“Talking Truth to Power by Publicizing These Uncomfortable Secrets”

A powerful letter to the editor of The Jewish Week from reader Bob Jackson, standing up for JCCWatch “for talking truth to power by publicizing these uncomfortable secrets”:

Why doesn’t The Jewish Week criticize UJA-Federation for its financial relationship with Jewish Communal Fund (JCF), which funds Israel-bashing organizations like B’Tzelem, which participates in Israel Apartheid Week programs (“Promoting Disunity,” Editorial, June 5)?

And why doesn’t the Jewish “flagship” newspaper pressure major donors to UJA-Federation and other communal leaders to sever relationships with the New Israel Fund, which funds BDS supporters?

The reason is that The Jewish Week itself is funded by UJA-Federation, which compromises their journalistic independence.

So instead they attack the grassroots JCC Watch with lashon hora, for talking truth to power by publicizing these uncomfortable secrets.

Gary Rosenblatt responded in an Editor’s Note:

As noted each week in our masthead on Page 2, “The Jewish Week is an independent community newspaper.” We are not “funded by UJA-Federation.” However, its donors who contribute $50 or more to the annual campaign are offered a subscription to The Jewish Week.

Once again, Rosenblatt is only giving his readers half-truths – read all about it here: “Promoting Disinformation at The Jewish Week.”

The Jewish Week should disclose the fact that it was spun out from the UJA-Federation of New York as a not-for-profit corporation whose assets revert back to the UJA-Federation of New York should the corporation ever be dissolved or sold.

These two companies are much closer than they let on.

JCCWatch believes in honesty at Jewish communal organizations and The Jewish Week should hold itself to the same standard in public disclosure.