When the October issue of Moment arrived in the mail slot, my son Noah and I both dove for it. He got it first and sank into our big velvet armchair, turning right to my column. “You wrote about me again?!” he exclaimed, pleased, and then began to flip through the pages. As I prepared dinner in the kitchen, he called out his comments to me from the living room. “Hey Mom, this is really interesting (the story on the Noahides and “19 hours and 20 Minutes in Tel Aviv’s Central Bus Station”) and “What a cool title!” (“Etgar Keret has a Cold”). When he fell silent, I turned off the flame under a pot of rice and peeked in on him. He was totally absorbed in “Ask the Rabbis,” reading about what rabbis from various denominations think of one of his favorite activities—trick or treating.
“Mom,” he announced, “I’ve decided this is my favorite section of the magazine.” I told him it was one of mine as well. “It’s one of the things that Moment can do that other Jewish magazines can’t—because we’re independent,” I said.

“Why is being independent such a big deal?” he asked with a quizzical look. It was a good question. Most Jewish magazines are controlled by institutions with ideological or religious agendas, I told him. “We can write about subjects they can’t. Our columnists don’t have to agree with each other or with us. We don’t have to worry about representing one kind of Judaism: We can write about them all. And we can reach Jews who go to synagogue and those who don’t, people of all ages—even people who aren’t Jewish.”

Noah went back to his reading. I went back to cooking, a rare treat these days. Like the rest of Moment’s small, dedicated staff and volunteers—the hard-working people whose names you see on the masthead—I have little “free time,” one of the downsides to working for an independent publication that doesn’t have institutional support. We put in long hours, doing practically everything but printing and mailing the magazine. We research, report, write, edit, work with contributors, assign, design, pore over proofs, come up with art and photos. We run contests and events and stay on top of the business aspects of publishing. We go weeks at a time with barely a day off, let alone take what might be considered a “normal” vacation. We work so hard because we love the magazine and believe in its mission. We aim for Moment to shine like a magazine with a budget a thousand times larger.

What’s amazing is that, with a circulation of 35,000 (over 87,000 readers) the magazine now brings in enough revenue to cover two-thirds of its expenses. Though quite an accomplishment, this means that we must somehow cover the remaining costs. We rely on you—our readers and the greater Jewish community—for support. How can you help? You can volunteer. You can introduce Moment to your friends, family members and colleagues by sending them gift subscriptions (sign them up by visiting momentmag.com or by calling 800-777-1005). You can become a Visionary for Jewish Continuity and purchase 50 or more subscriptions (we offer discounts) for members of your synagogue, JCC or organization (see page 83). Last but not least, with the giving season upon us, consider a tax-deductible gift to Moment. Your contribution allows us to pay the bills and grow the magazine, while demonstrating that you care about fostering an independent voice in the Jewish publishing world.

That voice brings you stories you won’t find elsewhere in the mainstream press or other Jewish publications, such as this issue’s cover story. We asked Robert S. Greenberger, a former Wall Street Journal foreign affairs reporter, to tell us how the great Persian Empire founded by King Cyrus—a friend of the Jews and the “first Zionist”—metamorphosed into a bastion of anti-Semitism and Holocaust denial. He traces centuries of tension between the two faces of Iran: the tolerant nation that saved its Jews during World War II, and the belligerent nation we know today.

Moment also takes you to lunch with Sandra Froman, the Harvard Law-trained Jewish woman who replaced Charlton Heston at the helm of the National Rifle Association. Associate editor Susan Fishman Orlins talks with Judea Pearl, father of slain journalist Daniel Pearl, about the high price of being Jewish and the mission he has taken on in the wake of his son’s death.

In our Books section, former Washington Post Jerusalem bureau chief Glenn Frankel reviews Jeffrey Goldberg’s Prisoners, and Laurel Leff challenges the argument that FDR was a friend to the Jews. There’s also Annie Leibovitz, Robert Satloff and much more.

Let the high school students in your life know that February 15th is the deadline for them to send in their essays about “What can be done to prevent future genocides?” As you’ll see when you visit momentmag.com for more details, three winners will receive prizes of $500.

And don’t forget, if you can help support Moment, please call, write or send an e-mail. We’re always here! Happy Hanukkah!