by Rebecca Berlin, age 13, from MI

YALDAH magazine has made a HUGE impact on my life. I have been reading YALDAH for about two and a half years already, and I never get sick of it! Every other magazine I ever bought goes through the same routine: I read it, then chances are I never look at it again. With YALDAH it is just the opposite. I will read it once, and pull it out a few weeks or months later and re-read it with the same excitement. As I read YALDAH I get re-inspired every issue. There are amazing stories, and fantastic articles; everything down to the pictures is perfect!
Not only has the magazine itself inspired me, but I met many wonderful lifelong friends through YALDAH as well. There was a time when YALDAH had an online forum to chat with other Jewish girls from all over the world. I got to know these girls very well, and after a while I felt that I knew them longer than some kids I went to school with my entire life! The girls continued to inspire me and it was all because of YALDAH!

One day I noticed a posting on the website about signing up for the 2007-2008 Editorial Board. I was so thrilled and I filled out my application with excitement. I loved to write, in school creative writing was my favorite, but I could never really use my writing for anything special. Yes, my writing was displayed in the hallways during early elementary school, but I always wanted something more exciting. The day I got the phone call saying I was going to write for YALDAH was a huge turning point in my life. Yes, YALDAH was always very special to me, but I was never really part of it. Throughout the year I began to feel YALDAH was part of my life.

The year on the Board was one of the best things that ever happened to me. I met so many cool friends, and everyone accepted one another. It wasn’t like school where people judged you on what you looked like, or your friendship status. Everyone on the board was special and everyone became great friends.

My dream is to continue being a part of YALDAH! You might read this and think, ‘How it is possible that this one magazine made such a large impact on a teenage girl?’ The answer is, YALDAH is not just a magazine. When you subscribe, you are subscribing for way more then four issues a year. You are subscribing for inspiration. Name me one other magazine where a girl felt good about herself after reading it. Many magazines that are popular among girls these days make kids feel worse about themselves, YALDAH has the opposite effect.

Thank you to everyone who helps with YALDAH. This is not a waste of time; this is making so many young Jewish lives different each day. Thank you for all that you have done for me!