Dear YALDAH friends,

We are proud to have just printed our 39th issue of YALDAH Magazine. Over the past 8 1/2 years, thousands of girls have enjoyed and been inspired by YALDAH, and hundreds of girls have served on our Editorial Board.

When I first began publishing YALDAH, I was only 13. My parents were supporting me at home, of course, and initial operating costs were low. As YALDAH grew, we were blessed with a grant from Wells Fargo to sustain us. However, even after many marketing campaigns to increase our readership, subscriptions do not cover the operating costs of printing and mailing a glossy, full-color magazine. Very recently, we came to the realization that continuing as we are is not sustainable.

Times are quickly changing, and so is the publishing industry. Even well-established magazines have been forced to close. In order for this not to happen to us, we have decided to continue publishing YALDAH in digital format only, beginning with our Nissan issue in mid-March 2013. This means that each month you will be emailed a link to a PDF of the magazine, which you can choose to read on your computer or iPad, print out yourself, or order a printed-on-demand copy at your expense. Existing subscribers will be upgraded to unlimited digital subscribers.

The magazine will still be written and edited by Jewish girls, and you can expect the same quality design, artwork, and features. Our website, blogs, store, and books will continue as usual. Print copies of back issues will also be available for purchase.

While we understand the drawbacks of this format, such as not reading it on Shabbat, digital publishing is thriving and will only continue to become more popular. The digital format will allow us to offer subscriptions to girls overseas, where it was previously too costly to mail. Girls who write and illustrate for YALDAH will be able to easily share their published work with friends and relatives.

The digital magazine saves us a great deal on printing and mailing costs, but it is not free. New subscribers will be asked to pay a one-time $10 membership fee, and we will continue to approach advertisers to help cover our costs.

For over nine years, I have been determined not to give up. When I first dreamed of creating YALDAH, I knew it was needed for young Jewish girls. Today I am still committed to our mission of inspiring and empowering Jewish girls. I have volunteered for YALDAH full-time throughout high school, seminary in Israel, college, getting married, and the recent birth of my own daughter. I want YALDAH to be there for her when she’s older.

I am grateful to all our subscribers, advertisers, supporters, and fans. Without you, YALDAH would still only be a dream. I hope you will join me on this new chapter in YALDAH’s history.

Sincerely,

Leah Caras (Larson)
Founder & Publisher