Freilichen (Happy) Purim

Hi everyone!

I just want to wish you a Gut Shabbos and
Freilichen Purim!

Daven (pray) well - Purim has an
amazing power for Tefillos (prayers)!!

Nechama :)

P.S. can't wait to see the spring issue in print... it's gorgeous!!!!

Spring issue is at the printer!

Hi everyone,

Yes, you read the title right: the Spring 2010 issue is at the printer! This issue is packed with lots and lots of interesting, fun articles (not to mention the beautiful cover, as Penina said!) including "Meet the 2010 Editorial Board", an interview with girls who live on a farm, tons of tips to throw a surprise party and a jumbo article, "Jewish Communities Around the World" about you guessed it, Jewish communities in every corner of the globe. I can't wait for you to read it!

Here's my question for the day: What are you dressing up as for Purim? Why? What have you dressed up as in past years? Anyone dressing up as a YALDAH magazine?

Purim Sameach,

Emily

Happy Adar!

Hey everyone!

No one else mentioned it so I guess I will...

HAPPY ADAR!

It's the Jewish month of happiness, fun, dressing up in costumes, and going crazy... so it seems. Of course, the underlying message of Adar is one of hope, a time when Hashem (G-d) clearly showed the Hashgacha Pratis/Divine Providence that He is always leading us with. Click here to see a video depicting the Purim story with... Lego, of all things! :)

Anyway, on the YALDAH front... the writers' deadline for the summer issue has already passed, and now our illustrators and photographers are working hard to add even more to the already great articles for YOU, our readers :)

My school's Purim Chagigah (party) is tonight. (after this post: I was going to dress up as a YALDAH person... but in the end I was a CD player. But that works, right? :))

Have an amazing night and all... ;)

Nechama

P.S. I'm not listening to anything right now so I'm not telling you what I'm listening to!

Beaded Pen craft!

Hi everyone,


Thank you for your comments about the idea of video blog posts! And anyone who hasn't answered yet, be sure to join the conversation by commenting on this post or the previous one and letting me know what you think of video blog posts of crafts, recipes and updates on the magazine.

In the meantime, I made the craft from the Fall 2008 issue of YALDAH- Beaded Pens! My photos are on the left. I did it slightly differently than it's described in the magazine (I did strips of beads rather than doing the whole pen and I used an orange gel pen that matched the beads instead of a plain pen). In concept, however, I used the instructions and I was thrilled with how it turned out! Here are the instructions to make your own:

Beaded Pens

By Aliza Laufer, age 11, from MA

Materials and Tools:

-Basic pen

- Double sided tape

- Seeds beads of any color (seed beads are tiny beads around the size of 1 millimeter thick and available at craft or bead stores).

- A plate or tray

- Marker

- Scissors

To make:

1. First, place the seed beads in a tray.

2. Leave the cap on the pen and with your marker, draw where the edge of the cap is along with the part of the cap that sticks up. Make sure not to put any beads on these areas.

3. Wrap double sided tape around the pen, one section at a time. For sections where the part of the cap sticks out, don't wrap the tape all the way around.

4. Either roll your pen in the beads or sprinkle them lightly over the tray. Occasionally, firmly press the beads to be sure they stick to the pen.

5. Once you have completely covered the pen, give it a few more squeezes to really secure the beads and then, get down to writing!

If you try this craft out, take some pictures and e-mail them to me at emily@yaldahmagazine.com along with your name and I'll post them on this blog!

What do you think of this post? Be sure to comment and let me know!

Talk to you soon,

Emily

Behind the Scenes Updates + what do you want to see?

Hi everyone,

Things are going great, here at YALDAH. We're nearing printing time with the Spring 2010 issue, which is always so exciting. This issue is going to be amazing. We have a new graphic designer, Mary Abadi (you can read about her here) and she sent me what she's done and I am so happy and proud of it. Can't wait for you all to see the issue!

Here's my question for today: What do you think of video blog posts? How would you like it if I did recipes and crafts from YALDAH magazine and The YALDAH Year and updates on video and posted them here? What else would you like to see on this blog? Post your comments and let me know.

Talk to you soon,
Emily

Kinnus!!!

Hi everyone,
I just came back from being a counselor at the Kinus Hashluchos in Crown Heights. Most awesome three days of my entire life.
I stayed at the home of Devorah Leah (whom I didn't get to say goodbye to- bye, Devorah Leah) and Rivka Stone. I didn't know them before I got there, I was staying there with a friend of theirs who's in my class, but it turns out they're Yaldah fans and the first thing I got asked was, "are you the girl from Yaldah?"
I love being famous.
During the Kinus I stayed in the Beis Rivkah building and lived on cupcakes and challah and peach Snapple. A bunch of people in my class were counselors as well as some of my friends from camp, and a couple of people whom I didn't know before Kinus. All the counselors slept in a classroom upstairs (hurrah!), which was good. My bunk was awesome, but their room was kind of claustrophobic. We got about three hours of sleep a night, we were all so overtired... The last night of Kinus, at banquet, I spent two hours getting people to sign my sweatshirt with what I thought was a permanent marker. It was a whiteboard marker. I felt really dumb...
I said hi to a bunch of people from Yaldah whom I haven't seen for a really long time. Two, actually, not a bunch. Shterny and Chava, it was awesome. I looked for Chaya Wolff, who's on the EB, for about an hour, but I couldn't find her. Oh well. Next time, Chaya.
I was going to post this on Frayde Trachtman's ipod. But I'm not very good at typing on an itouch.
Spring issue's awesome, guys. The cover is stunning. Can't wait to get it...

Summer issue, here we come!

Hey everyone!

Here at YALDAH, we're already working on the summer issue! Yes, I know that we all just got the winter issue, but welcome to the world of magazine publishing :) Anyway, make sure to submit your answers for Discussion topic and Just Ask!, as well as letters to the editor and material for Reader Gallery and Nachas Zone! We love seeing what Jewish girls can do!

Also make sure to take our new survey about all the different parts of YALDAH, so we can continue to bring you everything that you, as Jewish girls, want to read!

I know people are disappointed that they didn't make it onto the board... to all of you out there - I hope you forgive us ;) and that you'll continue to give us your writing, photography, and artwork, and make sure to apply for the 2011 Editorial Board!

Shavua Tov

(have a good week)

Nechama

Vote for the Friendship Circle!

Hi everyone,

At YALDAH, we try to reach out to all Jewish girls and there's a special program, The Friendship Circle, that reaches out to and works with Jewish children with special needs. Three-time Editorial Board member, Rebecca Berlin, is the president of the Friendship Circle in her area and she brought to my attention that FC is now in the running to win $1 million! I want to urge all of you to vote to support this charity in this amazing opportunity. Visit www.votefc.com for all the information on the contest and how to vote today.

At YALDAH, we're starting work with the new Editorial Board in a few days and we have the Summer 2010 issue all mapped out. We're also finishing up the Spring 2010 issue and getting it ready for print soon.

Here's my question for you, for today (two questions, actually)... what is your favorite section in YALDAH and why? If you could cut any section, which one would go and why?

Talk to you soon,
Emily