Crown Heights Residents Want to Know: Where’s My Magazine?

Are you wondering why you no longer get Lubavitch International in your mailbox?

The magazine—until recently distributed as a courtesy to Crown Heights Anash for free—is now available on a semi-annual basis through a nominal subscription. (Donors to Machne Israel continue to receive the magazine.)

“Paper shortages and the shuttering of print houses around the country have made the cost of printing the magazine exorbitant,” says editor-in-chief Baila Olidort. And while the obvious, economical solution would be to go digital, she says that “readers begged us to keep the print format.”

The beautifully designed 40-page publication features original articles, interviews, essays, editorials and personal narratives that reflect the shluchim’s impact and Chabad perspectives on a wide range of concerns.

“When I give baalei batim the Lubavitch International magazine, it reminds them that we are indeed ‘international’ — we’re not just one shliach in one town, but we have the might of Chabad around the world,” said Rabbi Avrohom Grossbaum, Regional Director of Chabad Lubavitch of Indiana. Grossbaum, who orders every issue in quantities for his community, says: “It gives a much broader perspective than any one shliach could possibly do in their own area. I get tremendous feedback from baalei batim—they love it. The articles are incredible, and the updates, information, and reports about the new places that Chabad goes to make this magazine a tremendous asset for shluchim.”

The result of the shift to paid subscription has been surprising. “We thought we might lose readers when we transitioned to a subscription and donor-based model,” explained Rabbi Shmaya Krinsky, executive director of Machne Israel, which publishes the magazine. “But the opposite has happened. Our subscription base has grown dramatically since we made the switch. The magazine clearly has a strong following across a diverse and very distinguished readership.”

Esther Frimerman, a Crown Heights resident, has been reading Lubavitch International for years. “I wasn’t going to miss a single issue–I wait for this magazine and I’m thrilled when it arrives.” She took out two-year subscriptions for herself and all her family members. “It’s an elevating and inspiring experience that always leaves me wishing for more. It gives me a bird’s-eye view of Lubavitch around the world. The articles present intelligent, thoughtful and nuanced perspectives that I simply don’t get anywhere else.”

To receive the newest issue of Lubavitch International, subscribe at lubavitch.com/subscribe. In Crown Heights, the magazine is also available for purchase at the Kehot showroom, at Judaica World and Hamafitz.