January 17, 2014

Newspapers have the right to ask

questions
The Jewish Advocate recently ran two stories calling for transparency on the part
of community leaders and questioning their veracity in the face of conflicting
statements about the existence of a report on the Newton curriculum.

In response, people connected with CJP have expressed outrage at The Advocate,
calling it “irresponsible”; the ADL has reportedly told The Advocate that it will no
longer advertise in the paper; and 60-plus rabbis have signed a letter to the
effect that criticizing community leaders is inconsistent with Jewish law.

It pains me to have to point out the obvious fact that the freedom to engage in
full and open debate about the actions of public leaders is the single most
important cornerstone of a free democracy. Suppression or inhibition of that
right, by trying to silence individuals or undermining the economic viability of the
press that would publicize their concerns, undermines our individual freedom.
The press provides an average citizen the opportunity to question, in public, the
community’s leaders. CJP and ADL are funded by millions of dollars of community
money. Any citizen should be able to question whether the leaders of those
organizations are acting properly without worrying that he might be publicly
chastised by rabbis. A newspaper should be able to print those questions without
worrying that it might be boycotted. Not in a free and democratic society.
I hope that our community agencies and our spiritual leaders will remember the
words of Thomas Jefferson: “Our first object should therefore be to leave open to
[the citizen] all the avenues to truth. The most effectual hitherto found is the
freedom of the press. It is, therefore, the first shut up by those who fear the
investigation of their actions.”

JOSHUA KATZEN
Newton