My Dearest Readers,
I can’t tell you how many times people have asked me the question “Aren’t you going to do something?” in the past decade.
Indeed, it is this refrain from people of all ages and backgrounds, which has been put to me so many times, that has become my calling.
In the past 10 years, this question has led me to stop and listen, at times brought me to tears, and has kept me up more nights than I can count.
When we founded COLlive, we had one mission: to build a community.
We set out to bring people together through news, happy occasions, and relevant and timely information.
Soon, it became apparent that it had the power to be so much more. It became a place where those who need help could receive it, those needing solace were strengthened, and those seeking inspiration could find it.
Family and friends from around the globe were united in each others’ life cycle events, milestones, and unfortunately the sad times as well.
In the past decade, we have been there through the events which have changed all of our lives forever, and brought Lubavitchers together.
COLlive.com has consistently been there from our early days in 2008, when we all united in grief when the beloved Shluchim to Mumbai were tragically held hostage and murdered, to recently reporting on the delirious joy and celebration when Sholom Mordechai Rubashkin was miraculously freed.
We have, and continue to provide, our readers with up-to-the minute reporting that they can count on.
But above all that, COLlive.com became a place where we could all actually take a stand and “do something,” on whatever the call of the hour may be.
Whether tackling communal issues like attacks on the Torah way of life, questionable retreats, the Eruv controversy, chinuch challenges, the shidduch crisis, tuition woes, the yeshiva system, or crime in Crown Heights, our contributors and commenters have never minced words, jumping into the heart of the matter and actually effecting change in many areas.
And so as we mark our 10th anniversary, which somehow snuck up on me so quickly, I say thank you to all of you, our dearest readers. Thank you for 10 amazing years of sharing your stories, your opinions, your inspiration, and yes, even your grievances.
Please continue to do so, since there’s still so much we need to do, together, as a global community.
May we merit to finally report on the coming of Moshiach immediately!
Wishing you a happy and sweet new year,
Mica Soffer
Publisher and Editor, COLlive.com
May you fulfill your shlichus and the power that was given to you to broadcast articles and comments that you think the Rebbe would be proud of and that are in line with our Torah which we hold so dear.
Thanks for creating such an awesome resource, Collive is actually awesome you render a great service to the community.
Shana Tova!
and a venue of people writing things against rabbonim and the torah (more shocking than leggings?)
thank you for bringing us closer to Hashem and helping us keep the Torah.
(In all seriousness i think that before someone is allowed to comment or post an op ed he should have a letter from a rov saying that he is an ehrliche yid and knows hilchos loshon hara). maybe a test also…
Certainly agree with Jay, we need cameras. Jay thanks for your sincere concern for our community. We also have a pressing issue with grants going for homeless shelters in the blocks of our community. If money is coming in for housing it should be spent for affordable housing for large families, not druggies. I believe that we have some Jewish members on the housing committee (Goldstein?). Let’s fight for our community.
Last night, I attended a service at Kingsbrook Shul, where I saw the young sons of a Jew who was almost strangled murdered because he was Jewish. I told the young sons to tell their father I considered him to be a hero for going on television to tell his story to catch the perpetrator, so that it didn’t happen to another Jew. It would have been very easy to lay low and not show you face, should the attacker now remember you. There was a press conference on Rutland Av and Schenectady Av at the scene of the crime.… Read more »
Wonderful! I love many articles but don’t always appreciate us hanging out our laundry in public. I have had some personal comments ( written respectfully and sensitively) not printed. I have seen some mean comments posted. I always wonder
about that.Kvcht to klal Yisrael.
ישר כח.
Daily i check the news from collive. Hashem give you Koach for many many more “tens” of years to report only good news.
Malka Edreyi.Kfar Chabad (Goldis mum)
Mrs sofer i must give you a lot of credit, even though I don’t support some of the things you choose to cover, you built a major powerhouse website that has the attention of all lubavitcher the world over , & that’s a tremendous accomplishments. Congratulations !
May you soar from strength to strength and be the first to report Moshiach’s arrival. May it be speedily in our days!
You have filled our hearts with love and appreciation for your incredible talent, drive, and vision. All, at the same time you are a loving and caring daughter, wife and mother. We couldn’t be more proud.
Mommy and Tatty
Thank you for creating a platform to share and comment on important issues… I will say there were a few times my comments were not posted. My comments are critical at times, but never crossing a line of respect or use of foul language. Comments that are critical should be posted, not just the favorable ones….
You Share the right news! Thanks for posting an important class or conference for refua shlema- always appreciated!
I like to only check collive – it will have the info I need and not the stories and constant news that brings you down! Thanks a lot!
Hashem should bless you to continue the good work you do and report even before Rosh Hashanah about the geula shlaima amosh. K’siva v’chasima tova.
As an American (Crown Heightser }living in Australia, you keep us abreast of the latest news and happenings in Crown Heights and around the world, the Chabad connections and the Nshei Functions inspire us do to do more as well.Thank you and may you have only SImchas to share!! A friend and classmate ’92
Dear Mica,
You always had the talent and drive to produce great things!
Even way back in high school we always knew you had what it takes to succeed! Happy 10th anniversary!
Love, a high school classmate and big fan!
I consider the reporting, news, and content of collive.com to be on par with any major news network. The exception being you peddle in truth and good news. Fixing news, not the breaking kind.
Leshana Tova to all your readers and all Klal Yisroel.
-squirrel hill reader
Thanks for creating this wonderful outlet
Keep up your amazing work!!!