Hadassah Magazine’s goal has always been to bring you the latest Jewish political and cultural news and events from Israel and around the world. Beginning with this online-only edition, you will be getting the magazine in two forms: The first is the regular print copy, now appearing bimonthly—the upcoming April/May issue will arrive in your mailbox around March 20. The second is this Web-only edition, which we will use to keep in touch with you between print issues with the same regularity as in the past and with the same variety of informative articles.

In this first online-only edition, for example, you can read Yigal Schleifer’s story, “Keeping Memory Alive,” about how the shrinking Jewish communities in Bursa and Antakya in Turkey are struggling to maintain their presence and their ancient synagogues. “This is a 500-year-old community and we want to be remembered,” says one leader.

In Israel, Gershom Gorenberg turns his attention to the Jewish state’s lack of a national charter. In “Waiting for a Constitution,” he explains that, in keeping with Israel’s Declaration of Independence, the first Knesset was supposed to frame a constitution—but it did not because, according to one telling, David Ben-Gurion did not want a constitution that would have transferred power from politicians to judges at a time when Israel’s leaders were navigating “the challenges of creating a state.” Gorenberg also explores whether the lack of a constitution has benefited the state and the consequences of making changes now.

“The Jewish Traveler” by Phyllis Ellen Funke looks at the Jewish presence in the cathedral town of Yorkshire and in Lincoln in Northern England.

And during the celebration of Purim this year (it begins on the eve of March 9), you might take note that Vashti is mentioned only fleetingly in Megillat Esther. Yet, considering the little we know of her and her controversial reputation—some say she was cruel to her entourage of Jewish women and deserved her fate—Haim Chertok, in his commentary “Emulating Vashti,” discusses why the banished queen is being lauded today as an early feminist heroine.

Finally, in addition to regular reviews of books and the arts, this online-only edition includes a new feature: a national guide to theater, exhibits and film festivals.

If you would like to receive an e-mail alert to let you know when the next online-only edition will be available, write to us atmagazine@hadassah.org. We look forward to hearing from you. H