January/February 2007 Feature

What is Midstream’s Point of View

The title of this editorial is a question that is thrown at me quite often by friends and foes alike. I had taken it for granted that the “Statement of Purpose” found on the inside front cover of every issue had provided the answer for all readers of Midstream. But apparently, our readers are so passionately involved with the articles, memoirs, short stories, and poems in the body of each issue that they rarely, if ever, glance at all that “irrelevant stuff” that precedes the meat of our journal. Absent the aid of our “Statement of Purpose,” wouldn’t a survey of our articles reveal the answer to the inquiring reader? But this procedure takes time; one must read any journal, ours most assuredly, over a significant period of time to get the ongoing slant of the magazine, to unearth its most cherished beliefs, and to reveal the abiding secret of its prejudices, especially its political prejudices. Perhaps my questioners are all impatient readers who want to know the answer post haste. Consequently, I’ve decided to make use of this space to provide some light on the subject in the hope—a vain hope perhaps—that readers jump at every chance to read an editorial. So here’s a little list:

1. There are controversies galore in our journal, but Midstream itself, that is through its editor and publisher, does not officially represent a specific point of view except for this: It is a Zionist journal. We do not print anti-Zionist broadsides. But within the wide spectrum of political Zionism, there are many points of view. We try to feature writers of all these responsible Zionist positions. Write a call for the dissolution of the Jewish state, and you will not find acceptance here. Take what is called a left-wing or a right-wing position on how to solve problems within the Jewish state, and if written well, without venom and diatribe, your piece will get respectful consideration. This does not mean automatic publication. For example, we resist publishing naive and unrealistic panaceas for all of Israel’s problems, from whichever side of the political spectrum they may emanate and however well-intentioned the writers may be or however much devoted they are to Israel’s survival. We are not a fantasy magazine. But the fundamental principle is worth repeating: The survival of Israel as a Jewish state must be at the heart of every submission on the subject to be considered for publication. Is this taking sides? In a manner of speaking—yes. In speaking of varied Zionist points of view—no.

2. Midstream is not only a Zionist journal. It is also a bi-monthly Jewish review published in the United States and even disseminated abroad. This means that we deal with all aspects of Jewish life in America—the history of Jewish settlement here, the problems of adaptation to American life while avoiding the kind of total assimilation that leads, chas v’chalilah, to the disappearance of Jewish life, the cultural concerns and achievements of Jews in literature, music, art, etc. All our articles center on the Jewish experience and attendant issues, and all our fiction on stories of Jewish life. Even all our poems must, at least, contain a Jewish allusion, be it merely some metaphorical reference to a character in the Hebrew Bible, the Tanakh. Religion too has its important place in Midstream. All branches of Judaism have had their say in recent years, though we try to avoid publishing essays on in-house controversies that we feel better belong in the official organs or journals of the movements involved. We, the editorial staff, prefer not to take sides or even deal with such issues. We have published symposia on Jewish-Christian relations with contributions of a wide variety of representatives. The persistence of historic antisemitism and the slow but hopeful change in current Christian thinking in some circles is crucial part of Midstream’s concerns. As is the fact that we hasten to publish with frequency varied interpretations of Biblical texts, which we call by the general classic title of Midrash. We also have had articles on secular heroes—Freud’s Jewishness, Shostakovich’s relations with Jewish colleagues, Jewish aspects of Shakespeare and Cervantes’s Don Quixote. The great American-Jewish novelist and short-story writer Bernard Malamud, after all, said that all men are Jews (women too), or words, without rancor, to that effect. Do we, the editors, take sides—yes, the side of representing Jewish life, issues, and culture and opting for their vibrant survival. But within Jewish life and culture—no.

Addendum: We do not publish articles on solely American political issues, although we understand that Jewish-Americans, like all Americans, have passionately-held opinions on such serious issues as social security, taxes, etc. To my knowledge, we have never published articles supporting one American political candidate over another for any public office. An important subject, but not our subject, nor our mission. We compete intellectually with Harper’s, Atlantic Monthly, Commentary, but we are different. Yechi ha-hevdeil! I hesitate for a moment upon making this statement to cite an admission. If an acknowledged antisemite were to run for president or senator or mayor, I think you might read some strong opinions about it in Midstream.

3. It is understandable that Midstream also deals with Jewish Diaspora culture the world over. I am particularly proud of our annual July/August issue devoted during my editorship to Yiddish, Ladino, and other Jewish linguistic and life cultures that flourished elsewhere, and have its votaries here in the United States and in Israel as well. We welcome all kinds of views on these subjects. We honor them, but we do not take sides.

4. Finally, it goes without saying, that the event called Holocaust is also part of the soul of Midstream. Our “Statement of Purpose” written about 57 years ago at the inauguration of our journal, mentions the importance of the Holocaust in our all-embracing view of Jewish life and letters. Our March/April issue has been traditionally devoted to a good deal of writing, long before my editorship, on Holocaust history, issues, controversies, memoirs, fiction, and poetry. This too I maintain with pride and welcome obligation. But once again, it must be stressed that many points of view on Holocaust issues are presented here by our writers. Their views are inevitably their own; not necessarily the views of our journal or of anyone that helps put out the journal. This goes for all articles in Midstream, whatever the subject. Midstream does not take sides.

The answer to the question in the title of this editorial is self-evident. Within the parameters of our purpose and mission, Midstream is in the middle of the stream, looking to both sides, not to one side only.

That’s the editorial message for the year 2007—now the pitch. Did I mention that Midstream is a non-profit publication? We’re also a “yes-loss” publication. Our modest subscription rates do not, by any means, cover our expenses. We cannot even afford a full-time staff of proper size. So two years ago, I began appealing to our subscribers, occasional readers, and friends in general for a show of monetary support. The response two years ago was very good and heartwarming. The response last year fell a bit short of the first year’s appeal, but was nevertheless a very positive one. We were exceedingly grateful in both instances.

We turn now to all of you once again for the third time in our once-a-year appeal. We prayerfully call again upon all our readers to subscribe to Midstream, to renew subscriptions, and to urge their friends and relatives to do so too. We call upon all who submit manuscripts to Midstream, not only to hope for acceptance of their work, which is quite understandable, but also to subscribe and thereby vote with their pocketbooks for the survival of this inimitable publication that is so receptive to American-Jewish authors. (Please don’t misunderstand; we also publish excellent work written by gentile friends of the Jewish people and Israel. We’ve published essays by Dr. Eugene Fisher and Sister Mary Boys and poetry by Dane O’Hara.) We urge all synagogue libraries, Jewish schools, and university libraries to subscribe to Midstream.

And finally, we hope to set up a special page once again, as we did in the past two years, to appear from time to time in our publication, that will list those of our friends who are generous enough to support us with a tax-deductible contribution that will undoubtedly help assure the existence of a publication vital to American-Jewish life, the cause of Israel, and the memory of the Holocaust. And just like in the previous two years, all contributors will also receive formal letters of acknowledgment and thanks. Here are the designations of honor that we intend to list with gratitude:

Friend: $36 to $99

Supporter: $100 to $499

Associate: $500 to $999

Patron: $1,000 to $4,999

Benefactor: $5,000 and above

Please do not be terrified by the largest sums listed above. We will gladly accept any contribution, however small, with equal gratitude. Todah rabbah.

Leo Haber, Editor

Midstream

P.S. Please make checks payable to The Theodor Herzl Foundation/Midstream, and address your tax-deductible contributions to The Theodor Herzl Foundation/Midstream, 633 Third Avenue / 21st Floor, New York, NY 10017.

About the author
Leo Haber is the Editor of Midstream.