The dog days of August are upon us. To be perfectly honest, I am not a summer person. My body prefers the cooler temperatures of fall and literally tingles in the colder climate of winter. Most people who know me say I made the right decision moving to Canada in 1985. In August though, even being in Canada doesn't help since here, too, the mercury soars above 90 degrees.

Although I am not taking an official summer vacation this year, I am allowing my brain a semi-holiday. I am deferring to others who are capable of sharing thoughts, ideas and conclusions without permitting the heat to interfere with their mental processes. After Labour Day, I should be ready to spew forth my solutions to world problems once again.

If only it were that simple and I had the answer to at least one world problem, I certainly wouldn't wait until après Labour Day to share it. Truthfully, I am frustrated, confused and aggravated by what I see, as is everyone else. The Middle East situation worsens as the world vacillates on how to end the warfare. The War on Terrorism remains confusing and murky. Companies are collapsing with alarming frequency while we have to worry about pensions disappearing and corporate bigwigs running off with the funds. I just can't cope with all this and the August heat.

We are gratified with the enthusiastic reception for the weekly Gantseh Megillah. Many readers are enjoying the timeliness of this format. By publishing weekly, we present important stories at their height of relevancy. There is a wealth of information out there and we are delighted to share as much of it as we can with you.

This is the first issue of the new monthly Megillah. You will notice there are fewer articles and we are limiting the edition to our regular feature columns and stories of specific interest. We believe you will find this new monthly edition informative and enjoyable. Where else can you find a show-biz gossip column with a Yiddishe twist, delicious recipes, reviews, personal remembrances and evocative articles all under one roof? And, at such a reasonable price!!

Several readers have commented on the imaginative cover page of the monthly Megillah. It is my great pleasure to inform you that Arnold Hanna is the creative artist responsible for the animation that greets you every month. He puts a tremendous amount of time and effort into the graphics and I wish to acknowledge his marvelous contribution. Thank you Arnold, you are much loved and appreciated by your Megillah family!

The new Megillah Photo Album is a hit! We’ve received lots of pictures, so have a look and get to know your Megillah family. If you have not yet submitted a photo, please do so now. Our goal is to have as many Megillah family members represented in the album as possible. We also plan to add family circle pages where you can proudly present your children, grandchildren and pets. In other words, we want to create an old-fashioned photo album where we can all look and kvell.

Thanks once again to everyone who made monetary contributions to the Megillah fund. Your donations help enormously towards the cost of writing and publishing the Megillah and the Glossary of Yiddish Words and Expressions each month. Arnold and I are working very hard to make the Megillah and Glossary enjoyable and available to everyone. For information on how you can donate to the Megillah fund, please click here or on the Tzedakeh box below. All donations are greatly appreciated.

In closing, I would like to remind everyone that we cherish feedback on the information presented in the Megillah. Send an email for the Letters to the Editor page, express yourself in the Megillah forum or write an article or story for inclusion in the newsletter itself. This is your newsletter and we want it to reflect the people who make up our Megillah Family.

Try to stay cool and have a good August. Enjoy the Megillah.
Much love to all of you,
Michael
Editor