New Jersey Jewish paper regrets apologizing for gay couple in marriage section
Wed. October 6, 2010 11:40 PM by GoPride.com News Staff
Teaneck, N.J. -
The New Jersey Jewish Standard was sorry for publishing a wedding announcement for two gay men, and now the publisher regrets being sorry.
The parents of Avichai Smolen and Justin Rosen didn't think putting the announcement of their sons' impending wedding would be a big deal.
But a few days later, the Teaneck-based paper apologized and said gay couples would never be allowed in the weddings section again.
"We set off a firestorm last week by publishing a same-sex couple's announcement of their intent to marry," wrote Editor Rebecca Boronson. "Given the tenor of the times, we did not expect the volume of comments we have received, many of them against our decision to run the announcement, but many supportive as well.
"A group of rabbis has reached out to us and conveyed the deep sensitivities within the traditional/Orthodox community to this issue. Our subsequent discussions with representatives from that community have made us aware that publication of the announcement caused pain and consternation, and we apologize for any pain we may have caused.
"The Jewish Standard has always striven to draw the community together, rather than drive its many segments apart. We have decided, therefore, since this is such a divisive issue, not to run such announcements in the future."
However, this was not the end of the story. The New Jersey Jewish Standard was flooded with comments from the pro-equality side of the fence.
So now, the paper is going to stop issuing edicts and examine the issue.
"We did not expect the heated response we got. We believe now that we may have acted too quickly in … responding to one segment of the community," said publisher James Janoff.
Stay tuned.
The parents of Avichai Smolen and Justin Rosen didn't think putting the announcement of their sons' impending wedding would be a big deal.
But a few days later, the Teaneck-based paper apologized and said gay couples would never be allowed in the weddings section again.
"We set off a firestorm last week by publishing a same-sex couple's announcement of their intent to marry," wrote Editor Rebecca Boronson. "Given the tenor of the times, we did not expect the volume of comments we have received, many of them against our decision to run the announcement, but many supportive as well.
"A group of rabbis has reached out to us and conveyed the deep sensitivities within the traditional/Orthodox community to this issue. Our subsequent discussions with representatives from that community have made us aware that publication of the announcement caused pain and consternation, and we apologize for any pain we may have caused.
"The Jewish Standard has always striven to draw the community together, rather than drive its many segments apart. We have decided, therefore, since this is such a divisive issue, not to run such announcements in the future."
However, this was not the end of the story. The New Jersey Jewish Standard was flooded with comments from the pro-equality side of the fence.
So now, the paper is going to stop issuing edicts and examine the issue.
"We did not expect the heated response we got. We believe now that we may have acted too quickly in … responding to one segment of the community," said publisher James Janoff.
Stay tuned.