A new Orthodox Jewish weekly in English, Sha'ah Tovah, will begin publication this Thursday, opening another front against their leading rival Mishpacha magazine. COLlive has learned that the editor is Faigel Safran, a former Mishpacha staffer.

By COLlive reporter

A new Orthodox Jewish weekly in English will begin publication this Thursday, trying to find its place in the already crowded haredi media sector.

Sha'ah Tovah is launching an English version for the U.S. and Europe, opening another front against their leading rival Mishpacha magazine.

COLlive has learned that the editor of the new publication is Faigel Safran, a former Managing Editor of Mishpacha. A graduate of Hunter College in New York City, she made aliyah in 1992, and lives with her family near Jerusalem.

The new magazine includes a women's section called "Sha'ah Today," and starting next week, a children's section called "Sha'ah Tova Together."

The English editions of Hamodia (a daily and expanded weekly), Yated Ne'eman, Bina and Mishpacha enjoyed high sales in the last few years, especially in the New York area.

The Jewish Press is the oldest Jewish weekly, but has lost market share recently to the Hamodia, and is shunned in the ultra-orthodox circles for carrying women's photos.

While the producer of the weekly is a Lubavitcher, Binyomin Zilberstrom, it seems like they are aiming for the Litvish crowd of Lakewood and elsewhere.

The cover story for the first issue, Tammuz 9-July 1, was "A Day in the Life of a Gadol - Rav Chaim Kanievsky, shlita" and an interview with a brother of one of the imprisoned bochurim in Japan.

A single issue on the newsstands will be $2.99 compared to the $4.00 Mishpacha.