To our readers, from a reporter:
After 40 years in newsrooms, I’m quitting the world of daily journalism. I can’t wait to sleep late, vacation in Italy (I’ve never been), and write for fun (plays and mysteries!) without staring down a deadline. But as my time as a Forward reporter comes to an end, I’ve also been thinking a lot about how much you, our readers, have meant to me.
In the weeks after the Oct. 7 attacks, you sent me a slew of supportive emails, thanking me and expressing concern for how I might be faring as I reported on the carnage, the hostage families and antisemitism on U.S. campuses. (I’m fine, thank you for asking.)
I also manage our legendary Bintel Brief advice column. I’ve loved hearing your feedback there, too, sometimes thanking us for helpful advice, other times offering a different perspective. (As Jodi said, I’m still doing that on a freelance basis, so send me your queries about the dilemmas of daily Jew-ish life.)
Other subjects I’ve covered among my 274 Forward bylines (so far) — the Bronx, the Mets, D-Day, fasting on Yom Kippur without praying, the 1994 Brooklyn Bridge shooting, bagels, bagels and more bagels — have also elicited lively conversations. You’ve sent me your memories of cheering the Brooklyn Dodgers and your tributes to loved ones who fought in World War II.
You’ve sometimes asked me for more information — like when I recently wrote about the Jewish vote in swing states, which prompted me to update the story with links to the data so you could see it for yourselves. And once in a while, you’ve politely pointed out a misspelling or other error, for which I am grateful. We always want to get things right.
Of course, I’ve gotten hate mail, too — the occasional antisemitic rant from a nutcase or an email full of insults. My colleagues get them as well; it’s par for the course in journalism these days. On the other hand, if someone angrily — but legitimately — criticizes something I write, I try to offer a genuine response, and more often than not, end up having an honest exchange of ideas.
Whenever I’ve contacted anyone for a Forward story, I’ve always identified myself as a reporter for the “leading U.S. Jewish news organization.” The fact is, the Forward is the rare independent voice in Jewish journalism today, and I’m proud to have made this my last stop in a career that included writing three books; reporting for two newspapers; and covering Hillary Clinton, 9/11, the Crown Heights riots and other assorted mayhem for The Associated Press. (There was a lot of fun stuff, too: I was AP travel editor for 15 years, and wrote my share about pets, gardening, food and other lighthearted topics.)
My time here at the Forward coincided with the decision to drop our paywall. That means all our journalism can be read by anyone, anytime, for free. So in addition to thanking you for your moral support and engagement, I’ll end this note by asking you to consider supporting the Forward financially.
It’s harder than ever to keep newsrooms going in this day and age, so if you enjoy our stories and support what we stand for, I hope you’ll think about becoming a member by making a donation of any size via the button below.
Shalom chaverim and keep the Bintel letters coming: bintel@forward.com.
