The Moral Responsibility of the Media, Punk Jews, and More

The Moral Responsibility of the Media, Punk Jews, and More May 02, 2013

Getting it first, and getting it right. In the wake of some shoddy reporting on the Boston Marathon bombings, we explore the duties of the media in covering breaking news.

In the Race to Be First, Getting the Story Wrong May 02, 2013

Right after the Boston Marathon bombings, information flew from all directions, from Twitter to CNN, and a lot of it was wrong. Whether religious fervor had anything to do with the motive is still unclear. But that hasn’t stopped pundits from speculating, stirring the pot of Islamophobia. Two media experts reflect on the ethical responsibilities of journalists covering breaking news, especially when that news might involve religious extremism.

Amy Mitchell, acting director of the Pew Research Center’s Project for Excellence in Journalism
Kevin Eckstrom, editor-in-chief of Religion News Service

Courtesy Evan Kleinman

Breaking Stereotypes in ‘Punk Jews’ May 02, 2013

You can often find Yishai Romanoff performing at a punk show; his sidecurls flail wildly as he screams words of Godliness and Torah into the microphone. He’s one of six provocateurs profiled in a new documentary called Punk Jews, about unexpected expressions of Jewish identity.

Find upcoming screenings of the film.

Evan Kleinman, producer of Punk Jews
Yishai Romanoff, lead singer and founding member of Moshiach Oi!

Every month, a group of women gathers to pray at the Western Wall in Jerusalem. The Women of the Wall, as they are known, have received intense opposition from many ultra-Orthodox Jews. Often they’re arrested for reading from the Torah and wearing prayer shawls. Now a new court ruling says they can pray as they please.

Debra Nussbaum Cohen, contributor to the Jewish Daily Forward and Ha’aretz

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