Jewish Currents

Publication history

The magazine was first published in November 1946 by the Morning Freiheit Association under the name Jewish Life and was associated with the Communist Party USA. In 1956 it broke with the Party and took its current name. From 1959 to 2000, it was edited by Morris U. Schappes. Following Schappes' retirement in 2000, Editor Emeritus Lawrence Bush grew and sustained the magazine for almost two decades, writing columns such as "Religion and Skepticism," contending playfully with many manifestations of the "spirituality" of contemporary American culture. Other regular columns under Bush's tenure included "Jewish Women Now," "It Happened in Israel," "Inside the Jewish Community," "Our Secular Jewish Heritage," "Around the World," and "Mameloshn: Yiddish Poetry." From March–April 2005 until the March-April 2009 issue, Jewish Currents was distributed to all members of the Workmen's Circle as a benefit of membership.

In 2018, the magazine hired a new editorial team composed entirely of millennial Jews.

As of 2022, the magazine had 5,200 print subscribers and more than a million online readers each year. Its budget is $1.6 million, drawing on its $1 million endowment as well as contributions from individuals and foundations to support 12 full-time staffers. Arielle Angel is editor-in-chief.

In 2021, the magazine apologized to readers for running an advertisement for the Dorot Fellowship, a leadership training program in Israel for American Jews. Some on the left said the ad was proof that the magazine was secretly Zionist.

Editorial position

Concentrating on breaking news, analysis, culture, art and more, the magazine is aimed at progressive Jews, and to be the voice of that community in the broader American left. Jewish Currents relaunch in 2018 resulted in the rapid growth of the magazine and its community across the US and internationally. Bernie Sanders wrote an essay for the revamped magazine on his relationship with Judaism. Alongside a book review by Judith Butler, the magazine drew attention with pieces by these high-profile individuals.

The magazine emerged as a leading voice of the American Jewish left. Its editorial voice, led by contributors such as Peter Beinart, is strongly critical of Israel and advocates positions such as the Palestinian right of return, and boycotting Israeli businesses in the occupied West Bank.

References

References

1. Berger, Joseph. (April 13, 2006). "Jewish Currents Magazine and a Longtime Adversary Decide to Merge". New York Times.
2. (March 16, 2009). "The Editor's Blog: The Future of Jewish Currents". Jewish Currents.
3. Dolsten, Josefin. (April 17, 2018). "Jewish Currents, a 72-year-old left-wing magazine, wants to appeal to millennials".
4. Goldberg, Emma. (2022-12-30). "She's Building a Little Jewish Magazine on Big Ideas". The New York Times.
5. (2021-12-23). "Jewish Currents apologizes for running an ad for an Israel fellowship, saying it 'is not in line with our values'". [[Jewish Telegraphic Agency]].
6. (November 12, 2019). "Bernie Sanders writes essay on antisemitism for Jewish publication". The Jerusalem Post.
7. (January 27, 2020). "Leftist Magazine Jewish Currents Is Expanding — And Hiring A Leading Writer On American Jewish Politics". BuzzFeed News.