1942-1992
THE JEWISH NEWS COMMEMORATIVE ISSUE
48-page supplement to the
focus, allotting more emphasis
paper in January 1958. That
to local, investigative news
"travelogue" communicated
stories written by professional
the couple's enthusiasm, ex-
Detroit reporters, it maintains
citement, and "ecstacy" to
the essential credo estab-
Jews and non-Jews in De
lished by Mr. Slomovitz.
troit.
In some respects, it
"What a marve-
persists in the goals
lous country,
set earlier — serv-
where such crav-
ing the commu-
inception,
ing for art, music
nity and retain-
and literature
ing a strong
the paper
supersedes the
commitment to
espoused
tensions of war
education. When
and threats from
Arthur Horwitz
Zionis
hostile neighbors,"
took the helm as
wrote ME Slomovitz.
associate publisher
Through The Jewish
in 1986, the paper in-
News, Detroit Jewry seemed
stituted such explicitly educa-
to find an elusive unity. And
tional features as its DChayim
the paper remained true to its
and singles sections, and its
policy of serving the Jewish
program of recognizing "Mitz-
population as it reached out,
vah Heroes," quiet, non-
hoping to resolve conflicts and
financial activists working in
mediate disputes among
the community who might
various factions.
motivate others.
In a dramatic move in 1950,
The paper's activism, co-
for example, the paper ad-
sponsoring events with the
monished Dr. Shmarya Klein-
Jewish Community Center or
man, president of the Jewish
the Young Adult Division of
Federation, for example, also
Community Council, and
continue earlier Jewish News
Samuel Rubiner, president of
policy.
Federation, to explore avenues
Mr. Horwitz believes that
to merge the two battling
the paper does not practice
organizations in order to serve
"advocacy journalism" in the
the Detroit Jewish communi-
traditional sense. "We ad-
ty more effectively and
vocate the survival of the
amicably. That challenge pro-
Jewish people and the main-
mpted a dialogue which at
tenance of as strong a Jewish
least brought some of the
community as possible along
hostilities between Federation
with a strong Israel."
and Council to the pbulic
surface.
Behind or beneath each
Although it did not produce
story is the question, "Will
a merger at the time, The
this help make for a stronger
Jewish News nevertheless pro-
Jewish community?" If the
vided a community service.
story reflects attitudes or in-
Mr. Slomovitz continued to
terests of Jews or even raises
plead for the respective
questions about Jewish in-
leaders to put aside their
terests, the answer is yes. The
rhetoric and formulate one
editorial policy rests upon
community organization "to
diversity, even when it brings
serve one community."
controversy.
The Detroit Jewish News
The
Jewish
News'
became the most profitable
publishers and editors have
English-Jewish newspaper in
pursued the actualities of con-
the United States. It had been
temporary Jewish life, expos-
recognized as the best
ing differences and controver-
English-Jewish weekly in the
sies: reporting divisions over
United States with the awar-
Israel, yet always supporting
the state; confronting the
ding of the Boris Smolar Prize
decline in Jewish education
of the Council of Jewish
Federations and Welfare
and actively advocating its
correction; depicting the
Funds for best journalism
coverage of the Jewish world
realities of intermarriage and
commenting on methods of
scene.
In 1984, Mr. Slomovitz sold
coping with it; disclosing the
the paper to a partnership led
difficulties of maintaining
by Charles Buerger of the
Jewish families, identity and
Baltimore Jewish Times, but
tradition and offering sugges-
he remains as editor emeritus.
tions and programs on how all
The new owners redesigned
that might be achieved.
the format, gave it a more con-
In this and more, the paper
temporary look as it attemp-
has continued a long tradition
ted to reflect an "up-scale,"
while taking on what Mr.
somewhat younger readership.
Slomovitz has called "a very
While it reoriented its new
strong contemporary flavor"
Perhaps some of the shift can
be characterized by a
monumental event that punc-
tuated a revolutionary change
in the function of newspapers
as conveyors of hard news.
Arthur Horwitz recalls that
on Wednesday, Jan. 17, 1991,
the paper went to press with
the front page headline about
the Persian Gulf, "All Quiet."
By Thursday morning war
had begun and by Thursday
night, after the staff had
changed the headline, it went
to press reading "Attack (the
American Attack on Iraq)
Brings Israel Relief."
On Friday, Jews in Detroit
read that headline having
already watched the first Scud
missiles fall on Tel Aviv the
previous night.
Mr. Horwitz notes that The
Jewish News' staff realized
that the means of delivering
information had radically
changed. No longer could the
weekly paper — even the dai-
ly paper — be the major pro-
vider of hard news. We had
entered the age of instant
news, of CNN and satellite
coverage.
By 1991, then, The Jewish
News manifested the diverse
character of Jewish life in
Detroit and in the United
States. In 1988 the paper com-
missioned Scarborough Re-
search Corp. to conduct a
study on its readers' percep-
tions of the paper.
Seventy-six percent found
that it reported the news in a
"fair, unbiased manner"; 71
percent called for more local
news; 98 percent took pride in
the paper and would show it
to out-of-town visitors; 94 per-
cent read it regularly, not to
say religiously.
By 1990, the paper boasted
subscriptions to 21,000 house-
holds with 400-500 out-of-state
subscriptions (the number in-
creases each winter). When
the most recent Federation
population survey appeared,
one Federation official quip-
ped that a more accurate
count might have been gain-
ed by simply examining the
subscription numbers of The
Jewish News. 111
50
•
Controversial
articles reflect,
and strengthen,
the community.
Dr. Sidney Bolkosky is
professor of history at the
University of Michigan —
Dearborn. He is author of the
recent history of the Jews of
Detroit, "Harmony and
Dissonance," and co-author of
the Holocaust curriculum
"Life Unworthy of Life."
MARCH 27, 1992
11