Interview with Senior Chabad Editor on 2,000th Magazine

Ahead of the 2,000th issue of Sichat HaShavua, the pioneering weekly publication of Chabad in Eretz Yisroel and the world’s largest Shabbos publication, Anash.org spoke to its master editor, Rabbi Menachem Brod, on Chabad journalism, horaos from the Rebbe, and how to address sensitive topics.

By Anash.org reporter

This past Shabbos marked a major milestone for editors at Sichat HaShavua, the pioneering weekly publication of Chabad in Eretz Yisroel and the world’s largest Shabbos publication, as they celebrated the release of their 2,000th consecutive issue.

Launched nearly 40 years ago by Tzach, Sichat HaShavua was one of the first weekly Torah publications distributed in shuls across Eretz Yisroel – bringing Torah, Chassidus, stories, and Jewish values to all segments of Israeli society every week, in an accessible and engaging style. It quickly became a widely popular and influential force in Israeli Jewish life.

In honor of the release of their 2,000th issue, a special 16-page edition was printed, featuring warm messages from prominent Rabbanim and Israeli leaders. Anash.org had the opportunity to speak with Rabbi Menachem Brod, the editor of Sichat HaShavua since its founding.

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Anash: Thank you for taking the time to talk with us. How was the idea for Sichat HaShavua born?

Rabbi Brod: The idea first came to mind when I was a bochur in kevutza in 5741 (1981). I was good at writing, so I helped Shliach Rabbi Shraga Zalmanov prepare a weekly paper with a sicha from the Rebbe for the Israeli community in New York. I kept wondering why we didn’t have something like this in Eretz Yisroel. The idea stayed with me for several years, but it wasn’t until 5747 that I finally acted on it.

Anash: What changed then?

Rabbi Brod: At that time, the media had begun attacking baalei teshuvah, portraying them as disconnected from their families, no longer working, and so on. Most people were getting their information from mainstream news outlets, which often portrayed Yiddishkeit negatively and distorted the truth about important current issues.

I realized I needed a way to break through the media’s narrative and create a platform where we could both present the truth about Yiddishkeit to the masses and provide a space where we could openly address the issues affecting us today. I was then working as the editor for Tzach’s publicity department, and we launched Sichat HaShavua.

It started as a four-page paper, with messages from the Rebbe, ideas about Yiddishkeit, and on the back page, we shared glimpses into the lives of inspiring individuals who lived according to Torah values.

It was very important to us that this shouldn’t just be a regular paper of divrei torah, but that the front page should address current issues — especially those being spoken about negatively in the media — so we could provide answers for those who were getting all their information from there. At the same time, we wanted the back page to offer a glimpse into true and authentic Yiddishkeit.

We began distributing thousands of copies to shuls across the country. You have to understand – here, thousands of people come to shul Friday night, put on a yarmulke, and the next day go to the beach. This was our way to reach them and break down those barriers.

Anash: Sichat HaShavua is extremely popular. How do you manage to reach all parts of Israeli society without compromising on Lubavitch standards?

Rabbi Brod: We know the truth, and we know our mission – to share that truth with everyone. There’s no need to compromise. You just have to think about how to write it in a way people will accept it. It’s not easy; I often try to imagine the different types of readers as I write. With a lot of siyata dishmaya, we’ve been successful, baruch Hashem.

Anash: Was the Rebbe involved with the publication of Sichat HaShavua?

Rabbi Brod: Every issue and update was sent to the Rebbe immediately, and baruch Hashem, the Rebbe was very pleased and we received many brachos. The Rebbe generally told Tzach that he didn’t want to be asked about every small detail, and that we should make decisions together. But I do recall one time when we wrote about the Rebbe being a novi following the famous Shoftim 5751 sicha, and the Rebbe told Rabbi Leibel Groner, “I was talking about the Shver.”

Another time, a feature article about a Belzer chossid becoming Chabad led some opponents of Chassidus to claim that Lubavitch was trying to “convert” all chassidim into Chabadniks. When the Rebbe heard about it, he sent a message that we must be more careful in the future. From then on, we’ve been even more careful with every word we publish.

Anash: Every week, you write a column on the front page. Often, you address current political topics. How do you manage to do that without being seen as political?

Rabbi Brod: Politics doesn’t interest me at all! Just because politicians are debating an issue doesn’t make it “political.” There are many important matters that are timely and need to be addressed – whether it’s about how Torah and mitzvos are handled in Eretz Yisroel, or issues the Rebbe strongly fought for, like shleimus haaretz and mihu yehudi. These must be brought to public awareness.

Some people ask me, “Why don’t you just focus on the positive – on the parsha, a nice chassidishe story, and so on?” I tell them: If that’s all we’re doing, then what are we even here for? Baruch Hashem, we have a platform that reaches hundreds of thousands. If we stay silent when it matters most, then we’re not fulfilling our responsibility!

I take my cue from the Rebbe. The Rebbe spoke about all kinds of topics at farbrengens – a Rashi, a Rambam, a hadran, Chassidus – but when there was a need to take a stand, the Rebbe could speak for hours about it. There are times when you have to roll up your sleeves and deal with the issues directly, even if it means stepping out of your comfort zone and getting your hands a little ‘dirty.’

I’ve seen firsthand how much influence it has, and baruch Hashem, it has helped many people come to the right conclusions. Even if not, at least they hear another voice beyond what the media feeds them. Of course, we never take sides with any political party or figure – we simply speak the truth about the issue at hand.

Anash: How has Sichat HaShavua been received by the public? What kind of reactions have you gotten?

Rabbi Brod: The feedback has been incredible! People from all sectors of Israeli society love it. Here alone, we print 180,000 copies every week! This is besides the editions in Russian, French, English (and previously Spanish), as well as Hebrew copies printed around the world. And people grab them! Just take a look in the shuls, you won’t find any left on the tables. Most publications stay in the shuls over Shabbos, but Sichat HaShavua is always immediately taken home.

I realized how powerful our magazine was during the time of the tragic Oslo Accords. A very secular, left-leaning Knesset member held up Sichat HaShavua during a speech and said, “As long as this magazine continues to ‘poison’ people, the nation will never accept the accords!”…

Many in the Charedi community have told me they believe Sichat HaShavua played a significant role in strengthening and shifting their communities’ stance on shleimus haaretz and similar issues.

Anash: Is there a specific story that stands out to you about the power of Sichat HaShavua?

Rabbi Brod: In this week’s issue, you’ll find many letters from people whose lives were changed, or who became fully frum – thanks to the magazine.

But I’ll share with you one story that comes to mind:

I was once asked to give a lecture somewhere. At the end, a woman came over with a child and said, “This boy was born because of Sichat HaShavua.”

Seeing my surprised face, she explained that I had once written an article about having children – how just as no one would turn down a million dollars even if it meant going to a far bank or some other hard work to get the money, how much more so when it comes to the blessing of a child, worth much more than a million dollars, really priceless!

The woman said that although she and her husband had decided to stop having children, after reading that article, they changed their minds and had this child.

Anash: What message would you like to leave for our readers?

Rabbi Brod: We’ve seen the great influence of Sichat HaShavua firsthand, but the mission is far from over. We must reach every single yid. There’s no one that can truly say that they can’t help. Whether by distributing this magazine to people they know who might not receive it yet or by any other means, everyone can and must do their part.

The Rebbe gave each of us a shlichus – to reach every Jew and bring Moshiach. In our magazine, we’ve worked to convey the message of Moshiach to our readers, and baruch Hashem, we’ve succeeded in bringing the idea of geulah into the public consciousness.

In fact, I gathered many of the magazine’s columns on the topic and published them as a book, which has since been printed in tens of thousands of copies. But until Moshiach comes, our shlichus continues and we must keep doing our part until we bring the geulah.