Introducing The Times of Israel
Jewish and Israeli news junkies are rejoicing at the launch yesterday of yet another media outlet — The Times of Israel.
The Jerusalem-based online-only publication is helmed by British-born David Horovitz, formerly editor and publisher of The Jerusalem Report and editor-in-chief at the Jerusalem Post. In a blog post from yesterday, he wrote, “The Times of Israel represents a determined effort, by a team of skilled, committed journalists, to report Israel, the region and the Jewish world accurately and engagingly.” He asserted that the publication would explore the interconnectedness of the global Jewish community, making it “a must-read, must-visit current affairs website for the Jewish people.”
Horovitz asserted the Times’ editorial independence and mentioned that it is backed by chairman Seth Klarman, founder and president of Baupost Group, one of the world’s largest hedge funds. Concerned about anti-Semitism and radical Islam, Klarman wrote in his welcome letter to readers: “One of the most important of democracy’s freedoms is freedom of the press. I am a firm believer that the more people learn about Israel, the more they will understand how she responds with imperfect but exemplary morality and decency to life in the most difficult of neighborhoods.”
Horovitz has amassed a team of veteran journalists, and he is also reaching out to freelancers and the general public, inviting them to submit content for the site. In addition, he recounted for readers the long, thoughtful process that led to the unique design of the Times’ website, which features “a long, elegant home page.”
As for the choice of the august name for the new publication, you can be sure it was quite deliberate. “The choice of so traditional a name, I should stress, emphasizes our commitment to the accuracy, drive and flair that characterize the best traditions of journalism,” the editor-in-chief wrote.
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