I learned the devastating news on April 2, the same day the paper’s dedicated staff was informed. In this day and age, you can’t stop the flow of information. Once the word was out, everyone was on social media and that was all CJNers were talking about. Even though I have been out of the newsroom for six years now, the paper has always been like a family; even when someone leaves, they usually have kept in touch with those still on the front lines.

A friend asked me if I was “a little sad.” I guess that’s like asking if Covid-19 is a serious health issue. So many thoughts ran through my mind. Thirty years of memories came flooding back, from the first time I entered their offices on Eglinton Avenue in 1984. Back then there was no need for security keypads or bulletproof barriers separating visitors from the receptionist. I introduced myself to Karen at the front desk, told her why I was there and who I was there to see. She said, “OK,” and I proceeded into the office.

Even before my first visit, I was fortunate to do some freelance work for The CJN two years earlier. At that time though, I simply mailed in my typed copy along with a roll of film that I had shot on assignment. (Funny story in this is that years later when I was working in the office I found the developed photos shoved away in a desk.)

 One freelance story led to another and before you could say, “Stop the presses,” I was a staff reporter. It was a great run, and I churned out quite a bit of interesting copy before someone suggested I apply for the newly opened position of news editor in 1989. Of course, I couldn’t resist the suggestion as I loved giving my input and getting more responsibility. As the years went by though, I had my regrets. The more I moved into “management,” the less I found time to get out and report the news. Then again, that resulted in me spending more time working on Kol Echad, so it was the Lodge’s gain.

Less than a decade after that, the paper made its first move into the digital age, launching its first website. Since I was one of the younger staff members at the time and was keeping up with digital technology, I became the paper’s first web editor.

Life continued, as it always does, a few staff members left (very few) and new faces and editors came on board, some staff members mourned the loss of loved ones while becoming parents and entering new phases of their lives.

Finally, in 2013, it all came crashing down – for the first time. On April 22, the newspaper issued termination notices to its 50 staff and announced that it was shutting down in June due to financial constraints. Fortunately, the axe never came down and two months later, they decided to resume publication in August of that year. The paper lost valuable staff in the process and was forced to move to more confined spaces, but life continued under a new editor.

A year later though, they found that the initial round of staff cuts was not enough. They gave sales personnel their walking papers. Then the editorial budget came down. While I survived the chopping block the first time out, I was not so lucky in 2014 and so, one day before my birthday, I joined the ranks of former staff members.

Being out at The CJN is not like leaving other businesses. I have kept in touch with other past and present staff members, enjoying meeting over lunch or chatting online. I have no doubt that both will continue (well lunches will have to be on hold for a while). I also strongly believe that while it is the end of one era for this version of The Canadian Jewish News, Canada’s dominant Jewish publication will find a way to rise again.

So let it be written…so let it be said!