Ben Gallob, Assistant Editor at JTA for 30 Years, Dies at 83

Ben Gallob, a longtime editor at the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, has died.

He was 83.

Born in Minneapolis on May 23, 1914, Gallob earned a degree in journalism from the University of Minnesota.

He worked for United Press International in Minneapolis, Chicago and Detroit as well as the National Jewish Post & Opinion in Indianapolis.

In 1951, Gallob moved to New York City where he was a publicist for Mizrachi Women.

He joined the JTA staff in 1955 — an affiliation he believed would be short– lived.

But he stayed for 30 years.

“He was one of the lucky people,” said his son Joel, because he “enjoyed almost every day of his job.”

Until 1985, Gallob was an assistant editor and columnist for JTA. During his tenure he was well–known for his column “American News Report.”

He also created the Community News Reporter, one of JTA’s two weekly publications that is distributed to all subscribers of the Daily News Bulletin.

Energetic and enthusiastic, Gallob was known to stay at the office very late.

Gallob was friendly with leaders in the Jewish community, but those relationships did not interfere with his objective reporting.

“He was honest and objective. He told what was happening,” said Murray Zuckoff, former JTA editor.

Gallob steered the JTA toward coverage of issues that had never been previously publicized in the Jewish community, Zuckoff recalled.

“He investigated subjects like crime in the Jewish community, homosexuality, problems between husbands and wives in the Orthodox community and drugs,” Zuckoff said.

“He wrote about the inner workings of the Jewish community, which at that time was a thorough mystery,” he said.

Mark Seal, former JTA executive vice president, said Gallob shaped the JTA’s coverage of Jewish institutions and organizations at a time when more attention was paid to political events in Washington and Israel.