February Editor's Letter
I was recently asked on an interview how I identified with my Judaism. My response was so easy, almost instantaneous: “culturally, of course.”
70 Faces has undergone a lot of new changes recently. At the beginning of last year, its fate was hanging in the balance––that is, until it came to rest in my unsuspecting hands. Oh, how little I knew of the blood, sweat and tears I would be putting into this magazine, but oh how happy I am with the way things have worked themselves out.
We here at 70 Faces like to have a good time; you won’t catch us taking ourselves too seriously. We largely approach most tasks with a we’re-super-enthusiastic-and-somehow-going-to-make-this-work kind of attitude. Another recent change: the magazine is online. Online! (Sorry, traditionalists, this is our party––we can do what we want to.)
With so many new ideas being brought to the table, we knew that our theme for the year had to be something where a diverse group of people could somehow find interconnectedness. It had to provide a thought provoking challenge and take us out of our comfort zones while leaving room for some self-exploration. In considering this, our lovely friends at Hillel suggested: “Jewish And.” Our first response? Oh hell yes!
Because why not? Such a theme allows us to really explore Judaism on a multifaceted platform -- bridging the gaps between people of all backgrounds from all angles. Its complexity is what makes it so available to those in its community; its history is what makes it such a deeply-rooted link to the past. I was recently telling a friend about this weird phenomenon: wherever you go, when you meet another Jew, there’s just something deeper than amiability that brings you together. Automatically, you know you both share some of the same values and warm family memories, possibly a love of chacos, and probably, most likely, inevitably, have some mutual friend you both know from camp.
The theme we chose is a perfect reflection of the unique makeup of the 70 Faces board members, a creative, fun, and really dedicated group of individuals who decided they wanted to be part of sharing the stories of others who, like them, love the Jewish community. All of our different interests and passions have contributed to creating a dynamic, inclusive platform for this magazine to stand on. “Jewish And” truly encourages unpredictability in the best way possible and begs those who explore it to look deep inside themselves and figure out where their own identity fits in with Jewishness as a whole.
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Welcome to our February publication. Take a look around, see what you like. See what makes you ask the tough questions. See what makes you feel fuzzy inside. See what just confuses you in the best way possible. Our writers celebrate everything from close family ties to a deep desire for exploration via Star Trek. Did you know it had Jewish influences? Well, now you do.
