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May 9th, 2011
12:17 PM ET
Religious paper apologizes for erasing Clinton from iconic photoBy Jessica Ravitz, CNN (CNN) - Faith has outweighed fact at Di Tzeitung, a Hasidic newspaper based in Brooklyn, New York. The ultra-Orthodox Jewish publication ran a doctored copy of the iconic “Situation Room Photo” last Friday – you know, the one taken of President Barack Obama and his national security team during the raid on Osama bin Laden’s compound. Scrubbed from the picture: the two women in the room. It’s as if Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, with her hand clasped over her mouth, and Audrey Tomason, director of counterterrorism, weren’t there and weren’t part of history. The newspaper later apologized for violating White House instructions against altering photos. "We should not have published the altered picture, and we have conveyed our regrets and apologies to the White House and to the State Department," the newspaper said in a statement Monday.  The original photo, taken by White House photographer Pete Souza, shows Clinton and Tomason. The news of this broke Friday when Shmarya Rosenberg, 52, posted a quick piece on his blog Failed Messiah. Rosenberg, of St. Paul, Minnesota, said he wasn't surprised by the photo doctoring and only posted something about it because "it was a slow news day." A former ultra-Orthodox Jew, Rosenberg has been writing about the ultra-Orthodox community - mostly about crime and what he dubbed "strange media" - for seven years. He said the newspapers in that community have become "increasingly strange with their censorship of women's faces and women's bodies" over the past few years. He said readers of the Yiddish-language paper used to see photos of rabbis with their wives and that there was then a time when the women were blurred. Now, they're just not there.  In the doctored photo published by Di Tzeitung, Clinton and Tomason are gone. But in a written statement issued Monday afternoon by Di Tzeitung, the newspaper said that its decision to leave women out of photos is religiously mandated and that the right to do so is protected by the U.S. Constitution. "The First Amendment to the Constitution guarantees freedom of religion. That has precedence even to our cherished freedom of the press," the statement said. "Publishing a newspaper is a big responsibility, and our policies are guided by a Rabbinical Board. "Because of laws of modesty, we are not allowed to publish pictures of women, and we regret if this gives an impression of disparaging women, which is certainly never our intention," it continued. "We apologize if this was seen as offensive." But offensive it was to Robin Bodner, executive director of the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance. At JOFA, "we educate and advocate for increased ritual, spiritual and leadership opportunities for women within Jewish law. And sometimes we get the feeling that men wish women were not even in the room," Bodner told CNN in a written statement. "This picture by [an ultra-Orthodox] newspaper goes a step further by revising history to remove important women leaders from the historic room in which they were present. It reminds us of how much work is still to be done!" Within Judaism, there are a number of denominations - Reform, Conservative, Reconstructionist and modern Orthodox, to name some - and ultra-Orthodox Judaism accounts for just one branch of the faith. And within all of these branches, matters of Jewish law and obligation are often debated. It's worth noting that the White House included its standard instruction with the photo caption when the image was released:
"We're not going to comment" on this matter, a White House senior official told CNN. The leadership at Di Tzietung, though, apologized for breaking official White House photo rules. "Our photo editor realized the significance of this historic moment, and published the picture, but in his haste he did not read the 'fine print' that accompanied the picture, forbidding any changes," the newspaper said in its Monday statement. Furthermore, Di Tzeitung noted the Orthodox community's respect for Clinton, who served as a senator in New York for eight years. "She won overwhelming majorities in the Orthodox Jewish communities ... because the religious community appreciated her unique capabilities and compassion to all communities," the statement said. "The allegations that religious Jews denigrate women or do not respect women in public office is a malicious slander and libel." |
  About this blog
The CNN Belief Blog covers the faith angles of the day's biggest stories, from breaking news to politics to entertainment, fostering a global conversation about the role of religion and belief in readers' lives. It's edited by CNN's Daniel Burke with contributions from Eric Marrapodi and CNN's worldwide news gathering team.  |
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Well, I'm glad the paper has been publicly embarrassed. Gives new meaning to the word "rag."
Cut from the same cloth.
The 'suggestive' reasoning is clearly a lie – – – no one could think of Hillary like that!
So this flavor of Judaism is just as repressive and intolerant as you all seem to think Islam is. Does this mean we get to protest them in the streets and send our military in guns blazing to liberate these trampled people? I mean, if we don't then we're being a little discriminatory don't you think?
Just saying..
except they don't mutilate, stone, or physically toruture their women as a matter of abiding by their religious laws. nor will they cut off your head or rip your kids to little pieces if you disagree with them or if you dare to leave their group.
@vas lol... show me when that's happened in the 10 years.
???
If only it were that easy to delete Clinton from everything...
post of the day nominee
Another ignorant religion.
Some people are just plain stupid! They hide behind religion to push their prejudices.
I don't look at Hillary and think of s€x. Why should they?
Removing anyone from a picture like that actually misrepresents facts and historical moments. This is so over the top that it is sad. I hope the younger people in this sect or cult or whatever get out and get educated. That way, maybe the hypocrisy and lies (by omission) will eventually end.
These religious people are sick.
These religiou people are sick.
Now that is just plain stupid.
Really it should be "Die Tzitung". Like "chowda", get it right!
Disgusting! I think that the newspaper needs to be forced to put the correct picture on the front page! Hillary Clinton has always been pro-Israel and anti-Islamic Extremist its in very poor taste and I think that a Written Apology would make a nice added perk as well!
nah, she's always been whatever the latest polls told her would be most profitable to be, including ... gasp... pro-islamic terrorist and anti israel... when it suited her...
Religious freaks are idiotic!
Equivalent to Sharia law. I guess Truth isn't important to the Hasidic belief.
Haha so crazy that it's funny.
A woman is one of the reasons you are in this world. Erase women, and mankind ceases to exist.
nono, erase women and mankind hears less nagging. DUH
You forget one thing, Hillary Clinton is not a woman!
@bam – Guess you chose the wrong woman. Fool.
Are these Ultra-Orthodox the guy's who won't cut their hair, then curl it? Are they the same folks who refuse to take showers? Aren't they the folks whom get so angry because others try to change history? (i.e. Germany WWII)
Momma never told 'em where they came from if they can't even look at a picture of a dried up prune like Hillary and say that it is suggestive. The real reason is that they don't acknowledge women. They will not even shake a woman's hand.
Get with the times guy's... Shoving your head in the sand doesn't change the truth.
Well put...
It looks like nothing this paper prints,would be worth reading.
die you jew hating imbecile.
My gravest fear is that people will think all Jews are like this.
no worries only islam has radical religions, this most likely is a false story....... NOT.
I know right? how dare someone point out the OBVIOUS? now I am sure someone will try to say pointing this out was trying to demonize this religion, point the finger at others.... always away from yourself.
Whait. You mean they arn't?
I've said it once and I'll say it again. Religin will be the downfall of man.
Those who do, think all Muslims are terrorists.
Don't worry. We know that ALL religion fosters irrational behavior, not just Judaism.
As a Muslim I can tell you my greatest fear is people will think all Muslims are like OBL.
Not saying you specifically have one, but we should keep our own prejudices in check before expecting others to do the same.
These fundamentalist Muslims must be the stupidest people on the planet. It is simply appalling for and embarassing to the human race that there are still people and societies that hold 1/2 of the population in such contempt disdane. I pity the girls and women of these societises a,d countries. That these moronic beliefs and actions are religiously based should make us all consider the dangers of mixing church and state.
@Morton Redner. Now you know how we Muslims feel...nothing against you or your religion at all, I respect every religion. It's just, this is how I feel everytime Muslims are in the media.
Now you know how Muslims feel when their nutters take over the headlines.
But aren't they all?
Regardless of what religion we speak about, there always seems to be gender inequality, some are more prominent than others. Which is sad enough. But erasing people from an actual historical event in a newspaper simply because they happen to be women, that's editorial judgment, and it's a dangerous line that's been crossed. Then again can anyone mention an unbiased news crew?
Now for the humor in this: What are they vampires? They have no reflections? I move for all women of the particular group to refuse to do their womanly "duties" and force the men to acknowledge their existence.