publisher’
s notebook

JN: Can It Continue To Connect Us?

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online comments

I

’
m often asked what makes 
Detroit unique among North 
American Jewish commu-
nities. Yes, we are generous with 
our time and treasure. And we 
have a tradition of cultivating 
leaders and shar-
ing them locally, 
nationally and 
internationally. 
However, our 
“special ingredi-
ent” is everyone 
here knows each 
other or thinks 
they should! 
With a local Jewish population 
exceeding 70,000, we can’
t know 
everyone. But our Federation’
s 
demographic studies show 
most Detroiters have lived here 
their entire lives. We’
ve shared 
neighborhoods, schools, camps, 
synagogues, youth groups, 
sororities and fraternities. We’
ve 
summered on the same lakes 
and have patronized the same 
businesses. And for many who 
move away, staying in touch 
with “home” remains a lifelong 
priority.
Providing and strengthen-
ing this thread of community 
connectedness — by writing 

credibly and engagingly about 
the people you know or think 
you should — is at the core 
of what the Jewish News does. 
In fact, more people today are 
connecting to the Detroit Jewish 
community and each other via 
the Jewish News than at any time 
in our 77-year history. 
Google analytics show 
thejewishnews.com is approach-
ing 100,000 views per month. 
Nearly half of these users are 
under the age of 45 (approx-
imately 20 percent of our 
under-45 users reside out of 
state). Meanwhile, Federation’
s 
2018 demographic study shows 
approximately half of our com-
munity over the age of 55 are 
reading the JN print edition.
While the website and print 
edition each have exclusive 
stories and features, young and 
old — and in between — are 
being brought together by com-
mon content. The annual Cap & 

Gown, 36 Under 36 and Rising 
Stars issues generate tremendous 
multi-generational interest and 
excitement. Last week’
s feature 
on three generations of Blums 
— George, Robert and Natalie 
— in pediatric practice together 
was enjoyed by hundreds (more 
likely thousands) of current and 
former patients. Today’
s edition 
features the Schwartz, Tepman 
and Grubner families, whose 
Detroit-based Porter Bottle 
Company spans five generations.
The ability of the Jewish News 
to provide this thread of com-
munity connectedness is being 
fundamentally challenged by 
dramatic changes disrupting the 
media industry. As I’
ve shared 
previously, our industry remains 
dependent on an old-school 
economic model that relies 
on declining volumes of print 
advertising to pay for most of 
what we do. And the vast major-
ity — 87 percent — of all digital 

advertising goes to just two enti-
ties, Google and Facebook.
It couldn’
t come at a worse 
time.
Today, we are surrounded by 
highly partisan media outlets 
and bombarded by myriad dig-
ital sources — including many 
emanating from enemies of our 
country or the Jewish commu-
nity — whose intention is to 
pump out “fake news,
” create 
“alternative facts” and advance 
conspiracy theories. The desire 
is to divide us. Fragment us. Cut 
our common thread of commu-
nity connectedness.
The Detroit Jewish News 
Foundation, a 501-c-3 nonprofit 
organization formed in 2011, 
will likely be playing a more 
significant role in supporting, 
strengthening and sharing inde-
pendent, credible journalism 
for Detroit’
s Jewish community. 
C 
ommunity support — from 
readers like you — will be 
needed if the Jewish News is to 
continue to be our community’
s 
trusted common thread that 
keeps us connected to our com-
munity, the world around us 
and each other during these 
turbulent times. 

Arthur 
Horwitz

6 | OCTOBER 10 • 2019 

“Providing the thread of 
community connectedness is at 
the core of what the JN does.”

The Jewish News welcomes 
feedback from readers, many 
of whom commented on the 
story “Michigan Representatives 
Call for Impeachment” on our 
Facebook page.
Denise Bendori: The most ridic-
ulous thing ever! Michigan is turn-
ing into California-lite with those 
people in office initiating policy that 
will destroy Michigan from within.
Deborah Eber: Trump is a 
deceitful, ignorant and ill-tempered 
man. He has no understanding of 
law or governance. He campaigns 
instead of governing.

Helene Goldberg: Trump is a 
terrible man. No one I know can 
stand him so I’
m glad they’
re going 
to try and impeach him.
Johnny Ricks: It’
s amazing to 
witness how divided Americans are 
on Trump.
Mickey Levin: Trump is a 
“terrible man” is not grounds 
for impeachment. Check the 
Constitution. I know you wouldn’
t 
want a Democrat being impeached 
one day for being a “terrible per-
son.” I know a lot of people who 
can stand him and, more impor-
tantly, like the job he is doing.

Nancy Besser: Impeachment 
from a Congress with 14 percent 
approval rating is quite a joke here 
… Sure, impeach Trump because 
they cannot win against him with 
the 2020 freak show candidates 
running.
Julie Geller Bussell: He (Trump) 
is no role model I would want any 
of my students or children to honor 
or show respect to. He’
s a disgrace.
Eric Weiss: They don’
t have 
the votes, and Trump did nothing 
wrong … I know who I will not be 
voting for.

Readers had this to say on 
Facebook after reading the 
online story “ADL Deems ‘
OK’
 
Hand Gesture a Hate Symbol.”
Frances Swoish: The people 
in this picture are turning this 
worldwide-known friendly hand 
gesture into a sign of hate … the 
letters WP. (White Power.) I have a 
hand gesture for them.
Lawrence Rachleff: Oy vey, 
what’
s next? The thumbs up or 
the smile?

