Ami vs Mishpacha | Imamother

pause

Sun, Oct 21 2018, 2:21 pm

amother wrote:

The titles of Ami's articles....attract your attention & make you curious.....sometimes the content of the article is not so exciting as the title. In Ami Living....They have interesting articles....like different not so familiar health experiences people went thru. Peoples life experiences/stories.....Its always nice to read people's true accounts rather than fiction that someone imagined in their head. Fun writing style. In main Ami, you can ask Rabbi Shais Taub advice on challenging scenarios in your life....which is interesting to see how he will respond. In Mispacha's main mag, mostly Israeli news is discussed.

Finally, someone is mentioning Rabbi Shais Taub. He and Rabbi Mordechai Kamenetsky are the only worthwhile things to read in Ami. Rabbi Kamentsky often has me laughing out loud.

flowerpower

Sun, Oct 21 2018, 2:23 pm

pause wrote:

Finally, someone is mentioning Rabbi Shais Taub. He and Rabbi Mordechai Kamenetsky are the only worthwhile things to read in Ami. Rabbi Kamentsky often has me laughing out loud.

My husband enjoys the last 2 articles in the back.

How come no one mentioned Dina Neuman, the back page??? This weeks was really really funny.

pause

Sun, Oct 21 2018, 2:25 pm

flowerpower wrote:

My husband enjoys the last 2 articles in the back.

How come no one mentioned Dina Neuman, the back page??? This weeks was really really funny.

She's sometimes so good, on the button, really leaves me thinking... But I wouldn't buy Ami just to read her, and I would for the other two authors mentioned.

Last edited by pause on Wed, Oct 24 2018, 12:06 am; edited 1 time in total

Simple1

Sun, Oct 21 2018, 2:29 pm

pause wrote:

Finally, someone is mentioning Rabbi Shais Taub. He and Rabbi Mordechai Kamenetsky are the only worthwhile things to read in Ami. Rabbi Kamentsky often has me laughing out loud.

I always read those two. I really like Rabbi Kamenetzky's style - and I'm picky with what I like to read.

amother

Papaya

Sun, Oct 21 2018, 2:30 pm

amother wrote:

I think a lot of Ami's "as told to" stories are either made up or heavily embellished. So many of the details don't make sense (I.e. events that supposedly took place decades ago but characters are using cell phones, etc). Also, some are recycled stories I read in other publications years ago ( I assume most of the author names are psuedonyms). That said, they often do have interesting interviews with unusual people. To me, that's their strongest feature and is a weakness of Mishpacha. Otherwise I prefer Mishpacha, I find it better written and more professional (they can handle letters with negative feedback/criticism, while Ami really cannot, I'm starting to suspect that some of the over the top, fawning letters to the editor in Ami are made up, lol).

So, in a nutshell, I read and enjoy both, but if I had to choose just one, I would go with Mishpacha, no question.

I personally know of someone who writes for the Ami under a pseudonym and she makes up the stories (Truth or Consequence) - The more sensational, the better.

Many people claim that the Ami Living is "cheap" and an imitation of sensational non jewish low class cheap magazines.

amother

Seafoam

Sun, Oct 21 2018, 2:35 pm

I enjoy the editorials and essays in Mishpacha much more so than the ones in Ami. Not that I always agree with them by any means, but they are very well written and thought provoking. And like I said previously, the authors can handle reader feedback and disagreement. Definitely more sophisticated.

For Ami, at best I skim over theirs. But sometimes their editorials are just...bizarre. Like Yitzchak Frankfurter's editorial in this past week 's edition about bris mila. I found it really odd, and to be honest, not the most appropriate for a family magazine...basically all about s*x but with Hebrew euphemisms. And believe me, I'm no prude, I just can't imagine why he thought this was the best point from the parshah he could write about.

TranquilityAndPeace

Sun, Oct 21 2018, 3:09 pm

Ever since the editor of Ami defended Lev Tahor and Weberman the molester, I stopped buying it. I still read it sometimes at my parents house.

Many of the health issues in Ami Living seem to be targeting someone who wants to make hypochondriacs even more nervous! Who wants detailed information about obscure diseases week after week?

chestnut

Sun, Oct 21 2018, 3:14 pm

amother wrote:

Amother smokey, theres a lot wrong with Ami hashkafa wise. They write about things that no one would have the guts to write about. They literally print anything submitted even the biggest shtissem. Many things they write about are not supposed to be published in a supposedly frum magazine.

Can you give examples?

amother

Papaya

Sun, Oct 21 2018, 3:15 pm

TranquilityAndPeace wrote:

Thanks for reminding me about this.
Yes, I was very outraged about the defending of Lev Tahor and Weberman.
It sickened me badly.

SacN

Sun, Oct 21 2018, 3:17 pm

Mommyg8 wrote:

My only issue with Mishpacha is that it's based in Israel and there's a lot of Israel related politics and issues, and not as much about American viewpoints and issues.

And like I said, I like Ami Living better than Family First. But that's just me.

How funny! I live in Israel and I feel like it's so so American. And the editions are different, so I can't understand why the Israeli one needs ads for stores in Brooklyn and Lakewood (okay, I get it - lotsa tourists and young couples who go home frequently). It's pretty silly to target me with mortgage brokers in Tom's River, for example.

And there's so much of American politics and personality.

But now, hearing that you think this, I'm impressed that they toe the line so well.

ChossidMom

Sun, Oct 21 2018, 3:20 pm

I read both. Don't buy them but I get them from my mom.
I like Turx, Rabbi Taub (he is amazing), Rabbi Kamenetzky and Dina Neuman. I also really enjoy Esther Sender's last page article (that moved from Mishpacha to Ami). I usually can't read the horrible medical stuff. I do read some of the business stuff in Ami as well, if it applies to me. It is definitely more American than Mishpacha.
I find Mishpacha very enjoyable as well. I absolutely love Sruli Besser's column. Love, love, love it. I think Family First is a bit more interesting than Ami Living. I usually can feel confident that with Mishpacha I'll enjoy the entire magazine without skipping.
Actually, I like the human interest stories in Ami. Someone here said that they are all made up. Is this true? That's very disappointing to hear. I really like C. Saphir's stories in Mishpacha.
All in all, I enjoy both mags!

Sruly Besser (Voice in the Crowd) is rapidly becoming my fave. Even more than Rabbi Kamenetzky!

PinkFridge

Sun, Oct 21 2018, 5:39 pm

amother wrote:

I personally know of someone who writes for the Ami under a pseudonym and she makes up the stories (Truth or Consequence) - The more sensational, the better.
.

I'm sorry, I can't be mekabel, especially from an amother.
I'm with the posters who mentioned that stances on certain issues led them to not spend money on Ami. I only buy Ami for other people but will not buy it for myself anymore.

Maya

Sun, Oct 21 2018, 7:43 pm

gigglemom wrote:

I enjoy the Ami more. But never take advice from there.... or believe anything there.... they would print anything anyone would read... Wink

For all those who say this, what’s the point of reading it then? Sounds like such a waste of time.

leah233

Sun, Oct 21 2018, 8:05 pm

TranquilityAndPeace wrote:

Ever since the editor of Ami defended Lev Tahor and Weberman the molester, I stopped buying it. I still read it sometimes at my parents house.

I'm no free speech anti censorship warrior but I still would not boycott a magazine because they defended a person and or group I consider guilty.

Particularly when their defense was not a defense of the persons or groups behavior but rather a claim of belief of innocence.

Last edited by leah233 on Sun, Oct 21 2018, 8:09 pm; edited 1 time in total

gold21

Sun, Oct 21 2018, 8:08 pm

flowerpower wrote:

My husband enjoys the last 2 articles in the back.

How come no one mentioned Dina Neuman, the back page??? This weeks was really really funny.

I think she is great. Very funny.

I kind of think she is on this site. Maybe not. I dunno. She reminds me of someone who once wrote that she's a writer for Jewish publications, I don't remember what her screen name is though.

Anyway, I enjoy her articles.