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