The great Hedy Epstein has died and the New York Times has all but covered up her most significant moral achievement.
The Times has a 24-paragraph obituary for Hedy Epstein, the activist who was an inspiration to many on our site, who died in St. Louis at 91 on May 26. This is how they characterize her:
Ms. Epstein, a Holocaust survivor who spoke widely about the persecution of the Jews in Germany, and who spent most of her adult life working for a broad range of social justice movements.
The fact that Hedy Epstein was outspoken for Palestinian rights doesn’t come till the very end of the story, after Vietnam, Cambodia, Black Lives Matter, fair housing, Kristallnacht, the kindertransport, and other causes and events.
After the massacre of Palestinians in the Sabra and Shatila refugee camps in Lebanon in 1982, Ms. Epstein channeled her energies into the Palestinian cause. She helped found the St. Louis chapters of the Palestine Solidarity Committee and Jewish Voice for Peace.
We venture to say that were it not for her channeling her energies into Palestine, Hedy Epstein would not warrant 24 paragraphs in death in the New York Times. Obituaries often describe exemplary lives, and the reason Hedy Epstein’s was so exemplary is that she experienced the tremendous historical trauma that was the basis for Israel’s creation by world powers in 1948 and yet turned against the idea of a Jewish state. That’s what makes Hedy Epstein so special.
The obit notes that in 2011 at age 86 Hedy Epstein was on the boat the Audacity of Hope trying to break the Gaza blockade. That should have been the first sentence in the Times article. The fact that it is not and her Palestinian work is buried in the story is yet another example of bias (conscious or not, it doesn’t matter) aimed at preserving Israel’s positive image in the minds of New York Times readers.
New York Times has all but covered up her most significant moral achievement.
sorry, i had a different reaction to the obit. i liked it. aside from the opening/introduction, there were more paragraphs about her activism for palestine than any other acts of justice she pursued. yes, it was at the base of the article, but it did come at the end of her life. also, because the author directly proceeded with quotes from her democracy now as well as her book title “Remembering Is Not Enough” and also “Remember the past, don’t hate, don’t be a bystander”.. it connected these quotes (conscious or not, it doesn’t matter) to her activism for justice in palestine. (and no equivocation or scare quotes around occupation!)
here is the finale of the article:
i thought it made her activism for palestine even stronger because it followed a lifetime of struggle for justice in other arenas (both in life and the article with the exception of the opening highlighting her recent arrest in st louis). so by the time a reader encountered it it becomes difficult for her critics (of which there have been many) to discount her moral fiber.
plus i like the photo they chose at the top, taken in cairo in 09 holding the sign “hunger strike for gaza” with her fist raised. i liked many things about it.
i think it is likely hedy epstein will be remembered as, if not the most famous, one of the most famous holocaust survivors in recorded history — much to the chagrin of her critics. this will be her legacy, and i think this obit serves that legacy.
On the other hand, the picture in the NYT at the top of the article, taken during the Cairo Gaza March clearly shows Hedy on a hunger strike for Gaza.
NYT still needs to be taken to task, but interesting that they chose that picture.
I love Mondoweiss! I donate, I share, I know some of the founders but I have to agree with Annie Robbins here, I think they covered her I/P activism pretty well, she had a long life, did a lot of things, experienced a lot of things, they honored her well in my opinion.
I agree with Annie’s take on the obituary. Hedy pushed and shoved for Palestinian rights and finally broke down the walls of the New York Times. The result is an obit that is plenty good enough.
I also agree with the subconscious orientation towards action, action, action — not whining all day about Zionist media bias. Zionist media bias is everywhere, but I say shut the hell up about it and push for boycotting Israel.
If you push like hell for boycott, in the face of every media outlet, in your city councils, your grocery store, wherever you feel comfy — then you will be heard. Even the Zionist media will surrender and print the story, as they did for Hedy.
For example, I keep pushing for boycotts against Israel in my City Council, and I know I’ll be heard. Even though my style lacks grace, lacks nuanced analysis, and (usually) lacks a roomful of enthusiastic youth to demand boycott with me. I will be heard and so will you.
Just get out in front of the media and yell for boycott. Take this news program, for example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoFrHxvqS74
— Start watching about 1 minute into the broadcast – you can push your own boycott campaign very far if you just won’t shut up.
Good luck to you and me both.
The dramatic incident featured at the beginning of the Times obituary of Hedy Einstein was significant because of her age: 90. The photo above the article was enough to draw the reader into wanting to learn about her Palestinian activism as well.
All New York Times readers should subscribe to Barbara Erickson’s excellent critiques of New York Times bias in her blog https://timeswarp.org/