I love my Megillah family.

Back in 1999, when the Gantseh Megillah first appeared on the Web, my goal was to create an intimate family connection between Jewish people and our friends located all over the world. I am happy to report that this goal is being realized.

We have Megillah family members in the U.S., Canada, Japan, Great Britain, France, Poland, Czechoslovakia, South Africa and many other countries and locations around the globe. Thanks to the miracle of the World Wide Web, and Email, no one is ever farther away than their computer monitor.

This connection was evident last week when, after providing an update of my medical situation in the Weekly Megillah; my inbox was virtually flooded with messages of support, good wishes, offers of prayer and just generally a tidal wave of love. I could never sufficiently thank all of my wonderful Megillah family for their sincere and loving concern for my health.

You have all made my dreams for this publication come true. I do not know of many Web sites where the members are so closely, and personally, connected with the editor and with each other. I receive frequent updates from members about new friendships that developed via the Megillah. People who had no chance of ever connecting in the “real world” were able to do so through our site.

As the saying goes “It takes two to Tango.” Arnold and I provide the mechanism and format for these connections to occur but, it is because of you, the readers of The Gantseh Megillah, that the term “Megillah family” is a reality.

As I mentioned in my notification email, we are testing the new “comments” function on Dov Burt Levy’s page. We hope this will encourage our members to share their thoughts and opinions on what they read in the Megillah. We believe that the opportunity to instantly react to an article will strengthen the connection between all of us. This feature will be rolled out on all of our pages in the very near future.

This is going to be a relatively brief commentary as my physical resources are limited at the moment. I hope all of you will accept my heartfelt thanks for the outpouring of love and concern you have offered me. It is only because of the closeness I feel towards all of you, that I am able to so freely explain my medical problems, and know that my Megillah family will understand the nature in which it is offered.

Much love and gratitude to all of you,

Michael