generous donor who would give a most generous gift Ad Chatzi Hamalchut (literally, up to half the kingdom) the decision would probably not have been reversed. Our incredible volunteers led by Merle, our brilliant and super-devoted editor-in-chief, have borne the responsibility for a very long time, and there doesn't seem to be a younger generation waiting in the wings to take up the task.

They say that every cloud has a silver lining. Although the print issue of the magazine will end, maybe a digital version will take its place. Let's not forget the optimism of the Biblical expression Me-az Yatza Matok (literally, out of the strong came forth sweetness, but figuratively, something good can emerge from something difficult).

Cindy Moritz

Soon after making Aliyah, I contacted Merle at ESRA Magazine to inquire about becoming a contributor. She promptly added me to the Editorial Board, where I've come to enjoy the interactions and decision making around the content and purpose of the magazine. It's been a privilege to have experienced working with Merle and the other board members, from whom I've often been glad to learn. Contributing to the magazine has given me a welcome sense of purpose as part of my integration into this wonderful and crazy country. I'm always proud to say I'm part of the editorial team and feel delight when I see the always-stunning cover on someone's coffee table.

Myra Olswang

I loved taking part in the Editorial Board meetings. They were a chance to hear the latest reactions to past magazines, to hear the members' ideas, thoughts and opinions about future articles, and in general to feel the pulse of ESRA and its amazing magazine. The Board was a group of involved, thinking and caring men and women, but of course it was the driving force and supreme editor, Merle Guttmann, who guided us. Whatever the situation, even in the midst of existential crises whether of pandemic or war she somehow managed to put together a truly outstanding magazine.

Besides sitting on the Editorial Board I have also been the Webmaster of the ESRA Magazine website for the past 15 years. My task was to upload the articles and illustrations from the magazine hardcopy to the website. Over the years the technology improved and the site took on a new and improved look with every new system. It was a challenging but interesting job, and I can say with pride that the site managed to reach global audiences, make numerous connections between people who found family or old friends among our contributors, and connect ESRA with an ever-widening following.

It has been a pleasure and an honor for me to be part of this very special group of people and I will miss them all dearly.

Dr. Pamela Peled

Finding love, getting married, and setting up home with a handsome husband sounds like the perfect dream come true. And in my case it was, except that it came with a catch: leaving Jerusalem and giving up my job as a journalist. My lovely husband was worth an ocean of scoops but still, somewhere in a corner of my heart, I missed the thrill of finding stories, interviewing interesting people, and narrating their visions.

And then someone mentioned Merle.

It's so many decades since I first stepped foot into the gorgeous Guttmann house and garden, yet I remember every magical detail. Merle welcomed me just as my first child kicked me hard in the ribs – I was eight months pregnant at the time – and the legendary founder of ESRA noticed my grimace and raised her hands above her head. "Stretch!" she suggested. I did, and the pain passed.

Merle makes pain pass; she co-opted me onto the Magazine, and soon I was happily meeting innovators and dreamers and environmentalists who were light years ahead of their time. But more than that, through Merle's initiative I found myself playing with Ethiopian kids in Absorption Centers, inviting Russian Olim mothers to dinner with their youngsters in tow, introducing my own mother to the wonders of ESRA, where she happily began volunteering too, and making good friends for evermore.

The Magazine was magnificent for me – the editorial meetings (during which Merle steadfastly and sweetly refused the insertion of any political material), the walk-around-the-neighborhood deliveries, the excitement of gathering stories and publishing them, the incredulity of receiving regular updates from editor Merle at 4 a.m.

I'm so sad that it's come to an end. But here's to the next, equally wonderful chapter for ESRA, for us, and especially for our inimitable Merle.

With love and gratitude, Pam

Dr. Janette Segal

Dear Merle, it has always been a great honor and joy to belong to your Editorial Board.

My most magical moments with ESRA Magazine was being involved in the creative writing competition in English for middle schools over Israel. I was honored and delighted to give the winners a three-day writing experience which involved appreciating poetry and prose in different settings such as the beach, the mall and my home in order to inspire the winners to write their own original creative writing. Their work was published in subsequent editions of ESRA's magazines. The young writers were thrilled at the opportunity ESRA Magazine gave them to be both recognized as writers and also to be published in the magazine. I myself, thank ESRA Magazine very warmly for promoting the marvelous project which grabbed the attention of many budding young writers all over the country.

With love and sincere wishes that you continue to use your creative passion to strive forward with other wonderful and exciting new creations!

Judy Shapiro

Being part of the Editorial Board has been a significant part of my life for many years. First and foremost, it has given me the opportunity to meet wonderful people who otherwise I would never have met. In particular, meeting and working with Merle Guttmann has been an honor, a pleasure and an educational experience.

Having made Aliyah in 1972 and busy raising a family, being part of the Editorial Board of ESRA Magazine gave me an opportunity to be part of something beyond my own family. The Magazine condensed the various helpful, creative, informative and social activities of ESRA and became a flagship of the organization. It also gave me an opportunity to write and share my thoughts and experiences with others. It gave me the opportunity to read and review books I would otherwise never have read.

It was gratifying to see the Magazine grow into a first-class publication and I am glad to have been part of it.