Subscribe to Print Edition | Sat., January 19, 2008 Shvat 12, 5768 | | Israel Time: 16:42 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

An American Jewish Congress advert promoting Israeli women in authority. (AJC) Last update - 09:55 14/01/2008 Jewish group blasts mag for rejecting ad on Israeli women in power By Sara Miller, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: Israel, AJC, Dalia Itzik  The American Jewish Congress has taken a national U.S. magazine to task for failing to publish an advert promoting women in authority in Israel. Ms. Magazine, which "boasts the most extensive coverage of international women's issues of any magazine available in the United States," rejected the advert showing Supreme Court President Dorit Beinisch, Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Tzipi Livni and Knesset Speaker Dalia Itzik, which carried the tagline "This is Israel." The advertisement "did nothing more controversial than call attention to the fact that women currently occupy three of the most significant positions of power in Israeli public life," said the Congress in a statement on its Web site. Advertisement According to the Congress, the head of its Commission for Women's Empowerment, Harriet Kurlander, was told when she attempted to place the advert that it would "set off a firestorm." The Congress also said that Kurlander was told by a representative of the magazine publisher that Ms. "would love to have an ad from you on women's empowerment, or reproductive freedom, but not on this." The president of the Congress, Richard Gordon, condemned the magazine for its decision, saying that while Ms. is entitled to reject the advert, but "in exercising that right, it has spoken loudly about itself and its readership, and their lingering hostility to Israel." "What other conclusion can we reach," Gordon asked, in a statement released by the organization, "except that the publishers - and if the publishers are right, a significant number of Ms. Magazine readers - are so hostile to Israel that they do not even want to see an ad that says something positive about Israel?" According to Gordon, "What is even more amazing is that, while refusing to publish a simple ad praising three very notable women, women who embody the ideal that Ms. Magazine seemingly espouses, Ms. has run a cover article in the Fall 2003 issue on Queen Noor of Jordan, has featured a number of articles on Muslim women, and even ran an article in the Winter 2004 issue entitled, "Images of Palestine," which discussed the Ramallah Film Festival and gave sympathetic reviews to films concerning 'the liberation of South Lebanon' from Israel as well as numerous films which portrayed terrorism as legitimate 'revolutionary' activity against Israel and miscast Israel's activities to counter terrorism as 'oppressive.'" Responding to Gordon's comments, Ms. Executive Editor Kathy Spillar said the ad showed political support for one of Israel's parties and thus violated magazine standards. "We only take mission-driven ads," Spillar told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. "Because two of the women in this ad were from the same political party," that showed favoritism, and the magazine's policy is not to get involved in the domestic politics of another country. Spillar added that this month's issue had a two-page spread profiling Livni. Related articles: AJC-funded Israeli medical team to assist Peru earthquake victims A.B. Yehoshua sends 'deepest apologies' for AJC remarks Studies: Jews in Israel and the U.S. are no longer seen as a single nation Bookmark to del.icio.us   Follow the leader Will Florida's Jews follow Joe Lieberman's example and vote Republican? Show of strength Israel's successful test of a new dual-stage missile wasn't meant for Iran's eyes.   1.   Shame on Ms. Magazine--This is a Disgrace 19:43  |  Elizabeth 13/01/08   2.   A prudent decision 19:44  |  Lorn 13/01/08   3.   Ms. Magazine is a disgrace 19:56  |  Charles 13/01/08   4.   Women in Israeli society 20:03  |  Charles 13/01/08   5.   Truly sickening attitudes 20:03  |  Iz Ray Leigh 13/01/08   6.   Who is placing the ad? Is This Politics? 20:08  |  Ovadiah ben Avraham 13/01/08   7.   Indeed. 20:36  |  Colin Wright 13/01/08   8.   These women are 1% of high level jobs 20:36  |  Israel_is_Done 13/01/08   9.   AJC should also be outraged 20:56  |  Arab woman 13/01/08   10.   Antijewish hatred tarnishes the image of Ms Magazine 21:24  |  Mary 13/01/08   11.   Since when is Ms Magazine afraid of controversy? 21:26  |  Jozef 13/01/08   12.   Oh MYYY 21:33  |  C`est Moi 13/01/08   13.   "Jewish group blasts mag " (return of Kahana?) 22:12  |  Chanalau, Tova 13/01/08   14.   Ms Magazine always promoting the worst 22:44  |  Daniel 13/01/08   15.   HOW MUCH MONEY WAS GIVEN 23:27  |  TOBIA 13/01/08   16.   Jews using Feminism for the Israeli Agenda? 23:33  |  Kris 13/01/08   17.   Lets see... 10:38  |  Walter 14/01/08   18.   Chanalau, Tova 10:59  |  Iz Ray Leigh 14/01/08   19.   MS-take in MS. mag`s rejection of Israeli-3 ad 11:07  |  marion d s dreyfus 14/01/08   20.   MS-take in MS. mag`s rejection of Israeli-3 ad 11:07  |  marion d s dreyfus 14/01/08   21.   Jews will use any venue to serve as a propaganda platform 11:44  |  Natallie Durson 14/01/08   22.   It`s a bad ad. 11:55  |  Michael 14/01/08   23.   Next edition, "Why you should not be seen in public" 11:57  |  Efox 14/01/08   24.   #16 kris kross and tactoe make no sense ata all 12:17  |  victor hardman 14/01/08   25.   Arab woman 13:21  |  Patricia 14/01/08   26.   #22 Michael ther is only one golda meier every 100 years 13:23  |  v hardman 14/01/08   27.   # 9 I just saw Hanan Ashrawi onTV what a load! 13:59  |  Petra 14/01/08   28.   # 16 Kris Any Arab women ambassadors? 14:05  |  Petra 14/01/08   29.   miscast Israel`s activities to counter terrorism as `oppressive.` 14:21  |  Murray 14/01/08   30.   Petra - your stereotypes don`t help peace. 15:15  |  Michael 14/01/08   31.   Gnatallie Durson Uses Any Controversy to Exploit Her Stupidity 16:12  |  Tex 14/01/08   32.   #16 Kris 16:15  |  Sarah 14/01/08   33.   The obvious lie in the magazine`s excuse 17:10  |  David Teich 14/01/08   34.   Missing context: Ms Magazine doesn`t usually take ads... 18:02  |  Tarik 14/01/08   35.   #9 Arab Woman: I second your thought 18:39  |  AliciaYasmeen 14/01/08   36.   MS MAG 18:55  |  Pepe 14/01/08   37.   Alicia - you need more than the frozen stuff... 19:25  |  Jewboy 14/01/08   38.   Tarik, are you jealous? 19:44  |  Jewboy 14/01/08   39.   chanalu,ra 20:17  |  Connie 14/01/08   40.   irony indeed 20:23  |  edgar 14/01/08   41.   Ms. Magazine 20:25  |  Brenda 14/01/08   42.   So put just two women in the ad 21:06  |  DJStahl 14/01/08   43.   To anti-semitic Lorn #3 21:10  |  harold 14/01/08   44.   Email a copy of the ad to MS 22:18  |  Baruch Atta 14/01/08   45.   they should promote also gay and lesbian marrigies 22:41  |  Yaakov Sullivan 14/01/08   46.   Pepe from palestine in Texas 23:21  |  Iz Ray Leigh 14/01/08   47.   # 2 Lorn....how tragically stupid 23:45  |  Lynn 14/01/08   48.   # 28 Petra...yes there is 23:50  |  Lynn 14/01/08   49.   # 30 Michael of the UK...how neat, 23:54  |  Lynn 14/01/08   50.   Re: #21 Natalie Durson` s obsession 00:15  |  Michael 15/01/08   51.   1. Perhaps other choices; 2. Blind hatred 00:21  |  Michael 15/01/08   52.   # 41 Brenda ....thank you for enlightening 00:27  |  Lynn 15/01/08   53.   #9 Arab Woman. Dr Hanan Ashwari. 01:05  |  Maureen Ann 15/01/08   54.   Less Jews in the Media 01:06  |  Virginia Pearcy 15/01/08   55.   Re: #41 Brenda 01:10  |  Michael 15/01/08   56.   I support Natalie Durson anti Zionism 01:28  |  Yaakov Sullivan 15/01/08   57.   As if two female Democrats would be rejected! 01:43  |  Susan 15/01/08   58.   #38 Jewboy of Jerusalem. Why do you think... 02:43  |  Maureen Ann 15/01/08   59.   As long as there is occupation........ 03:46  |  Deborah 15/01/08   60.   Inexplicable 06:07  |  Gordon 15/01/08   61.   59: Deborah, as long as there is still a war 20:25  |  David Teich 15/01/08   62.   Hanan Ashwari 00:35  |  Tyrese Gail Williams 16/01/08

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