Today, the” Orthodox Union” — the nation’s largest Orthodox Jewish umbrella organization — called upon the New York Times to apologize for its publication in its Sunday Magazine of an essay authored by Mr. Noah Feldman after the New York Jewish Week revealed yesterday that Feldman and Times editors knew in advance of publication that the essay contained false statements. The Union further called upon the Times to remove Feldman from his position as a Contributing Editor to the NY Times Magazine.
The essay, a highly personal account of Feldman’s difficult relationship with the Modern Orthodox Jewish community in which he was raised, entitled “Orthodox Paradox,” was published in the July 22 edition of the Times’ Magazine. The essay opens with a lengthy account of Feldman attending a reunion of his Orthodox high-school with his non-Jewish finacee, and his assertion that the school deliberately and singularly eliminated Feldman and his finacee from the photograph of the reunion published in the school newsletter. The NY Jewish Week, in its August 3 edition, published a report in which Feldman admits having learned in advance of the publication of his essay that his assertion of being intentionally edited out of the photo was false. Moreover, the Jewish Week expose reveals that NYTimes editors were also aware, in advance of publication, that the essay’s assertion was false.
In the wake of these revelations, the Orthodox Union leadership has written to the NY Times as follows:
On behalf of the leadership and constituency of the Orthodox Union, we write to express our outrage at the decision by the Times Magazine editors to publish Mr. Feldman’s slanderous essay when… it became known to the author and to the editors – in advance of publication – that Mr. Feldman’s assertion of his being deliberately cropped out of a photograph of his day school reunion – the departure point and narrative framing for his essay – was false. When we read Feldman’s article initially, we were offended by the many scurrilous anti-Orthodox characterizations he makes (referencing the murderers Amir and Goldstein; comparing the Tefillin (phylacteries) worn at morning prayers to masochistic devices, etc.), but we could not reasonably expect the editors of the Times to have the knowledge or background to vet such assertions, even though we would expect any intelligent reader of the essay to question Feldman’s perspective. But it is another matter entirely to learn that the editors were informed – in advance of publication – that Feldman’s representation of the photograph incident was questionable; decide, as reported by the NYJW, to pay for the photographer to travel and retrieve the contact sheets; examine the contact sheets and then determine Feldman’s assertion was false and therefore make an editorial decision not to publish the photo! Such editorial conduct is outrageous and we believe demands an apology from the Times.
Moreover, we believe that Feldman’s own “journalistic” credibility has been sufficiently shown to be absent, that we ask you to remove him from his position as a Contributing Editor to the Times, just as you would remove any columnist or reporter found to be knowingly writing articles with false information.
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12 Responses
This statement makes no sense to me. Even if they had deliberately cropped him out of the photo, they would be more than justified. He married a shiksa and came with her to his orthodox school reunion.
Why are we suprised at the New York SLIMES?!! I dont understand why any sane yid purchases or even picks up that disgusting rag. That “paper” goes against EVERYTHING a frum person should stand for.
The reason that certain Jews think that the Times represents the real news, so even though the de-judaized/intermarried Jews that run it have to pander to and grovel at the feet of the gentiles to show they are not, G-d forbid, sympathetic to their brethren whose faith they have abhorred.
Of course, we all know that the news in general, and the Times and others in particular, is intended for entertainment purposes only (and everyone has their own agenda, which is bound to come through in their reporting), but this is how these Jews feel they can ” keep in-touch with what’s happeining in the world”.
The Jewish-owned New York Times is definitely not a friend of Torah Judaism. To paraphrase their motto: If the “news” fits our agenda, we print it.
I sincerely believe that the Times is part of the Gezeira (Heavenly Decree) mentioned in Gemara Sanhedrin [98a] of “HaEmes Neederes”: As we get closer to the coming of Mashiach, there will be a shortage of truth.
Baruch HASHEM (thank G-D) for providing Yeshiva World News to protect Torah Jews from this severe Gezeira.
We look forward to having the YW News editors announce news of the Geulah Shleimah (Final Redemption), BiMeheira VeYameinu (soon, in our lifetimes) Amen.
Joseph:
“Even if they had deliberately cropped him out of the photo, they would be more than justified. He married a shiksa and came with her to his orthodox school reunion”.
If it’s wrong it’s a good thing they did NOT do it. And yes, Shiksa or not, it’s WRONG to be deceitful in that manner.
The NYT is no more of a rag than a tabloid
Well…I am glad he & the Times have been proven to be telling lies on this.
Wonderful
After discussing this matter with an attorney, I respectfully recommend that Maimonides Day School initiate a major lawsuit against Prof. Noah Feldman and the New York Times for malicious libel.
They have declared war against the Ribono Shel Olam and Klal Yisrael. We are obligated to fight back. Victory or a settlement will be a financial gain for a needy Yeshiva.
#9 – What was that about Rav Schwab & Henry Kissinger? I never heard about anything like that. Can you please explain more fully what transpired?
Thanks.
I think that the OU’s demand for an apology is a mistake. By claiming that the article is false, the OU is implying (albeit, not intentionally) that Feldman should not have been excluded from the picture, when in fact he certainly should have been for rebelling to such an extent as to marry a non Jew.
If I had a parrot he would be reading better material than the NY Times.
brumfin, exactly my point!