JTA Head Reports Start of News Bulletin in Paris, Internship Plan in Detroit

Robert H. Arnow, president of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, announced today a number of developments which followed JTA board decisions which he said were “in the mainstream of our efforts to keep abreast of the fast-moving times.” He said that, following a summer visit to Europe and Israel where he surveyed JTA operations, the Israeli News Agency (INA), a subsidiary of the JTA, arranged for distribution of foreign news to Israeli newspapers through ITIM, a cooperative news service of the Israeli press. Mr. Arnow said that the arrangement “will ultimately eliminate a deficit but will continue to provide world-wide news to the Israeli community.” Noting that members of the JTA board “are taking an active part in all of these changes and operations.” Mr. Arnow added that Raymond Epstein, president of the Chicago Welfare Fund, had acted on his behalf in overseeing the transfer of INA service to ITIM and in discharging JTA obligations to 12 long-term employes.

Mr. Arnow also announced that, after a series of meetings with the leadership of the French Jewish community, plans were completed for a daily news bulletin, in French, to begin publication in Paris in October, thus extending the network of JTA publications. He said Mr. Epstein had joined him in working out the arrangements for the new bulletin. He said it was “significant” that “busy people” like Jerrold C. Hoffberger, Baltimore board member and chairman of the JTA executive committee, and David Starr, a board member who is managing editor of the Long Island Press and editor of the New-house National News Service, had been active, while on overseas trips, with JTA plans in London. The president said that Mr. Hoffberger discussed JTA matters with Michael Sacher, head of the Joint Palestine Appeal and of the London JTA Committee, and that Mr. Starr was in London last week discussing with Mr. Sacher some of the JTA board plans for the future. He said other board members, representing American and Canadian communities from coast to coast, participated in board meetings and represented JTA in the community and at budget hearings.

He described as “an exciting new development” the JTA’s first news internship program, designed to bring young people into Jewish journalism. He said several apprentices had started work on the Jewish News of Detroit under the aegis of Philip Slomovitz, its publisher and JTA board member. Mr. Arnow said the Internship program, for which board member Julius Berman of New York is chairman, would also “insure continuity in Jewish communal affairs.” The JTA president declared “it is essential, if we look at conditions world-wide and in the Middle East, that we provide a service which can supply the total Jewish community with the news at the very moment it becomes news.” He declared this would require “an examination of every area of our editorial operations to reach the high level of quality we seek as our goal.” He added that JTA now has eight regional and international bureaus, with 50 correspondents and stringers and that, if necessary, “we will find the professional personnel who can give us this kind of service.”