Views

A 

new era begins in 
Detroit Jewish journal-
ism and community 
service. After 78 years as a 
for-profit entity, the Jewish News 
is now owned by the commu-
nity through the independent, 
nonprofit Detroit Jewish News 
Foundation.
The Jewish News is the lat-
est in an emerging trend of 
for-profit, community-focused 
print media companies transi-
tioning to nonprofit ownership. 
Since 2004, more than 2,100 
newspapers across the U.S. 
have ceased operations, leaving 
“news deserts” in many of the 
communities they served. The 
Foundation board’
s action helps 
assure the Jewish News will not 
be one of them.
Concurrently, another era of 
Detroit Jewish journalism and 
community service — this one 
spanning 34 years — has drawn 
to a close. I am honored to now 
be the publisher emeritus of the 
Jewish News. The Foundation is 
the new publisher.

“WHY DO YOU WANT TO 
MOVE TO DETROIT?”
That was the startling question 
posed to me in November of 
1985 as I toured the offices of the 
Baltimore Jewish Times.
At the time, I was working for 
the Baltimore Sun and its affili-
ates. Enjoyed my work. Enjoyed 
the community. My wife, Gina, 
and I chased after our toddling 
son, Daniel, in our free time. 
However, a friendship devel-
oped through volunteer Jewish 
community service that would 
forever change my life and that of 
our family.
Chuck Buerger, the publish-
er of the immensely successful 
Jewish Times, had purchased 

the Jewish News from Philip 
Slomovitz in 1984. Chuck was 
on the hunt for someone to grow 
the Jewish News. He thought I fit 
the bill — daily newsroom back-
ground, young “rising star” on 
the Baltimore Sun’
s business side, 
advanced business degree and 
already an active volunteer in the 
Jewish community.
Chuck invited me to meet 
some of his work colleagues. The 
first question: “Why do you want 
to move to Detroit?” After subse-
quent conversations, I agreed to 
visit Detroit with Gina. And we 
haven’
t looked back since.

“IT REMINDS ME OF MY 
GRANDMOTHER’
S APARTMENT.”
The editorially interesting but 
visually bland Jewish News remind-
ed me of my grandmother’
s apart-
ment. Aside from plastic slipcov-
ers, her apartment had a coating 
of dust. But beneath the plastic 
and dust, it had “good bones.
” The 
Jewish News had very good bones.
Also, it was clear the Jewish News 
had a strong relationship with 
the Detroit Jewish community, 
one deeply rooted in editorial 
independence, a love of Israel and 
community service.

The opportunity was too allur-
ing. I departed the Baltimore Sun 
and, in May of 1986 — just shy 
of my 32nd birthday — assumed 
publishing responsibilities for the 
Jewish News.

“THE JEWISH NEWS IS IN RUINS”
Through most of the 1990s, the 
Jewish News enjoyed significant 
success. However, Chuck died 
unexpectedly in November of 
1996. In February of 2000, I was 
joined by noted philanthropist 
and hedge fund manager Michael 
Steinhardt in acquiring the Jewish 
News and affiliated media prop-
erties from the Buerger family.
Within two years, the Jewish 
News was in ruins … or appeared 
to be.
On Jan. 27, 2002, an elec-
tric spark triggered a fire that 
destroyed the Southfield office 
of the Jewish News, creating great 
visuals for the local television sta-
tions on the scene. One showed 
bound volumes of back issues 
engulfed in clouds of smoke and 
framed by charred roof beams.
In the inferno’
s aftermath, 
the resilient Jewish News staff 
transformed a nearby hotel 
ballroom into a makeshift office 
and — miraculously — produced 
a 116-page edition of the Jewish 
News. It reached subscriber mail-
boxes just one day late. While we 
received memorable and heartfelt 
support from the community, 
what lingered were the television 
images of the vulnerable bound 
volumes.

“WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO 
TO PROTECT OUR HISTORY?”
The creation of the independent, 
501(c)(3) nonprofit Jewish News 
Foundation in July of 2011 pro-
vided the answer. It’
s been a career 
highlight to be its organizer and 
founding president. 
By 2015, the Foundation raised 
sufficient funds to protect, digitize 
and make freely available more 
than 330,000 pages of content 
from the Jewish News and the 
predecessor Jewish Chronicle. The 

archive is known as the William 
Davidson Digital Archive of 
Jewish Detroit History. A copy 
resides safely — and in perpetuity 
— at the University of Michigan’
s 
Bentley Historical Library.
But the Foundation was created 
to be more. With the print media 
industry’
s decline, the Foundation 
would eventually be well-posi-
tioned to bring the Jewish News 
under its nonprofit community 
umbrella.

“THAT DAY IS TODAY”
On Sept. 16, the Foundation 
voted to bring the Jewish News 
under that nonprofit umbrella. It 
takes effect Oct. 1. 
So, my journey publishing the 
Jewish News concludes today. I’
ll 
continue to have an active rela-
tionship with the Detroit Jewish 
News Foundation and assist it 
in its expanded role. I’
ve been 
fortunate to have wonderful work 
colleagues, most significantly 
Kevin Browett, who joined me 
in July of 2002 and has been a 
valued colleague and business 
partner. Kevin continues as chief 
operating officer for the Jewish 
News and current staff remains 
in place. I am also grateful to 
Michael Steinhardt, who believed 
in my vision for Jewish media in 
Detroit and globally and, despite 
the increasingly difficult media 
landscape, remains a supportive 
friend.
And to you, the Detroit Jewish 
community … Thank you for 
embracing us, nurturing and edu-
cating our children, and providing 
us with an incredible village of 
support. We have been blessed to 
reach together this shehecheyanu 
moment — to express gratitude 
and celebrate this important 
moment in the history of our 
family, community and the Jewish 
News.
Wishing you a safe, sweet and 
healthy New Year.

6 | OCTOBER 1 • 2020 

Gina and Arthur Horwitz

publisher’
s notebook

A New Era Begins

Arthur Horwitz

