What is Being Jewish magazine?

Being Jewish is a hard-copy magazine with articles of interest to the Jewish community. It is edited by Michael Hanna-Fein, of Montreal, who also edits the Gantseh Megillah.

Being Jewish is published three times a year in celebration of Passover, Rosh Hashanah, and Chanukah. The publication is aimed at Jewish organizations, such as federations, synagogues, schools, and all groups with a Jewish affiliation

The cost of the magazine is 50 cents per issue, but goes down to 35 cents for orders of 1,000 or more, plus shipping and handling. The magazine is shipped directly to subscribing groups so you can distribute them to your members as you choose.

Please share this information with Jewish organizations with which you are affiliated. You can use this form.

If you are interested in learning more about Being Jewish magazine, or starting a subscription, contact us at: beingjewishmagazine@gmail.com (the mail icon in the upper right-hand corner also goes to that address.) or call us at 514-948-1844.

What is Jewish ESP?

E stands for Ethics, S stands for Spirituality and P stands for Peoplehood represented by 3 overlapping circles.

In Judaism, each of these circles is considered sacred. The interesting (and confusing thing for many) is that a Jew can live in any one of these circles and never enter the other circles. Plus you can enter the other 2 circles from any one circle. In addition, the circles overlap so you can simultaneously live Jewishly in 2 or all 3 circles.

This can be a confusing, but really it is kind of simple. For example, when I say that Judaism is much more than a religion, I mean that even if you do not believe in God you're not disqualified from being a Jew. For example, Hitler sure did not define Jews by their Spirituality! He cared about Peoplehood. In addition, Jews are supposed to behave Ethically whether they enter the Spirituality circle -- that is, whether they believe in God or not!

Here I want to say a word about the Peoplehood circle: according to Jewish law, to be considered Jewish by birth at least one of your parents must be Jewish. (Many Jews say you must be born from a Jewish mother -- but I won't get into that here.)

HOWEVER! Judaism is NOT a race -- though our enemies love to call us a race. Any person of any race is welcome to convert to Judaism...if Judaism were a race, you could not convert to become a Jew. Nobody can convert to become another race -- but anyone can convert to become Jewish. There are Jews of all races and colors -- for proof, just look at a city street in Israel. I want to make an important point here: Many people (including Jews) think the emphasis on Jews marrying other Jews is repulsive racist thinking. I would be repulsed too...if Judaism were a race...but it is not. Again, Judaism is a way of life.

The ESP of the Jewish "way of life" is all encompassing. There is no aspect of life that is not included in either Ethics, Spirituality, Peoplehood or all three. There is much more that can be said about the ESP circles of Judaism...in fact, you could write a whole book on the subject. I did! Hope this brief summary helps!

Gil Mann

How Can I Get Being Jewish Magazine?

We distribute the magazine in bulk through our many partner organizations. They include Federations, JCC's, Synagogues and Schools. If you would like to get Being Jewish magazine via an organization in your town, call the Executive Director, Rabbi or Principal and ask them to subscribe. Ask them to call us at 514-948-1844, or email us: beingjewishmagazine@gmail.com the mail icon in the upper right-hand corner also goes to that address.

(If they are already sending you the magazine, please call them and say "Thank You for Being Jewish magazine, please keep 'em coming!")

But I still want my own copy!

We do offer a popular 10 copy subscription special. For $69 a year, we will send you 10 copies of all three editions of Being Jewish at Rosh Hashanah, Chanukah and at Passover....this includes postage! (You will receive a total of 30 magazines a year.)

Keep one for yourself and give away the other 9 copies to friends and relatives at holiday time! We know they'll appreciate the magazine and you!

To subscribe, email us: beingjewishmagazine@gmail.com (the mail icon in the upper right-hand corner also goes to that address.) or call us at 514-948-1844.