JTA: The Global News Service of the Jewish People

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History

In 1917, during the waning days of World War I, a 25-year-old journalist named Jacob Landau had a vision. The war had brought home the realization that what happens in our country affects more than just its own people - that the nation’s fate is bound up with the fate of surrounding nations. At the same time, the continuing mass migration of Jews to the New World meant that more and more families were now separated by oceans. Jews in one part of the world had a personal interest in what was happening halfway around the globe. And the Jewish People as a whole had an increasing stake in the geopolitical developments transforming much of the Western world. 

Landau realized that world Jewry needed a mechanism for transmitting vital information about what was happening to Jewish communities in various parts of the world. The Jewish People needed its own reliable source of information, so that it could keep its leaders informed about important developments of the day and, when necessary, motivate the community to action. And so, Landau founded the Jewish Correspondence Bureau, later renamed the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. It was, in fact, the first news agency that not only gathered but also disseminated news in every part of the world. 

Eight and a half decades later, world Jewry’s sense of interconnectedness and its need for reliable information about developments impacting Jewish interests have intensified. JTA continues its distinguished tradition of providing accurate reports and informative analysis of the issues and news developments affecting the Jewish People. 

The people who have made JTA what it is today are far too numerous to mention. They include well-known journalists such as Daniel Schorr, Theodore White, David Schoenbrun, Elie Able and Meyer Levin - and many lesser-known journalists, whose dedication, talent and hard work have brought honor and distinction to the agency. They also include our Officers and our Board of Directors, who over the years have realized the importance of an international Jewish news agency and have contributed time, advice and a considerable amount of money to help JTA grow to become the world-class news agency that it is. We salute all of these people, as well as the Jewish community at large for the wisdom it has shown in continuing to support the only global news agency dedicated to serving the Jewish People.