Before J. officially announced this week that I’ve been hired as editor in chief, I was given the grace of a month to find my footing. It’s already clear that accepting this role is one of the best decisions I have ever made.
Going from reporting for the Jewish Telegraphic Agency to managing a small but influential newsroom, I now get to practice journalism and share my passion for the work with a whole team. I also love the change from reporting for a global outlet to a local one. My readers are part of my immediate community.
I have already spent time talking with many impressive and interesting people across Northern California. I interviewed 17-year-old Henry Raz of Marin County, who is making YouTube videos debunking lies about the Talmud. Vintners Jeff Morgan of Berkeley and Ernie Weir of Napa told me how kosher wine is bucking the downturn in the larger wine market.
It was illuminating to speak at length — in Hebrew — with Silicon Valley community activists Tali Klima and Jenny Shalev. Tye Gregory, CEO of the Jewish Community Relations Council Bay Area, gave me the inside scoop on local politics. And Joy Sisisky, CEO of the Jewish Federation Bay Area, gave me a history lesson, a comprehensive orientation and a rundown of her incredible, recent trip accompanying Jews from rural India on their immigration journey to Israel.
In preparation for this job, I read “The Rebbe’s Army” by J. editor emerita Sue Fishkoff. It’s remarkable that a book about Chabad written 20 years ago holds up so well — a testament to the strength of her journalism. I was inspired not just by Sue but also by her book’s subject matter. I hope to bring to this work the same dedication that Chabad emissaries bring to Jewish outreach.
I am an Israeli American who has felt like an outsider in both countries, but one principle connects me and animates my journalism: Ahavat Yisrael, the love of your fellow Jew. I have always felt an affinity to other Jews, even those with whom I may vehemently disagree.
It’s a useful superpower for a news editor in an era of deep divisions and polarization. Jews today find ourselves at the constant center of public discussion and debate. J. must always be a space for us to have tough conversations, document our community’s tribulations and accomplishments and feel validated in the choices we make around our identities.
The Bay Area is not a place I am parachuting into all of a sudden. I went to college at Cal and lived in Oakland for years afterward — some of the most formative years of my life. To borrow a formulation from the late poet David Blair: I was born in Los Angeles, raised in Israel, but made in the Bay. I am thrilled to return home.
Please never hesitate to reach out with questions, concerns and tips. (I want all your tips!) Also, if you have leads on rentals in the East Bay that would make a good home for a family with two small children, send those. You can reach me at [email protected].