Looking Back

From the William Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish Detroit History

accessible at www.djnfoundation.org

54 | APRIL 1 • 2021 

Wikipedia Turns 20
T

here is an anniversary this year, a 
birthday for a famous, everyday 
information resource. Wikipedia is 
20 years old, and in the two decades since 
it was launched, it has become ubiquitous. 
One would be hard-pressed to find any user 
of the internet who has not encountered 
Wikipedia. Indeed, any online search for 
background information usually generates a 
Wikipedia entry.
The development of 
Wikipedia stems from the 
idea of a “wiki,” or an online 
publication that is edited and 
managed by its own readers. 
This is what differentiates 
Wikipedia from most other 
online sources such as the 
Jewish Virtual Library, a site with internal 
editors, or online archives for prominent 
newspapers in the U.S. and Israel, which are 
static and database-driven. Wikipedia itself 
is a collaborative project that results in a 
continually growing and free compendium 
of knowledge. 
I wondered if Wikipedia appeared in the 
JN. So, I searched the William Davidson 
Digital Archive of Jewish Detroit History, 
another stellar online resource (not that I’m 
biased, mind you). As one might imagine, 
the most common reference to Wikipedia is 
when it is cited as a source for information. 
In other cases, articles are accompa-
nied by photos, such as images of Anne 
Frank, an IDF soldier wearing tefillin 
or the Beatles, that JN editors found on 
“Wikimedia Commons,” a branch of 
Wikipedia. 
For another example, an article about 
online Passover by former Detroiter 
and archivist of Judaica at the National 
Library of Israel, Dr. Yoel Finkelman, in 
the March 29, 2018, issue of the JN, cited 
several Haggadahs that could be found on 
Wikipedia such as the Wolff, Bird’s Head or 
Copenhagen versions.
The usage of the title “Wikipedia” in JN 
articles is very interesting. It demonstrates 

that Wikipedia is indeed com-
monly known. In several reports, 
when referring to someone with 
great knowledge of a subject, that 
person is often cited as a “Walking 
Wikipedia.” 
As wonderful a resource as 
Wikipedia might be, there are 
caveats to be taken seriously when 
using it. Although academic stud-
ies have shown the Wikipedia is 
nearly as reliable as the traditionally 
edited sources like the venerable 
Encyclopædia Britannica (est. 
1768), discretion must be used 
when reading entries. Since it is 
user-edited, there can be abuses, 
especially when the subjects are 
controversial or involve politics, 
such as the topic of Israel.
Wikipedia is closely monitored, and a 
lot of bogus information is removed rather 
quickly. Nevertheless, false information 
can still work itself into Wikipedia entries. 
For example, an article in the Sept. 7, 
2006, issue of the JN, “The Lie that 
Won’t Die,” discussed the abundance of 
conspiracy theories after the terrorism 
on Sept. 11, 2001. In particular, the 
repeated attempts to inject antise-
mitic conspiracy theories into the 
Wikipedia entries related to 9-11.
There were also articles in the JN that 
mentioned Wikipedia when discussing 
how we cope with the digital age. In the 
“Evolution of Learning,” in the Sept. 20, 
2002, JN, Daniel Rosenbaum addresses 
the impact upon educational issues. In “
A 
Return to Simpler Times” in the Nov. 3, 
2016, issue of the JN, Rabbi Jason Miller 
suggests we should pledge to “not run to 
Google and Wikipedia so quickly.” 
So Happy Birthday, Wikipedia. But read-
ers — proceed with caution! 

Want to learn more? Go to the DJN Foundation 

archives, available for free at www.djnfoundation.

org.

Mike Smith
Alene and 
Graham Landau 
Archivist Chair

Wikipedia is closely monitored, and a 

lot of bogus information is removed rather 
quickly. Nevertheless, false information 
can still work itself into Wikipedia entries. 

Won’t Die,” discussed the abundance of 
conspiracy theories after the terrorism 

 that 

mentioned Wikipedia when discussing 

