In unprecedented move, American Jewish media issue joint editorial: #WeAreAllJews

More than a dozen of America’s leading Jewish media organizations took the unusual step today of publishing a joint editorial expressing solidarity in the wake of the deadly attack on worshippers in a Pittsburgh synagogue, and calling upon political and communal leaders to show respect and civility to combat the scourge of anti-Semitism and intolerance.

“As journalists, we hold a variety of opinions about politics in this country and in Israel; the American Jewish community is diverse, and those differences are reflected on the pages of its media,” the statement read.

“In coming together now, we are not erasing those differences, but rising above them, to issue a call for solidarity and respect, and asking our political and communal leaders to do the same.”

The joint editorial was the idea of Dovid Efune, editor-in-chief and CEO of The Algemeiner, who reached out to Jane Eisner, editor-in-chief of The Forward, on the Saturday evening after the attack, in which a gunman with virulently anti-Semitic views killed eleven congregants and injured many more, including four police officers. The two editors are often ideological opposites, but decided within a day to draft a joint statement. They reached out to colleagues in Jewish media across the nation, who eagerly agreed to add their names.

The editorial is appearing in print and online in regional and national news outlets, and will be shared using the hashtag #WeAreAllJews.

“We are all Jews. Let this horrific massacre be a moment of redemption as well as grieving. Let us argue with each other as Hillel argued with Shammai—with civility. Let us acknowledge our common humanity with other Americans who have been subject to unconscionable violence, too,” the statement said.

“Jewish media has a long and proud history in America, and we pledge to continue our mission to inform, reflect and bind our communities, even more necessary in this painful time.”

The full list of signatories on the editorial is included below:

Jane Eisner, editor-in-chief, The Forward

Dovid Efune, editor-in-chief and CEO, The Algemeiner

Ami Eden, CEO and executive editor, 70 Faces Media

Nadine Epstein, editor-in-chief and CEO, Moment Magazine

Sue Fishkoff, editor, J. The Jewish News of Northern California

Jerry Greenwald, managing editor, and Naomi Klass Mauer, co-publisher,

The Jewish Press

Lisa Hostein, executive editor, Hadassah Magazine

Gabe Kahn, editor, New Jersey Jewish News

Janet Perez, managing editor, Jewish News of Greater Phoenix

Brett R. Rhyne, editor, The Jewish Advocate, Boston

Gary Rosenblatt, editor and publisher, Jewish Week of New York

Joshua Runyan, senior editorial director, Washington Jewish Week

Liz Spikol, editorial director, Baltimore Jewish Times

David Suissa, president, Tribe Media/Jewish Journal

Jonathan S. Tobin, editor-in-chief, Jewish News Syndicate

Jeffrey Gaeser, editor and publisher, The Heritage Florida Jewish News