National and Local Jewish Groups Send Letter to New York Times

The Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA) sent a letter to the New York Times Executive Editor condemning the Antisemitic cartoon published on April 25, 2019. JCPA, an umbrella organization of the Jewish community relations field, issued the letter signed by 54 local Jewish Community Relations Councils, 14 National member agencies, and 13 other organizations. The letter urged the New York Times to take tangible steps to ensure that such inflammatory material will not be published in the future.

A copy of the letter is below.

“This letter represents the collective distress and concern of local Jewish communities around the country, four main Jewish denominations, and multiple national organizations,” said David Bernstein, JCPA President and CEO. “We hope the Times will become far more sensitive to Antisemitism in the future.”

April 29, 2019

Dear Mr. Baquet,

We, the undersigned organizations, were extremely disturbed by the Antisemitic cartoon published in the international edition of the New York Times on April 25th. While we appreciate the clarification and acknowledgment of responsibility, we contend that you continue to owe an explanation.

Moreover, it is difficult to fathom why, at a time of increasing Antisemitism and hate violence, the New York Times editors would have been so insensitive to the impact of such a cartoon. Were the editors not aware of the Pittsburgh shootings, the rise in hate crimes aimed at Jews, and the spike in Antisemitic rhetoric on both ends of the political spectrum, all of which are animated precisely by such depictions of Jews and Israel?

Specifically, we would like to know the following: 1. How did such a blatantly Antisemitic representation elude the editors? 2. What do you intend to do to make sure this doesn’t happen again? 3. What consequences do you intend to impose on the editors, cartoonist, and the syndicate?

We would appreciate an expeditious response. Thank you.

Sincerely,

JCPA National Organizations:
Anti-Defamation League
B’nai B’rith International
Jewish Council for Public Affairs
Hadassah, The Women’s Zionist Organization of America, Inc.
Jewish Federations of North America
Jewish Labor Committee
National Council of Jewish Women
ORT America
Rabbinical Assembly
Reconstructing Judaism
Union for Reform Judaism
Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America
United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism
Women’s League for Conservative Judaism

JCPA Local Organizations:
Atlanta Jewish Community Relations Council
Baltimore Jewish Council
Buffalo Jewish Community Relations Council
Charleston Jewish Federation
Community Relations Committee of the Jewish Federation and Jewish Foundation of Nashville and Middle Tennessee
Community Relations Council of Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest
Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley
Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater
Indianapolis Jewish Community Relations Council
JCRC of Greater Phoenix
JCRC of the Jewish Federation of Greater Des Moines
Jewish Community Federation of Richmond
Jewish Community Relations Committee of Akron
Jewish Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia
Jewish Community Relations Committee of Columbus
Jewish Community Relations Committee of Greater Santa Barbara
Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Boston
Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington
Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas
Jewish Community Relations Council of New York
Jewish Community Relations Council of Palm Beach County
Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Pittsburgh
Jewish Community Relations Council of San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin, Sonoma, Alameda, and Contra Costa Counties
Jewish Community Relations Council of Southern New Jersey
Jewish Community Relations Council of St. Louis
Jewish Community Relations Council of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation
Jewish Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte
Jewish Community Relations Council of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation
Jewish Community Relations Council, Jewish Federation of Cincinnati
Jewish Community Relations Council/AJC – Detroit
Jewish Federation of Central Massachussetts
Jewish Federation of Cleveland
Jewish Federation of Fort Wayne
Jewish Federation of Greater Ann Arbor
Jewish Federation of Greater Dayton
Jewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg
Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford
Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven
Jewish Federation of Greater Orlando
Jewish Federation of Greater Portland
Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle
Jewish Federation of Reading
Jewish Federation of San Antonio
Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee
Jewish Federation of Silicon Valley
Jewish Community Relations Council – Jewish Federation of Springfield
Jewish United Fund/Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago
Memphis Jewish Federation
Mid-Kansas Jewish Federation
Tampa Jewish Federation
The Jewish Federation of Northeastern New York
The Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey
United Jewish Community of the Virginia Peninsula
Youngstown Area Jewish Federation

Other Organizations:
Federation of Jewish Men’s Clubs
Jewish Family Service of Seattle
Jewish Federation & Family Services
Jewish Federation and Jewish Foundation of Nashville and Middle Tennessee
Jewish Federation of Central California
Jewish Federation of Edmonton
Jewish Federation of Greater Santa Barbara
Jewish Federation of Somerset, Hunterdon & Warren Counties of New Jersey
Jewish Federation of Southern New Jersey
Mercaz USA
New Jersey State Association of Jewish Federations
UJA Federation of Greenwich
Westchester Jewish Council

cc: Azam Ahmed