Former WJC Candidate Gives Her Thumbs Up to Israel’s Lad-Mag Diplomacy
Running against billionaires like cosmetics heir Ron Lauder, Einat Wilf didn’t have much of a chance of winning the election to lead the World Jewish Congress, and ultimately she bowed out of the race. The former foreign policy adviser to Shimon Peres tells the blog Jewess that she had “no realistic expectation of winning,” but was rather running to promote certain ideas. You can read the full interview here.
One interesting tidbit is that Wilf apparently sees nothing wrong with the Israeli Consulate in New York’s collaboration with Maxim on the magazine’s salacious “Women of the Israeli Defense Forces” photo spread. The Israeli government’s partnership with the raunchy lad-mag drew fierce criticism, particularly from several female Knesset members. Wilf, however, tells Jewess: “Too much has been made of it. It’s a nice initiative, and the IDF could do worse than being associated with beautiful women.”
"Why I became the Forward’s Editor-in-Chief"
You are surely a friend of the Forward if you’re reading this. And so it’s with excitement and awe — of all that the Forward is, was, and will be — that I introduce myself to you as the Forward’s newest editor-in-chief.
And what a time to step into the leadership of this storied Jewish institution! For 129 years, the Forward has shaped and told the American Jewish story. I’m stepping in at an intense time for Jews the world over. We urgently need the Forward’s courageous, unflinching journalism — not only as a source of reliable information, but to provide inspiration, healing and hope.
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
