David Twersky (journalist)
Encyclopedia
David Twersky was a journalist, Zionist
activist, and peace advocate in Israel
and the United States
. He was an editor for The Forward
and The New York Sun and a leader of the American Jewish Congress
.
Twerksy was born and raised in the Bronx
, New York
, where he grew up in the left
-leaning Sholem Aleichem cooperative housing project
. He attended the Ramaz School
in Manhattan and was active in the Labor Zionist
youth movement Habonim
. He attended City College of New York
. In 1974, Twersky made aliyah
(emigrated to Israel
) and helped to re-establish Kibbutz Gezer.
In Israel, Twersky worked for the Labor Party's international affairs department, where he dealt with the Socialist International
. He edited Shdemot, the literary journal of the kibbutz movement
, and Spectrum, an English-language political monthly. Twersky served in an artillery unit during the 1982 Lebanon War
.
Twersky returned to the U.S. in 1986 and became a full-time journalist. When the Yiddish
Forverts started an English-language edition in 1990, he became deputy editor and Washington bureau chief. During his seven years at The Forward, Twersky was responsible for breaking many news stories. One of his best-known stories involved President Bill Clinton
's associate Johnnetta B. Cole, who had been suggested as a possible nominee for Secretary of Education
, and the fact that she had served on the national committee of the Venceremos Brigade
. Another of Twersky's stories brought to light some views of Lani Guinier
, a law professor whom Clinton had nominated to be Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights
; those opinions were considered controversial and her nomination was withdrawn.
After leaving The Forward, Twersky became editor of the New Jersey Jewish News
. Later he joined The New York Sun as foreign editor and columnist. Twersky also worked as director of international affairs for the American Jewish Congress.
Zionism
Zionism is a Jewish political movement that, in its broadest sense, has supported the self-determination of the Jewish people in a sovereign Jewish national homeland. Since the establishment of the State of Israel, the Zionist movement continues primarily to advocate on behalf of the Jewish state...
activist, and peace advocate in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He was an editor for The Forward
The Forward
The Forward , commonly known as The Jewish Daily Forward, is a Jewish-American newspaper published in New York City. The publication began in 1897 as a Yiddish-language daily issued by dissidents from the Socialist Labor Party of Daniel DeLeon...
and The New York Sun and a leader of the American Jewish Congress
American Jewish Congress
The American Jewish Congress describes itself as an association of Jewish Americans organized to defend Jewish interests at home and abroad through public policy advocacy, using diplomacy, legislation, and the courts....
.
Twerksy was born and raised in the Bronx
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, where he grew up in the left
Left-wing politics
In politics, Left, left-wing and leftist generally refer to support for social change to create a more egalitarian society...
-leaning Sholem Aleichem cooperative housing project
Housing cooperative
A housing cooperative is a legal entity—usually a corporation—that owns real estate, consisting of one or more residential buildings. Each shareholder in the legal entity is granted the right to occupy one housing unit, sometimes subject to an occupancy agreement, which is similar to a lease. ...
. He attended the Ramaz School
Ramaz School
The Ramaz School is a coeducational, private Modern Orthodox Jewish prep school located on the Upper East Side of the New York City borough of Manhattan. It consists of a lower school , a middle school , and an upper school .The Ramaz Upper School is a college preparatory school...
in Manhattan and was active in the Labor Zionist
Labor Zionism
Labor Zionism can be described as the major stream of the left wing of the Zionist movement. It was, for many years, the most significant tendency among Zionists and Zionist organizational structure...
youth movement Habonim
Habonim Dror
Habonim Dror is a Jewish Labour Zionist youth movement formed by the merger in 1982 of the Habonim and Dror youth movements. Habonim Dror's sister movement in Israel is Hanoar Haoved Vehalomed, the Working and Studying Youth.-Ideology:...
. He attended City College of New York
City College of New York
The City College of the City University of New York is a senior college of the City University of New York , in New York City. It is also the oldest of the City University's twenty-three institutions of higher learning...
. In 1974, Twersky made aliyah
Aliyah
Aliyah is the immigration of Jews to the Land of Israel . It is a basic tenet of Zionist ideology. The opposite action, emigration from Israel, is referred to as yerida . The return to the Holy Land has been a Jewish aspiration since the Babylonian exile...
(emigrated to Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
) and helped to re-establish Kibbutz Gezer.
In Israel, Twersky worked for the Labor Party's international affairs department, where he dealt with the Socialist International
Socialist International
The Socialist International is a worldwide organization of democratic socialist, social democratic and labour political parties. It was formed in 1951.- History :...
. He edited Shdemot, the literary journal of the kibbutz movement
Kibbutz Movement
The Kibbutz Movement is the largest settlement movement for kibbutzim in Israel. It was formed in 1999 by a partial merger of the United Kibbutz Movement and Kibbutz Artzi.-United Kibbutz Movement:...
, and Spectrum, an English-language political monthly. Twersky served in an artillery unit during the 1982 Lebanon War
1982 Lebanon War
The 1982 Lebanon War , , called Operation Peace for Galilee by Israel, and later known in Israel as the Lebanon War and First Lebanon War, began on 6 June 1982, when the Israel Defense Forces invaded southern Lebanon...
.
Twersky returned to the U.S. in 1986 and became a full-time journalist. When the Yiddish
Yiddish language
Yiddish is a High German language of Ashkenazi Jewish origin, spoken throughout the world. It developed as a fusion of German dialects with Hebrew, Aramaic, Slavic languages and traces of Romance languages...
Forverts started an English-language edition in 1990, he became deputy editor and Washington bureau chief. During his seven years at The Forward, Twersky was responsible for breaking many news stories. One of his best-known stories involved President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
's associate Johnnetta B. Cole, who had been suggested as a possible nominee for Secretary of Education
United States Secretary of Education
The United States Secretary of Education is the head of the Department of Education. The Secretary is a member of the President's Cabinet, and 16th in line of United States presidential line of succession...
, and the fact that she had served on the national committee of the Venceremos Brigade
Venceremos Brigade
The Venceremos Brigade is a politically motivated international organization founded in 1969 by members of the Students for a Democratic Society and officials of the Republic of Cuba...
. Another of Twersky's stories brought to light some views of Lani Guinier
Lani Guinier
Lani Guinier is an American lawyer, scholar and civil rights activist. The first African-American woman tenured professor at Harvard Law School, Guinier's work includes professional responsibilities of public lawyers, the relationship between democracy and the law, the role of race and gender in...
, a law professor whom Clinton had nominated to be Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights
United States Department of Justice Civil Rights Division
The U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division is the institution within the federal government responsible for enforcing federal statutes prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, sex, disability, religion, and national origin. The Division was established on December 9, 1957, by...
; those opinions were considered controversial and her nomination was withdrawn.
After leaving The Forward, Twersky became editor of the New Jersey Jewish News
New Jersey Jewish News
The New Jersey Jewish News is a weekly newspaper published by United Jewish Communities of MetroWest New Jersey.All newspaper editorial content is independent of UJC, and the views it expresses are not necessarily those of UJC....
. Later he joined The New York Sun as foreign editor and columnist. Twersky also worked as director of international affairs for the American Jewish Congress.
External links
- David Twersky archive at The ForwardThe ForwardThe Forward , commonly known as The Jewish Daily Forward, is a Jewish-American newspaper published in New York City. The publication began in 1897 as a Yiddish-language daily issued by dissidents from the Socialist Labor Party of Daniel DeLeon...
- David Twersky archive at The New York Sun