The Jewish Exponent

{{Short description|Newspaper in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}} {{Infobox newspaper | name = The Jewish Exponent | logo = | logo_size = | logo_alt = | image = The Jewish Exponent frontpage.jpg | image_size = | image_alt = | caption = The November 27, 2007 front page of ''The Jewish Exponent'' | motto = What It Means To Be Jewish In Philadelphia | type = [[Weekly newspaper]] | format = [[Tabloid (newspaper format)|Tabloid]] | owner = Mid-Atlantic Media | founder =  | publisher = Craig Burke | chief_editor = N. Aaron Troodler | managing_editor = | founded = {{start date and age|1887|04|15}} | political_position = | language = | ceased_publication = | relaunched = | headquarters = Suite #113<br /> Melrose Park, PA 19027<br /> | publishing_city = | publishing_country = United States | circulation = 24,000 | circulation_date = 2015 | circulation_ref = <ref name=phillymag>{{cite web|url=http://www.phillymag.com/business/2015/06/03/jewish-exponent-lays-off-editorial-staff/|title=Jewish Exponent Lays Off Editorial Staff|author=Jared Shelly|website=Philadelphia Magazine|date=2015-06-03|access-date=2016-03-28}}</ref> | readership = | sister_newspapers = ''The Guide to Jewish Philadelphia'' | ISSN = 0021-6437 | oclc = | RNI = | website = {{URL|http://www.jewishexponent.com/}} | free = }}

'''''The Jewish Exponent''''' is a weekly newspaper of the [[History of the Jews in Philadelphia|Jewish community of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania]] and the second-oldest continuously published [[Jews|Jewish]] newspaper in the United States.<ref name="JewishExponentWeb" />

==History== ''The Jewish Exponent'' has been published continuously since April 15, 1887.<ref name=JewishExponentWeb>{{cite web|title=A Brief History|url=http://www.jewishexponent.com/about|website=Jewish Exponent|publisher=Jewish Exponent|access-date=21 February 2015|ref=JewishExponentWeb}}</ref><ref name=JTA>{{cite news|title=Philadelphia's 'jewish Exponent' to Celebrate Its 75th Anniversary|url=https://www.jta.org/1962/03/30/archive/philadelphias-jewish-exponent-to-celebrate-its-75th-anniversary|access-date=7 May 2015|publisher=[[Jewish Telegraphic Agency]]|date=30 March 1962}}</ref><ref name=Keating>{{cite news|last1=Keating|first1=Douglas|title=100 Years As A Voice Of The Jews Of Phila.|url=http://articles.philly.com/1987-06-12/news/26184885_1_jewish-exponent-front-page-jewish-community|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150616030037/http://articles.philly.com/1987-06-12/news/26184885_1_jewish-exponent-front-page-jewish-community|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 16, 2015|access-date=7 May 2015|website=The Philadelphia Inquirer|date=1 June 1987}}</ref> A predecessor newspaper, ''The Jewish Record,'' had been published since 1875.<ref name=JTA/>

The paper was founded by 43 prominent Philadelphians—among them [[Henry Samuel Morais]]—who pledged that it would be "devoted to the interests of the Jewish people." It was an early supporter of [[Zionism]]. In the 1940s, the paper experienced financial difficulties, and on May 5, 1944, it was purchased by real estate magnate Albert M. Greenfield and turned over to the Allied Jewish Appeal, a precursor of the [[Jewish Federation]] of [[Delaware Valley|Greater Philadelphia]], which still publishes it today via the Jewish Publishing Group.<ref name="Keating" /><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Boigon |first=Molly |date=July 21, 2021 |title=After scandal, can the Philadelphia Federation's new CEO turn it around? |url=https://forward.com/news/473242/philadelphia-federation-ceo-balaban-turnaround/ |access-date=December 5, 2023 |website=The Forward |language=en}}</ref>

In 1999, the ''Jewish Exponent'' launched its website. A totally re-designed website was launched in November 2012. The site contains timely news of a local, national, global and Israel nature, as well as blogs, special interest columns, classifieds, death notices and Mazel-Tov announcements. It is the home of the Jewish community events calendar with hundreds of events added monthly in a fashion that is searchable by event type, audience and location. The online guide to Jewish Philly provides a searchable method for the community to find out about every Jewish organization in the [[Philadelphia metropolitan area|Delaware Valley]], as well as businesses that wish to promote their products and services to the Jewish community of Greater Philadelphia.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Friedman |first=Gabe |date=December 2, 2016 |title=Phoenix Jewish News signs over operations to media firm that runs Pittsburgh and Philly papers |url=https://www.jta.org/2016/12/02/united-states/phoenix-jewish-news-signs-over-operations-to-media-firm-that-runs-pittsburgh-and-philly-papers |access-date=November 30, 2023 |website=Jewish Telegraphic Agency |language=en-US}}</ref> The site also allows users to register for weekly email newsletters as well as engage with the ''Jewish Exponent'' via social media such as Facebook and Twitter.

On June 3, 2015, the ''Exponent'' laid off its entire editorial staff. Reports said that the paper had been losing $300,000 per year. The owners contracted with Mid-Atlantic Media to operate the editorial department of the paper. Mid-Atlantic is based in [[Baltimore]] and produces several other Jewish papers, including the ''[[Baltimore Jewish Times]]'', ''[[Washington Jewish Week]]'', and ''[[Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle]]''. Joshua Runyan, Mid-Atlantic's editorial director, was named the paper's new editor, replacing Lisa Hostein.<ref>{{cite news |last=Guttman |first=Nathan |url=http://forward.com/news/309874/whats-behind-the-mass-layoffs-at-the-philadelphia-jewish-exponent/ |title=What's Behind the Mass Layoffs at the Philadelphia Jewish Exponent? |work=[[The Forward]] |date=June 12, 2015 |access-date=2015-06-12 }}</ref>

On Feb. 28, 2022, the ''Exponent'' was sold by Jewish Publishing Group, a subsidiary of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia, to Mid-Atlantic Media.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Andy Gotlieb |date=2022-03-02 |title=Jewish Exponent Sold to Mid-Atlantic Media |url=https://www.jewishexponent.com/2022/03/02/jewish-exponent-sold-to-mid-atlantic-media/ |access-date=2022-03-03 |website=Jewish Exponent |language=en-US}}</ref>

In July 2022, the ''Exponent'' moved its office and archive from 2100 Arch St. to [[Gratz College]]’s Melrose Park campus. The school announced plans for library staff to organize, digitize and share online the publication’s archives within the next year.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rogelberg |first=Sasha |date=2022-08-03 |title=Jewish Exponent Archives Find New Life At Gratz College |url=https://www.jewishexponent.com/2022/08/03/jewish-exponent-archives-find-new-life-at-gratz-college/ |access-date=2023-03-15 |website=Jewish Exponent |language=en-US}}</ref>

In 2023, former director of business operations, Cheryl Lutts, was convicted of embezzling $1.4 million from the organization between 2014 and 2019.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Roebuck |first1=Jeremy |title=Former financial professional for Philly Pops and Jewish Exponent sentenced to prison for embezzling nearly $1.7M |url=https://www.inquirer.com/news/philadelphia/cheryl-lutts-sentence-prison-philly-pops-jewish-exponent-20230725.html |work=Philadelphia Inquirer |date=July 25, 2023 |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0" />

== Circulation == The current circulation is made up of direct subscribers and those who donate to the [http://www.jewishphilly.org/ Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia]. In 2021, the ''Jewish Exponent'' had a print circulation of 20,000 and a "digital audience" of 500,000 a year.<ref name=":0" /> The paper had 40,000 subscribers in 2009.<ref name="Shister">{{cite news|url=http://articles.philly.com/2009-01-20/news/25279627_1_jewish-federation-jewish-population-jewish-exponent|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518112359/http://articles.philly.com/2009-01-20/news/25279627_1_jewish-federation-jewish-population-jewish-exponent|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 18, 2015|title=Redefining the Jewish Exponent A new editor brings a new approach|last1=Shister|first1=Gail|date=20 January 2009|access-date=7 May 2015|website=The Philadelphia Inquirer}}</ref> However, when the paper celebrated its 75th anniversary in 1962, it had the largest circulation of any Jewish newspaper in the United States.<ref name="JTA" /> At the hundredth anniversary in 1987, the circulation was 65,000.<ref name="Keating" />

== Awards == In 2010 and 2011, the ''Jewish Exponent'' was named "Best Overall Weekly Newspaper" in Pennsylvania by the Keystone Pro Chapter of the [[Society of Professional Journalists]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Eden |first=Ami |date=April 23, 2010 |title=Exponent named best weekly newspaper in Pa. |url=https://www.jta.org/2010/04/23/united-states/exponent-named-best-weekly-newspaper-in-pa |access-date=December 5, 2023 |website=Jewish Telegraphic Agency |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Hostein |first=Lisa |date=June 28, 2011 |title=Philadelphia Exponent named best weekly paper in Pa. |url=https://www.jta.org/2011/06/28/united-states/philadelphia-exponent-named-best-weekly-paper-in-pa |access-date=December 5, 2023 |website=Jewish Telegraphic Agency |language=en-US}}</ref> In 2014, the Keystone Chapter awarded the newspaper first place for "Use of the Web Among Non-Daily Publications."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brodsky |first=Marc |date=April 29, 2014 |title=Jewish Exponent takes Web prize |url=https://www.jta.org/2014/04/29/united-states/jewish-exponent-takes-web-prize |access-date=December 5, 2023 |website=Jewish Telegraphic Agency |language=en-US}}</ref> The ''Jewish Exponent'' was awarded one [[Simon Rockower Award]] by the [[American Jewish Press Association]] in 2019,<ref>{{Cite web |title=AJPA - 2019 Competition |url=https://www.ajpa.org/2019-Competition |access-date=December 5, 2023 |website=www.ajpa.org}}</ref> two in 2022<ref>{{Cite web |title=AJPA - 2022 Competition |url=https://www.ajpa.org/page-18159 |access-date=December 5, 2023 |website=www.ajpa.org}}</ref> and another two in 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |title=AJPA - Winners List |url=https://www.ajpa.org/page-18179 |access-date=December 5, 2023 |website=www.ajpa.org}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * {{Official website|http://www.jewishexponent.com/}}

{{Coord|39.95560|-75.17515|type:landmark_globe:earth_region:US-PA|display=title}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jewish Exponent}} [[Category:Jewish newspapers published in the United States]] [[Category:1887 establishments in Pennsylvania]] [[Category:Quarterly magazines published in the United States]] [[Category:Jews and Judaism in Philadelphia]] [[Category:Newspapers published in Philadelphia]] [[Category:Newspapers established in 1887]]