The Great Joe Schick

This week was a sad one for the JBlogosphere. One of the earliest and most respected Jbloggers, Joe Schick, decided to call it a day. This is what he wrote:

I am pretty sure that it is time - probably long past time - to close this blog.

This is one of the oldest Jblogs, having been formed in May 2003. I have posted 1188 times. I have said at least 99 percent of what I want to say about Israel and about Jewish issues.

Even my sports posts are becoming predictable.

When I have a strong opinion about something, I no longer feel any need to blog about it. Indeed, blogging feels like another burden. I have enough burdens right now.

Until now, my reluctance to shut the blog down has stemmed from my awareness that almost all retired bloggers come back. Some come back within days, some only years later. But almost everyone eventually feels the need to write again, and returns.

I no longer think the likelihood that I will unretire is a good reason to continue blogging. Perhaps the Jets will make the playoffs, and there will soon be a flurry of posts about them. But for now it's time for at least a break.

Thanks to all those who have read and/or provided comments at The Zionist Conspiracy.

Joe was passionate about Israel, issues affecting Jews everywhere, and the Jets and Mets. His writing was clear, and he was an articulate voice of reason in a noisy and increasingly goofy and disfunctional Jblogging world.

I will miss him at that level.

(I also think that he will not be able to resist the temptation of blogging if the Jets do, indeed, make the playoffs (or, perhaps, make it to the second round)).

But beyond the blogging, my relationship with Joe has become one of those weird Jblog friendship deals. I've never met or even talked to Joe but I feel that I have gotten to know him. He has been a frequent commenter here and I on the Zionist Conspiracy. We are competitors in a fantasy football league that he set up (Congratulations to Joe who scorched us all) and he has helped me avoid ridiculous mistakes.

Now that he has given up his own forum, I hope to see him commenting here more often and he is always welcome to guest post, especially if the Jets do well.

We all owe a debt of gratitude to the great Joe Schick.