Launching of JPC
The Jerusalem Press Club
The Jerusalem Press Club is positioned to become a world-renowned facility, already a member of the International Association of Press Clubs and the European Federation of Press Clubs, it is a place where journalists have access to ministers, diplomats, ambassadors and high level officials in Israeli politics and society. It is a hub of journalistic activity where domestic and foreign press have a chance to mingle in a setting fitting for them.
Aside from the traditional role of a press club, the JPC provides a special opportunity to highlight different aspects of Israeli society and achievement including various areas of special activity and expertise.
JPC’s new home in Mishkenot Sha’ananim will include a communications center in the Djanogly Hall with advanced audio-visual equipment, meeting spaces, leisure spaces, a restaurant, WiFi connections, a tourist information center and a small office.
Why the Jerusalem Press Club?
There are about 250 international journalists from all over the world posted in Jerusalem, but that number can grow instantly to 1,000 when events in Israel warrant it. The vast majority of journalists reside in this city throughout their assignments, some remaining for several years. All of these journalists experience this unique city and its surrounding region as they report, photograph, edit and broadcast.
Prior to the advent of the Jerusalem Press Club no centralized meeting place existed in Israel where foreign journalists could receive a wide range of quality information about the entirety of Israel’s story, meet in a private and sophisticated atmosphere with peers and national leaders, and utilize state-of-the art communications equipment–all while having the opportunity to broadcast stories with the Walls of Jerusalem’s famed Old City as a backdrop 24/7.
Special guests and journalists present at the Launch were addressed by:
Nir Barkat, Mayor of Jerusalem
Natan Sharansky, Chairman of the Executive, Jewish Agency for Israel
Ambassador Mark Sofer, President of the Jerusalem Foundation
Cripian Balmer, Bureau Chief of Reuters News, Chairmain of the Foreign Press Association
Sandor Frankel, Trustee, the Helmsley Charitable Trust
Panel Speakers on “The Media Coverage of Israel”:
Inge Guenther works as Bureau Chief for Frankfurter Rundschau, Berliner Zeitung and several other German daily newspapers in Jerusalem. She covers mainly Israel and the Palestinian territories, but knows also the neighboring countries from research trips. Studied pedagogic in Cologne and Frankfurt before doing a journalistic training at Frankfurter Rundschau. She started as correspondent in Jerusalem in the late Nineties, when Oslo instilled hope for peace, witnessed the Intifada (including terror attacks), went later to California for a sabbatical break and returned in 2005 to Israel. She twice received a price in Germany for her journalistic work: 2003 by the Alexander Foundation in Frankfurt and 2006 by the German magazine Medium, which chose her from among the ten best reporters.
Ilene Prusher has been a journalist for two decades, and in her current position, writes the “Jerusalem Vivendi” blog for Haaretz. She was a staff writer for The Christian Science Monitor. During that time, she covered two of the major conflicts of the past decade: Iraq and Afghanistan. Her reporting experiences provided the inspiration for her debut novel, Baghdad Fixer. Her work has also appeared in publications such as Time, The Washington Post, The New Republic and The Guardian. She has taught journalism and writing courses at NYU and at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Steve Linde was appointed editor-in-chief of The Jerusalem Post in July, 2011, after serving as managing editor, news editor and night editor at the paper over the last 14 years. He also served as director, editor, reporter and news reader for Israel Radio’s English News over a period of 21 years. Born in Zimbabwe and raised in South Africa, he has graduate degrees in sociology and journalism, the latter from the University of California at Berkeley. Linde made aliya in 1987, served in IDF artillery and has lived in Jerusalem for the past 24 years.
Col. Uri Dromi – Moderator, Director of the Press Club and led to its creation and establishment. Previously, he served as Director of Mishkenot Sha’ananim and Director of International Outreach at the Israel Democracy Institute; Chief Education Officer of the Israel Air Force and the editor-in chief of the IAF magazine and the IDF Publishing House; Director of the Government Press Office. Mr. Dromi has published books and numerous articles both in Israeli and international newspapers. Mr. Dromi studied toward a doctorate at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem and holds a degree in history from Ben Gurion University.
