Ami or Mishpacha | Imamother

WitchKitty

Wed, Sep 30 2020, 5:07 am

I prefer Ami because all the parts are interesting. I don't read Mishpacha Jr. for example.

Mishpacha does have a lot more about Israel (Ami pretty much only has Friedlander who I read in the Israeli paper anyway) and also easier recipes. I don't think I've ever had all the ingredients needed for an Ami recipe.

fiji

Wed, Sep 30 2020, 5:36 am

I like both and buy both most weeks. If I only want one I compares the convers to see which has articles that interest me more. They do have different vibes but don’t think one is better than the other, just different. Buy both for a few weeks and see which one fits better with your family.

allthingsblue

Wed, Sep 30 2020, 7:19 am

Mishpacha.
They have well written, non sensationalist, well sourced articles for the most part. They include people from all spectrums of Judaism. My husband and I both enjoy it very much, and my kids enjoy the Jr section.
I don't buy a Jewish magazine for news- I hear my news on the radio or read it online. I like a break from the news, and I like hearing about new things and seeing new places.

chili-n-cholent

Wed, Sep 30 2020, 9:09 am

It all depends what ur looking for, I enjoy both but enjoy mishpacha more as it’s more intellectual, hashkafadig, and well written. And I’m no even Israeli....
The ami is fun, hip, and sensationalist, dh likes it better as he enjoys an easy read and likes all the adventure columns with ppl going to Dubai etc....

amother

Yellow

Wed, Sep 30 2020, 11:29 am

Mama Bear wrote:

I was wondering about that! Did he retire? I thought maybe he isnt feeling well?

He is still listed as editor and I read somewhere that he still writes columns for the Hebrew edition.
Maybe they assume the American readers aren't interested? Which is a shame. Maybe if some Mishpacha staff members read this thread they will see that readers would be very happy to see his columns again....(sometimes these threads started about which magazine should I buy, I assume have been started by one magazine writer or other in order to get honest feedback from readers and possible new customers. Obviously I am sure the OP if this thread has a legitimate dilemma, lol. But other times I have my suspicions;))

amother

Pewter

Wed, Sep 30 2020, 11:31 am

amother [ Yellow ] wrote:

sometimes these threads started about which magazine should I buy, I assume have been started by one magazine writer or other in order to get honest feedback from readers and possible new customers.

nelliebly

Wed, Sep 30 2020, 12:14 pm

I get both, but my family is pretty divided on which is best.

Some like Ami because it's fun and entertaining. The others like Mishpacha because it's better quality overall, but there tends to be less reading material and the articles are heavier. Not everyone is always in the mood of thinking so heavily when they sit down for a rest.

amother

Cerise

Wed, Sep 30 2020, 4:20 pm

I much prefer Mishpacha and Family First, although I do find the Aim (Ami kids magazine) to be better than the Mishpacha’s Jr.

In general, I find Mishpacha and FF articles to be higher-quality and better written, while the Ami comes across as a flashy, sensationalist, tabloid-style magazine in every way from its more crude design and layout to its sometimes wacky feature articles and ridiculous weekly conspiracy theories by John Loftus.

I also find that the interviews in the Ami often end up being more about the interviewer and his opinions/views/relationship to the interviewee than the interviewee himself, while the Mishpacha’s interviewers are skilled in focusing the spotlight on the interesting people they interview and leaving you with more actual information about the interviewee.

Chickensoupprof

Wed, Sep 30 2020, 4:37 pm

Mishpacha has off the couch, lifelines and the kichels and interesting long articles but the diversity of Ami I like more, more stories more variety. Oh and I live really OOT in the Netherlands and we need to get these things from Antwerp or England Wink

amother

Saddlebrown

Wed, Sep 30 2020, 4:51 pm

amother [ Cerise ] wrote:

I much prefer Mishpacha and Family First, although I do find the Aim (Ami kids magazine) to be better than the Mishpacha’s Jr.

In general, I find Mishpacha and FF articles to be higher-quality and better written, while the Ami comes across as a flashy, sensationalist, tabloid-style magazine in every way from its more crude design and layout to it’s sometimes wacky feature articles and ridiculous weekly conspiracy theories by John Loftus.

I also find that the interviews in the Ami often end up being more about the interviewer and his opinions/views/relationship to the interviewee than the interviewee himself, while the Mishpacha’s interviewers are skilled in focusing the spotlight on the interesting people they interview and leaving you with more actual information about the interviewee.

Yup. Not to mention the weird lev tahor stuff a few years back

amother

Puce

Wed, Sep 30 2020, 8:45 pm

I get and read both every week. Ami is a lighter read, and the interviews are less fawning for sure. My kid fight over Aim. Aim is much better than Mishpacha Jr. My husband likes the business section in Ami and the Bais Din articles.

Mishpacha has some excellent writers like Yisroel Besser and the historical fiction pieces which are amazing. I also find the Torah pieces in Mishpacha to be better - like what is your favorite Jewish book and why.

dorothy1

Thu, Oct 01 2020, 1:41 am

amother [ Burlywood ] wrote:

I find that in real life my friends like Ami better. It sells way better in our local grocery in Lakewood (I asked). On imamother ppl tend to choose Mishpacha. Its possible because there are more OOTs/Anglo Israelis here.

I find Mishpacha very anglo Israeli.
You're better off asking your friends and likeminded peers.

It’s funny you say that. I’ve noticed multiple times before YT I cannot find mishpaxha anywhere (pesach I found by a random gas station after trying evergreen, shloimys, aisle 9, seasons ...) , but often there are still stacks of Ami. I have even thought of contacting mishpacha about this.

dorothy1

Thu, Oct 01 2020, 1:55 am

I have subscribed to both and much prefer Mishpacha . Here’s why:

- less sensationalist / doesn’t try to Be “controversial “
- better writing
- much better interviews
- I’m more interested in the people and topics they cover. A wide variety of Jewish personalities- Hasidish, Sephardi, litvish, etc. Recent : the Abuchatzaria family, Rabbi Gissinger of Lakewood , Rebbetzin Jungreis, etc.
- some extremely good , in depth articles that make my subscription worth it. For example this past week a great story on the American boys martyred in Chevron, so well researched and well written
- their features- new feature on Jewish history is great, lifelines , kichels, ring me, off the couch , double take , etc. Forgot the name of it but I love the feature about Jewish music too
- I don’t read these magazines for news, so I don’t care who has more news. But I do prefer Mishpachas discussions on current events.

I do like the business section of Ami, and I always get Ami over YT and enjoy it. I’m just much more of a fan of mishpacha.

To speak to whether or not Ami has a Lubavitcher slant- they do cover Lubavitch disproportionately , but that may be because their readership could be disproportionately lubavitch?

Interestingly I rarely hear people say they like both. It seems to be one or the other and people have very strong opinions.

Odelyah

Thu, Oct 01 2020, 1:56 am

amother [ Saddlebrown ] wrote:

Yup. Not to mention the weird lev tahor stuff a few years back

THIS I would never buy Ami after this. unbelievable. (unless I heard that there was some kind of huge apology and editorial restructuring that happened afterwards. was there?)

amother

Lawngreen

Thu, Oct 01 2020, 2:34 am

Mama Bear wrote:

I was wondering about that! Did he retire? I thought maybe he isnt feeling well?

His column is still in the Hebrew Mishpacha. Quality writing, the content is on a higher level intellectually than a lot of what the English version publishes. I don’t know why they dropped his column. If there’s a Mishpacha editor eavesdropping here maybe she’d take note.

nelliebly

Thu, Oct 01 2020, 8:21 am

As a Lubavitcher, I don't feel represented in Mishpacha's articles at all. They hardly ever mention (except that nice piece about the shlucha on rosh Hashana). True, Ami mentions Lubavitch a lot (and they are definitely the read by significantly more Lubavitchers than Mishpacha is. Hugely so. Hardly any Lubavs I know read Mishpacha.)

But, for me Mishpacha is completely missing my community. I hardly even open it and feel represented or relateable. Aside from the lack of Lubavitch mention, Mishpacha articles have a very yeshivish feel and it's not a lifestyle I relate to.
I'm sure there are other communities who fell the same way.

Mama Bear

Thu, Oct 01 2020, 9:01 am

Odelyah wrote:

THIS I would never buy Ami after this. unbelievable. (unless I heard that there was some kind of huge apology and editorial restructuring that happened afterwards. was there?)

This succos, Rechy Frankfurter interviewed Moshe Hirsch's daughter. If you want more controversy.... go read, enjoy Very Happy