Lohud Apologizes for ‘Antisemitic’ Teaser, Delays Article Publication Date

A Lower Hudson Valley newspaper has apologized for promoting an upcoming article with a teaser whose “words and imagery unintentionally featured an antisemitic trope,” but the outlet will still publish the article, which accuses a rabbi of improprieties related to funding of programs for private-school students.

The Journal News (commonly known as Lohud) on Monday teased on its social-media channels the publication of what it deemed an exposé on improprieties regarding funding of programs for private-school students in East Ramapo. The teaser included the words, “Rabbi holds the strings on $76M for East Ramapo School District,” over an image of puppet master controlling the school board, replete with piles of cash.

There have been long-running clashes regarding funding in the district, between the majority Orthodox Jews who attend private schools, and the minority of the population who attend public schools. The district now has a veto-empowered monitor appointed by the state Education Department.

Jewish organizations criticized Lohud’s promotional material, which they said drew on age-old antisemitic depictions of of money-hungry Jews controlling the levers of power.

“The concept of the Jew as a conspiratorial puppet master, covertly manipulating the world economy and events, harks back to at least the 1700s, as further amplified upon in the Protocols of the Elders of Zion. Its imagery and underlying implications have stoked pogroms for hundreds of years, and was employed as recently as by the Pittsburgh synagogue shooter, who killed 11 worshippers in the largest modern mass shooting against Jews in America, at Tree of Life in 2018,” Agudath Israel said in a statement, adding, “We wonder how any article which emerges from an editorial board that approved such a hateful cartoon can pretend to be free from bias.”

The ADL tweeted that the image “draws from the worst of millennia-old antisemitic tropes about Jews. At a time of rising #antisemitism, this is not only irresponsible but dangerous. This image should have never been published. @lohud – your readers & the entire community deserve an immediate apology.”

Lohud deleted the image soon after it was posted, and on Thursday, Lohud executive editor Mary Dolan published an apology for the promotional material that she said “unintentionally featured an antisemitic trope.”

“Members of our team, including myself, did not recognize the stereotype that degrades and demeans Jews in the image and accompanying language,” Dolan wrote. “We’re deeply sorry this passed our review. We condemn all forms of antisemitism in all ways that it is expressed. We are grateful to all who sought to educate us on the history and hate behind the image,” adding, “In coming days, we will reflect on our misstep over the illustration and engage in considerable outreach and listening with local Jewish communities. “

The teaser had said the article would be published February 9. Dolan said in her statement that “we have shifted that date as we review the story’s visual elements,” but that the article will be published.

“We cannot and will not let this unfortunate incident distract us from providing the quality journalism meant to address issues serving our readers,” she wrote. “When news reporters dig deeply, it only helps our communities thrive.”

Agudath Israel tweeted Thursday, “While we appreciate the apology, actions are more important than words. Agudath Israel hopes that @lohud takes this opportunity to communicate with our community & to make sure that the article in no way unfairly maligns the Orthodox community, as they have done in the past.”

Rabbi Hersh Horowitz, a Monsey political activist and executive director of the Community Education Center, an organization that provides remedial services in East Ramapo, revealed himself as the subject of the impending article, in a press release issued the day after Lohud’s teaser.

“As the ‘Rabbi’ in question I can attest that over the past year, Lohud has repeatedly attempted to slander me personally, and my organization as a whole,” Rabbi Horowitz wrote. “With this latest action, Lohud has fired an ugly shot across the bow. The public deserves to know the following irrefutable facts:

“1 – The funding in question, distributed over ten years, is 100% federally funded and specifically earmarked by the federal government, for private school children. The funding is NOT part of the annual East Ramapo operating budget NOR does it include local tax payer dollars.

“2 – All contracts awarded by East Ramapo Central School District have been through a
rigorous RFP process, devoid of any private lobbying efforts. Our organization has been audited multiple times, by various state agencies, with zero findings.

“3 – Our most recent district contract was in fact frivolously argued in front of the NYS Commissioner of Education, Betty Rosa, who ruled in our favor in October of 2021 and resolved any questions.

“CEC will continue undeterred and undistracted in providing myriad essential educational services to thousands of children in multiple districts attending private schools across Rockland and Orange County.”

Bruce Singer, East Ramapo School District monitor, told Hamodia in an interview Thursday that the claims made in Rabbi Horowitz’s press release are “100%” accurate. Singer also criticized the reporter of the upcoming Lohud article, Thomas Zambito, with whom he had spoken as Zambito prepared the article.

“When I spoke to the Lohud reporter, I said he’s misrepresenting the truth about Rabbi Hersh. I said that he won bids, and that the headline should have mentioned that the $76 million was over 10 years. I said Rabbi Hersh was the subject of many audits, and there have always been outstanding comments regarding his operation. There was a recent appeal to the Commissioner of Education, Betty Rosa, and she came down stating that the CEC did nothing wrong.

“I can attest, every time [Rabbi Horowitz] won a bid, there were other bidders, and he won it fair and square.”

Singer also alleged, “The reporter, Mr. Zambito, has written a few articles about which I have directly spoken to him and said he did not put in all the facts that the allocation of  federal money is dictated by law and that the winners of the bids are publicly available. And he didn’t disagree with me about my statements that he was not giving his readership the full story.”

Reached by Hamodia on the phone Thursday, Zambito declined to respond to Singer’s allegation.

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rborchardt@hamodia.com