Sheldon Teitelbaum

Why Some Jews Hate the L.A. Times

Published on May 2, 2002

On April 1, Los Angeles County children's social worker Jules Weingart sent the Los Angeles Times a letter protesting its predilection for calling Palestinian suicide-bombers "militants." As a courtesy, Weingart attached a list of normative definitions of the terms "militant," "terrorism," "terror" and "extremist."

On April 18, Weingart received a response from Times Readers Representative Jamie Gold. "The word terrorist is not applied to combatants in Israel," Gold informed Weingart on behalf of the newspaper, "because it is considered a politically loaded word."

That this is some perverse form of political correctness, few can doubt. But as Rabbi Abraham Cooper of the Simon Wiesenthal Center has asked repeatedly over the last year, "Political correctness for whom -- suicide-bombers?"

Crossing the Line

Published on November 15, 2001

Reluctant at first to pronounce outright support for Osama bin Laden and Al Qaeda, extreme right-wing, militia and neo-Nazi groups within the United States entered the post-Sept. 11 period blaming Jews and Israel for the attacks on New York and Washington.

Sampling of Extreme Right Propaganda

Published on November 15, 2001

In the days following the attacks, domestically based extreme-right organizations struggled to formulate a position that balanced their ostensible nativism with an otherwise tailor-made opportunity to lash out at Jews and U.S. support for Israel. Typical of their commentary:

Caught in the Cross- fire

Published on October 18, 2001

During the first weeks following the terror attacks on New York and Washington, Israel's Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem instructed officials charged with explaining Israel's position to avoid, when possible, interviews and media queries. Meirav Eilon Shahar, Israel's consul for communications and public affairs in Los Angeles, recalls a prevailing sense within the diplomatic community that no matter how sympathetic they were to America's plight or how good their terrorism expertise, Israelis should realize this was not their fight.

Braced for Backlash

Published on September 20, 2001

The media war over Israel, running hot and heavy in the months before Sept. 11, took a dangerous turn following the tragic terrorists attack on America.

The Wiles of Wilentz

Published on August 23, 2001

Just when you thought things in Israel couldn't possibly get worse, a new novel comes along to prove that you don't know the half of it.

L.A.‘s Hidden Battalions

Published on August 9, 2001

High-power Israeli Defense Force (IDF) squads have been traveling to choice tourist destinations worldwide this summer, but not for vacation.

How Cookie Crumbled

Published on August 2, 2001

To his mates in the New York prison where he awaits sentencing for a drug-smuggling conviction, the bearded, soft-spoken Israeli, who Customs Department officials say regularly ministers to a small flock of religious Jewish prisoners, is known as "Rabbi Ya'akov."

Jan Perry Puts Down Roots

Published on July 19, 2001

So whaddaya know? The election is over, we've got a new mayor, and no sign yet of the apocalypse the other candidates promised would befall this city, no matter who won. Newly minted 9th District Councilwoman Jan Perry knew it was a new day when, shortly after her own election, Jim Hahn called to extend his own congratulations.

Hidden Stacks

Published on May 31, 2001

Read any good Hebrew books lately?

If you live in the Valley -- we'll assume you read Hebrew -- you'll most likely have picked up the latest Ram Oren techno-thriller or Naomi Ragen frummie-potboiler at the recently opened Steimatzky bookstore on Ventura Boulevard near Corbin.

Journalists Behaving Badly

Published on May 24, 2001

Shortly before or perhaps just after World War II, actor Kirk Douglas asked Dorothy Buffum Chandler why the Los Angeles Times seemed to pander so wantonly to the anti-Semitism then still rampant among many of the city's more refined elites.

"Why, darling?" cooed the doyenne of the Chandler newspaper dynasty. "We do it because it sells papers."

A Normal Israel, in Agoura

Published on April 26, 2001

Postethnic Anti-Semitism

Published on April 12, 2001

One on One With James Hahn

Published on April 5, 2001

One on One With Kathleen Connell

Published on March 29, 2001

One on One With Antonio Villaraigosa

Published on March 22, 2001

One on One With Steve Soboroff

Published on March 15, 2001

A Boil is Lanced in Boyle Heights

Published on March 8, 2001

One on One With Joel Wachs

Published on March 1, 2001

A National Unity Government for L.A.

Published on February 22, 2001

The Mayoral Debates, Take 40

Published on February 15, 2001