Di Tzeitung, an Orthodox Jewish newspaper based in Brooklyn, released a statement yesterday to apologize for deleting Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Counterterrorism Director Audrey Tomason from a photograph of President Obama and the national security team in the White House Situation Room during the capture of Osama bin Laden. Di Tzeitung stated that it does not publish pictures of women, in accordance with its editorial policy, but apologized for violating a White House policy that prohibits alterations to the pictures.
Robin Bodner, executive director of the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance, told CNN, “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!”
Di Tzeitung stated, “Because we wanted to honor the President and our armed forces for the historical significance of the moment, we opted to publish the photo, but without the women included, as is our long standing editorial policy. Our editorial policies are guided by a Rabbinical Board and because of laws of modesty, does not allow for the publishing of photos of women.”
