8 minute read
Opinion
Four years on
OPINION PIECE BY ROBERT FESTENSTEIN
This week The Jewish Weekly is celebrating its 200th edition. In just over four years the paper has grown both online and on paper to become a major contributor to UK Jewish journalism. Those four years have seen some very significant changes in Israel, including the move of the US Embassy to Jerusalem and the formalisation of relations with the UAE and other Arab states.
Most of us will remember the harbingers of doom claiming that the US moving their embassy to Jerusalem would bring the peace process to a grinding halt. Apparently also, reaching peace accords with Arab states was a betrayal of the Palestinian people. Those crying ‘betrayal’ were a lot less shrill in explaining how the stalled peace process might be restarted; they were quick to criticise yet remarkably slow in promoting a positive way forward.
This ‘no’ attitude has, over the last 4 years become much more vocal. The idea of mutual respect of opposing ideas has been replaced by the demand that only one idea be heard, that of the social media fascists who hunt in packs and seek to destroy the careers of those who dare to disagree with them. Sadly this is being seen in the Jewish community. Anyone who does not dance to the latest ‘woke tune’ is immediately suspect and excluded from discussion and refused entry to social groups or events.
This is a very sinister move. The idea that if enough people get together they can stifle any debate is abhorrent, irrespective how much they might yell about democracy and human rights. In order for a proper consensus to arise, there has to be a wide range of ideas, not just trendy far left mantras which bear little relevance to day to day living.
Over the last 4 years the community has become increasingly divided, across many lines, not only those emanating from social media.
So what is the answer to our increasingly fractured society? How has this animosity increased so much over the last four years? The answer is complicated, though availability of time has a lot to do with it. We all have so little time now. By the time we get to our thirties and forties, there is just no time. Work and children suck all the time out of the day leaving communal organisations being run by those under 30 or over 60. The older generation understand the importance of communication and debate.
Those under 30 have no such understanding. Their aim is to press home their ideas and rubbish everything else. What the last four years has shown is that this intransigence is getting worse. It is time to stand up to these people who shut down debate and lie about their opponents. It is time to try and reach those from the centre and centre-right and involve them in Jewish activities and organisations. In order for the Jewish organisations to be relevant they must be broad based and not just run on a far-left agenda imposed upon them by those same shrill voices who hate any ideas not exactly the same as their own.
We need to push back against the far-left bullies so that come edition 400 of The Jewish Weekly the divisions will not be so pronounced and there is a more balanced range of ideas and groups in UK Jewry. This will not be easy, though it will certainly be worth the effort since otherwise the divisiveness will just get worse and we will no longer be one community, just a series of groups yelling at each other all convinced they are the only ones who are right.
Robert Festenstein is a practising solicitor and has been the principal of his Salford based firm for over 20 years. He has fought BDS motions to the Court of Appeal and is President of the Zionist Central Council in Manchester which serves to protect and defend the democratic State of Israel.
More Jewish newspapers than nationals
OPINION PIECE BY JAMES J MARLOW
It’s a pleasure to be asked to write a “special” opinion piece for the 200th edition of The Jewish Weekly. As I ponder a subject to choose, from a long list of topics deep within my subconscious, my thought process carefully concluded a look at the UK’s Jewish newspapers.
I was writing a great deal of Middle East analysis on Syria, Iraq, Libya and Egypt for the Agudat Yisrael paper, The Jewish Tribune. During those years, I introduced readers to the name ICIL which of course became ISIS.
I was in the Knesset when the Tribune asked me to write about “Israeli political developments” and of course I covered the Israeli elections of 2013 and 2015 for the Tribune, whilst working for a number of news networks.
With the odd news articles for the Jewish Chronicle, Jewish News and London correspondent for Mishpacha, I came to the conclusion in 2016 that the British Jewish community could benefit from yet another Jewish newspaper.
I discovered that many within the community, whether Shabbat keeping or traditional, were not at all comfortable with the JC or Jewish News. They were seen as left wing, Labour party supporting, secular Jewish newspapers and sometimes, extremely critical of Israel.
Many stopped buying the JC while others no longer picked up a copy of the free, Jewish News. However because these people were mostly non-strictly Orthodox, perhaps traditional united synagogues members, my research discovered they were uncomfortable with purchasing one of the religious papers. Pity, I wrote some great analysis for the Jewish Tribune and Mishpacha at the time.
But there was (and still is) a sea of religious publications: Hamodia, Jewish Tribune, Yated Neeman, Mishpacha, Ami and others.
I concluded there was a market for yet another Jewish newspaper which would sit in the centre between the two secular newspapers and the religious or chareidi publications.
So I went in search of funding for such a project. This was challenging because those looking to invest naturally wanted a return on their investment. But as national newspapers were cutting back on their professional staff and lowering wages, whilst also seeking out sponsors for their own publications, a Jewish newspaper was going to be hard to get off the ground.
Many papers were moving with the times and enhancing their online content. Some were even charging to view articles after the first few lines.
Nevertheless I continued my search for investors. Little did I know at the time, that someone else also had that bright idea and in early 2017 he announced his brand new Jewish newspaper was going to launch.
I then discovered it was Yossi Saunders, found his telephone number and called him to say, “Well done. “I was trying to do the same thing and you beat me. “Congratulations” and I wished him good luck with the launch.
Although Yossi knew I was writing for the Jewish Tribune at the time, he asked if I would also be interested in writing for The Jewish Weekly. In the end, I agreed and whilst Yossi focused on the advertising and general running of the paper, I was responsible for the political news and Israel affairs.
At the time, someone mentioned that it would be great if Rabbi Yitzhok Schochet would join the paper with his famous column, originally seen in the Jewish News.
I replied, “What an excellent idea” and telephoned the Mill Hill United Synagogue Rabbi to ask if he was interested. Just like my good-self, Rabbi Schochet in the end agreed and four and a half years later, the “Ask the Rabbi” page is still going strong and is one of the most popular sections in The Jewish Weekly.
For those who don’t know, Yitzhok Schochet is also one of Britain’s few Rabbi’s that can look after themselves very well, if caught down a dark alley one night with some extremely unfriendly characters. So you have been warned.
It’s very challenging to run a newspaper. The job comes with weekly headaches, painstaking hours, very late nights, pressures, deadlines and a deep, dedicated commitment to bring accurate and up to date news.
Many including the other newspapers never expected it would last a year, but they were wrong. Readers do prefer a more conservative view, rather than the alternative.
Thousands of people read their own favourite sections every week and one or two may also give my opinion piece a quick once over.
As for the future, well who knows? We live in a very fast paced, changing tech world, that has pretty much shut down for the last 18 months and we don’t know what is coming next.
But 200 editions of The Jewish Weekly over a four and a half year period, is a tremendous success. So continue to support the paper and keep in touch by writing to us and letting us know what you think.
James J. Marlow is a broadcast journalist previously working for ITN, EuroNews, LBC Radio, Daily Express and a number of Jewish publications. In addition, he runs a Media and Communications / Public Speaking Training Operation and was a consultant at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem. Email: James@TheCommunicationBureau.com
We are proud to be in the 200th edition of The Jewish Weekly Mazeltov!
We are welcoming everyone to the restaurant, but asking politely that masks are worn when not seated, for the security and comfort of our other customers. We will continue to offer hand sanitiser and perform temperature checks, and the tables will still be ‘socially spaced’.
We strongly support the right for families and friends being allowed to be together and celebrate simchas together. However, we will do everything we can to protect the community from any possible harm.
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