Forward April 17, 2015 3

Dear Reader,

As we approach the 118th anniversary of the Forward’s founding, I’m proud to announce the most signifi cant changes in our print and online products since we began publishing a weekly newspaper in English, a quarter century ago. Next week you will see our fresh,new look, both online and in print, a sweeping redesign to improve your reading experience. But this “reboot” is not merely aesthetic;it refl ects a fundamental shift in our understanding of how the American Jewish story is unfolding and how you – our readers,advertisers and donors – use and interact with media now.

Before I get into the details, let me set the scene. When Abraham Cahan founded the Jewish Daily Forward on April 22, 1897, his readers were the proverbial strangers in a strange land, struggling to learn a new language and to cope with a bewildering and volatile culture. For decades, in myriad ways, the Forward helped Jewish immigrants to become Americans.

Although we’re still a small minority, Jews are hardly outsiders in America today. We’re right in the thick of things, actively shaping America’s economy, politics, language, culture and values. We struggle not for acceptance, but for meaning, for community, for a wayof being that refl ects our history, our values, our tastes and our daily realities. That’s the heart of the Forward’s mission now: to helpus connect with our Jewishness and with other Jews, to facilitate a conversation about how to fashion our increasingly complicated families and uncertain futures in a personal and still distinctively Jewish way, to rediscover the sublime pleasures and profoundresponsibilities of being Jewish.

It’s clear that after all these years in the American melting pot, there’s no one way. No rabbi or movement – or newspaper – can(or should) decree who or what is Jewish, or more Jewish, or Jewish enough. There are many ways, and our role is to explore andinform them. To ask questions. To listen. It’s an approach deeply embedded in both our Jewish and journalistic roots, and it’s whatsets the Forward apart. It’s why, more than two million times a month, someone uses our website, visits us on Facebook or readsour weekly newspaper.

Some things we won’t alter. The Forward will continue to shine a light on the institutions and individuals that constitute organized Judaism, that represent and claim to represent us as a community. The Forward will continue to look at America and the worldthrough a Jewish lens, and to tell the ongoing American Jewish story in our many voices. The Forward will continue to set out asplendid bu� et of ideas and experiences – books and fi lm that engage our curiosity and challenge our intellect, performances andart that expand our vision and lift our spirits, cuisine and travel that delight our senses.

So what is changing?

On all platforms, you’ll see a cleaner and bolder design. More art. Clearer fonts. Bigger photos. A logo and color scheme that honorour heritage while shunning clichés.

On the web, you’ll fi nd simpler, more intuitive navigation and more opportunities to interact and react. We’re also incorporatingresponsive design technology, which adapts each page to the screen you’re viewing it on, so it’s beautiful and readable whether you’re using a smartphone, a tablet or a large monitor.

And speaking of beautiful and readable, our reimagined newspaper will remind you why we cherish the ink-on-paper experience:A richer, brighter grade of stock. Easier to hold. More elegance. Less clutter. In short, a luxurious way to connect with ideas and events while you’re disconnected from the hubbub of the digital world, be it Shabbat or any other day.

I hope you’ll share my enthusiasm for these innovations, and I trust I’ll hear from those of you who don’t. Our goal is to help more readers to discover and enjoy the Forward’s unique take on news, culture and opinion, while preserving our legacy, refl ected in thenew logo, as the gold standard of Jewish journalism.

Warm regards,

Sam Norich

The Jewish Daily Forward � Founded 1897 � An independent, member-supported 501(c)3 nonprofi t organization

The Forward Association, Inc.Samuel Norich Publisher & Chief Executive O¡ cerApril 17, 2015