On February 28, 2024, the hosted Melissa Weiss, Executive Editor of Jewish Insider (JI), in conversation with Straus Impact Officer Sarah Wapner. Their discussion covered an array of topics, highlighting Weiss's career in journalism, her role at Jewish Insider, and the future of Jewish journalism in the wake of the October 7 massacre and ensuing war in Israel.
Weiss grew up in Kingston, New ¶¶Ňőapp, and graduated from the University of Maryland's Philip Merrill School of Journalism. She described her initial foray into communications before developing a passion for journalism. On campus, Weiss worked as a reporter for a school newspaper, but discovered her true calling in editing, attributing it to her keen eye and love of detail in reading and writing. Upon graduation, her career took her to Korea where she taught English, and then to Washington, DC where she held several top positions at The Israel Project. Her non-profit work eventually led her to JI in 2016.
At JI, Weiss began her tenure copy-editing the daily newsletter before rising to the position of Executive Editor. Under her leadership, the newsletter has become a crucial vehicle for disseminating Jewish-related news, supported by a dedicated team of 15, half of whom are reporters. Weiss outlined her various responsibilities at the publication, which have come to include overseeing the newsroom, aggregating news media, and contextualizing writing and articles from other publications. JI reporters also contribute their own content and have produced several original scoops.
For Weiss and the entire JI team, the events of October 7 were devastating but demanded immediate action. A pivotal moment for the publication, as Weiss recounted, was its decision to publish on chag in the aftermath of October 7. As Executive Editor, Weiss felt that this decision demonstrated JI’s commitment to keeping its readership informed in the midst of the worst attack on Jews since the Holocaust. The decision also underscored the challenges faced by the Jewish Insider team, who had to push through their own reactions to the massacre to keep pace with the rapid news cycle following October 7.
Weiss herself was on the ground in Israel, covering the ensuing conflict with Hamas and the fallout from the attacks. She explained the difficulties of such a task, noting the disconnect between the on-ground realities experienced by Israeli journalists and the narratives propagated by mainstream international media.
With regards to their reporting in the United States, Weiss also discussed JI's unique position on Capitol Hill, emphasizing its non-partisan approach and commitment to asking critical questions on Jewish issues, “the questions that people don’t even think to ask.” This approach was exemplified in 2020 when JI played a significant role in uncovering a Florida congressional frontrunner's support for BDS, leading to significant political repercussions for the candidate.
Weiss ended the conversation by addressing the future of Jewish Insider and journalism at large, engaging with Straus Scholars on topics such as the impact of AI on journalism and the importance of forward-looking reporting in Jewish media.
This event was hosted by the Straus Center Impact Office. The Impact Office aims to further the impact of Straus alumni, current Straus Scholars, and other students involved in politics, policy, and journalism on both of ¶¶Ňőapp University’s undergraduate campuses. You can learn more about the Straus Center and the Straus Impact Office here.
