By COLlive reporter
The upcoming issue of the long-running English periodical for Chabad women features new articles about inspiration and triumph – and an old logo.
Claire Grunwald, who lived through the Nazi concentration death camps to build a family and a wig business in the United States, adorns the cover in a striking picture holding a silver Chanukah menorah.
No less striking is the publication’s masthead with its full name spelled out “N’shei Chabad Newsletter,” partially written in a scripted font on the Chanukah 5774 edition.
The elegant redesign introduced by its young graphic designer Leibel Krinsky last year remains prevalent throughout, but the logo he introduced for the Tishrei 5774 issue has vanished.
When the “NCN” initials in the new logo appeared, it received mixed feedback from loyal readers. “It ain’t really a logo, y’know,” one person wrote on COLlive. “It’s kinda just three letters squished together… I’d love to see something more creative.”
Defenders of the new logo, changed for the first time since 1980, said in response that magazines nowadays “don’t have ‘logos,’ they have exactly this, letter treatments,” another wrote.
Rishe Deitsch, senior editor of the N’shei Chabad Newsletter, confirmed the reversal of the logo to the one created by Hensha Gansbourg, its creative director from its founding until 2005.
“The (new) logo featured on the Tishrei issue, although clean, modern and minimalist, did not represent many of our readership who clamored to go back to the familiar,” Deitsch said.
She added that store owners in Crown Heights who have the magazine on their newsstands “claimed that customers did not recognize the cover and therefore sales were down.”
What can be found in the new issue:
* Hindy Golomb writes with raw honesty and courage about working as a counselor in a Ukrainian orphanage and the 2 skinny, beaten and lonely sisters who gradually had the color return to their faces.
* Rabbi Moshe Bogomilsky writes about what really happened on Hei Teves, providing dates, documents and details about the legal battle for the soul of Lubavitch.
* Chana Gittle Deray describes what it was like to face a belligerent judge after she drove over the speed limit in a school zone, and the ultimate beautiful result of that experience.
* World renowned orator and teacher Rabbi YY Jacobson asks us to consider what is most important: success in the world or familial harmony?
* Shlucha Tova Edelman introduces a new series entitled “Shlichus Notebook.”
Subscribe today and take advantage of the sale – six issues for the price of five. To subscribe, visit NsheiChabadNewsletter.com
Mrs. Grunwald looks so incredibly beautiful. It is so refreshing to see a woman on the cover. Frankly, I am wondering why it is such a rare occurrence? I mean, this is a magazine for US WOMEN. The magazine should reflect this, I feel.
I also find the tabloid-style headlines off-putting. I do not know the Newsletter’s mission statement, but I’m assuming it is to encourage jewish and chabad values and commitment by sharing inspirational stories and practical advice. Don’t mix your message, please, by employing tabloid techniques.
There was the cover with the Rebbetzin Devorah Leah on it. There was one with the three sisters of a boy whose bar mitzvah was devastated by a terrorist attack (in Israel); all three had babies within the year. There was a cover with an adult Chaya Mushka (a ge’oress who took the Rebbetzin’s name). And just recently in April 2012 we had Yehudis Steiner nee Winner and her two boys on the cover. And now Claire. kein yirbu
i can remember five times…
I like both old and new and whatever is inside is the most important (don’t judge a book by its cover). Fine with me.
and what does that mean.
So much for progress:(
Listen to 38 and 39! They have a very strong point.
@ first, I didn’t either realize what NCN was, but it states clearly that it’s N’shei Chabad Newsletter- I actually liked the new look & I don’t see why e/o made such a BIG FUSS-As if there isn’t a/t to fuss about!!!
Great news. The logo is timeless and familiar to people. I’m happy they’re sticking to it. In fact hand lettering is the most current thing right now in design. If they wanted to refresh they could tweak it a little but it is fine how it is.
Just wanted to compliment Hensha! We love you!
The whole family didn’t like the new logo
Thank you for going back to the old one!
I didn’t recognize the magazine
and also it fell apart the binding !!
But still an amazing magazine !!
Thank you!!
I cannot figure out what’s wrong with “Deray Does Chanukah”
I am overwhelmed with the comments. I am pleased that many still like the older logo. I am not opposed to change, but I really didn’t like the newer one. I think that Leible Krinsky is doing a superb job on the layout. It is much easier to read. May I make a suggestion. Why don’t the editors run a contest to design a new logo. They might be surprised with what they get and if there is one that is chosen, the entrant can gain some recognition.
In other news, I just went to my local grocery store and bought a Dr. Pepper…
Some of the younger FFBs make the fatal error of jazzing up a publication with secular references they may have heard about but not realizing where these come from. One example was a Rebbe video (later banned) where the background music was the Catholic hymn “Ave Maria.” Some slang words or expressions (ex: “hardcore; cold turkey”), which have shown up in frum publications, had subcultural or off-color origins. While language is always changing, & new words give it life, this must be approached cautiously.
I’m glad the old logo is back. I do still take issue with the tabloid style headlines… “Homeschooling mom Tells All” and seriously “Deray Does Chanuka…” is quite offensive seeing as it references a morally degenerate movie. Don’t sell yourselves short…
Any one remember when Coca Cola changed their recipe? Despite the new flavor doing better than the old one in blind tasting tests, the new flavor was quickly shelved due to public outcry. Its all psychological. Its hard to let go of what we are used to, even if the new change may be better.
I feel like the new one is sleek and fresh
all big companies do restyle logos slightly every bunch of yrs.
with more modern twist.
take a look at old photos with food produdts… not the same
You could keep NCN and put the old logo over it at the angle it is on.
The attractive new logo is designed to ATTRACT new readers. The content is the same, so the core readers will stay – even with a new logo, but they will ALSO attract the younger generation, who are not so caught up with the nostalgia.
Many, many companies have changed their logos. Pepsi-Cola being the first to spring to mind. No ones even heard of Pepsi Cola.
Not complaining; I don’t buy the newsletter. Although it has a wider range of articles, it still seems to follow a Reader’s Digest format.
Leibel has a fantastic eye. He’s talented capable and up 2 date. N’shei is lucky to have him. one day he’ll tell us what it’s like to work for a bunch of (dare i say old?) ladies. must be interesting.
I saw the new cover and didn’t even realize it was the newsletter.
has a good thing going with nshei. he totally revamped their look into something incredibly professional. doesn’t mean you need to keep his logo… just saying he’s obviously got a good eye for what sells.
One last thing, though in Lubavitch the youth are a growing demographic, in general (due to low birth rate), the aging community is the growing demographic.
First of all, you must know that you are spouting non-sense that people will be driven to buy the magazine if new logo is used. Second of all, the golden rule in marketing is before you reach out to new markets, the strategy can’t push away your base. Personally, I don’t care about the logo one way or the other, and personally, I think it was a very plain and lazy logo. Like imagine if Coca Cola’s new logo would become CC. Enough said.
I’m all for the new logo- come on everybody it’ll take a few months and then you’ll get used to it and it’s the modern look and will attract the young readers as #24 said..
B”H
Rishe Deitsch is the most talented write/editor in the Jewish world today and we are fortunate to have her.
If N’shei wants to keep the same readership that it has had for the past decades, it should return to the original logo.
If N’shei newsletter cares about attracting new, younger crowd it should use Krinsky’s very nice and modern logo.
So Question is, to stay where you are or to move onwards and upwards? I think we all know what the boss would say…
and kudos to the Editors for not being too proud to admit a mistake!!!(very unusual in todays times!)
yey!!
The new one was a bit “try hard”
Good move
Nothing like something warm,friendly ,familiar and classic.
N’shei Chabad Newsletter staff invites readers to submit ideas and suggestions regarding the logo to info@nsheichabadnewsletter.com.
yes i’m glad the old logo is back, and i can’t wait to read about that lovely woman on the cover, but you have to admit, the inside is a pleasure, ever since LK started laying it out. there’s harmony. the pages GO together. before LK it was like a house where if you look fromone room to the next you get a headache. the rooms don’t work together. now it all works together, the rooms, i mean pages, seem “related,” somewhat similar, and this is right – check out any “real” magazine! GOOD WORK LEIBEL KRINSKY
is there something new in the binding that made mine fall apart? I thought it was a fluke until #9 above said hers fell apart. It was a nuisance because we had to keep all the pieces together so everyone could have a turn reading it! How awful for someone to get a turn and a page to be missing in the middle of their read?
“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”? Enough said!
The first few times I saw it in the store I skipped it over. I thought it was a modern magazine- not the chassidishe toichen the Nshei Newsletter it is known for! Thank you for switching it back. I was scared that once the outside got the modern look so would the inside….And that would be a shame!
Thank you for such a great magazine!
New logo is a nice idea, but something a bit more stylish is in order, not just the letters… the Rebbe has always been very makpid that things for women be fancy!
why mess with perfection when everyone was happy? happy the old one is back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for bringing back the warm and familiar masthead!
I had not been a happy camper
When my daughter bought the last Nshei for me (we live out of town) I unpacked the stuff she sent and wondered, “What is this?” I did not like the look of it at all. At least N’shei corrected their mistake and didn’t fall for too long trying to be new and improved when the old was just right. Kind of like other issues with our general Lubavitch community – trying to look modern – and it doesn’t look right.
i couldn’t enjoy the new look as much, this one just makes me feel so good, like a familiar old friend to snuggle up with ( the binding part didn’t hold as well though, mine fell apart) that aside, one thing i always look forward to, and enjoy cover to cover thanks for always being there
So happy the old Logo is back!!!
Laibel is the best logo maker! Give Krinsky another shot
Though some may think of it as “same old, same old”,
its familiarity was part of its beauty. Thanks for going
back to the old design.
NCN meant nothing and signified nothing. Its not like JLI that became known for its initials. This was a change is meaning that meant nothing.
You don’t tamper with a classic — learn from coca cola! And now Microsoft with their windows 8 mishegass.
Maybe they can ease into the new logo. Have them both and each issue make the new one larger and the old one smaller..
While you’re at it, please bring us back the original kishkas.
Inside out, change the penimius before the chitzonius, so if you did the outside first, at least do it to the inside as well.
A classic is a classic no if’s but’s and maybe’s
the old logo has a varm touch, nostalgia – love the new inside layout and clarity.