By Bill Simons 

On The Reporter webpage, my column is referred to as “Bill Simons’ Diaspora Report.” “Diaspora Report” suggests two of the column’s distinctive attributes: the perspective of an American Jew and a broad, eclectic canvas receptive to ethnic and religious observations, our relationship with Israel, politics, the law, sport, society, culture, food and family. Although I wrote widely spaced pieces for The Reporter as far back as January 13, 1994, my regular column began with the June 19-25, 2020, issue. I have not missed a deadline since then. My “Diaspora Report” has now passed the 100-column milestone, time to reflect on its evolution and purpose. 

The “Diaspora Report” finds grounding in the belief that understanding the present requires examination of its relationship to the past. Thus, I draw on training and experience. I have a doctorate in American history and considerable prior publication, both academic and journalistic. In some fashion or another, I have taught American history since 1972, 45 of those years at SUNY Oneonta, but also in varied venues. Moreover, I have presented before numerous ethnic and religious groups, educational institutions, libraries, museums and civic organizations. Attempting to set the “Diaspora Report” apart from the presentism of most columns, I employ the historian’s craft as a resource to contextualize stories. 

This approach enables me accept that I cannot compete with a reporter filing daily reports. Soon after I began the “Diaspora Report,” The Reporter moved to biweekly publication, further puncturing any illusion that I would have first call on telling a story. Instead, I search for a perspective that will stand the test of time. Free of the need to report breaking news, I developed a Jewish column calendar built around certain annual features, such as the roundup of the baseball season, Veterans Day and Kirk Douglas’ yahrzeit. For anticipated articles, I thus have more time to plan and schedule archival research, interviews and on-site reporting. 

The “Diaspora Report” still sometimes strains again space limitations. However, that has encouraged vigilance against the gratuitous and digressive. Moreover, as with the Tree of Life murders, women in baseball and Jewish delicatessens, I have the option of a multipart series as an alternative to imposing premature closure on a topic.
At a time when local journalism faces formidable challenges and fair treatment of matters vital to Jews is often lacking, it is a privilege to be part of a Reporter team committed to quality Jewish journalism. Thanks to Executive Editor Rabbi Rachel Esserman for encouraging me to find significance in diverse areas of Jewish life. And appreciation is due Layout Editor Diana Sochor for investing care in the physical presentation of my columns.

In addition, experienced journalists with serious credentials have contributed to my development as a columnist. Displaying exceptional generosity with his time, expertise, and contacts, Bob Cudmore, dean of Greater Amsterdam/Schenectady (NY) media, opened doors that enable me to chronicle the transformation of the bullied and deprived Izzy Demsky into superstar Kirk Douglas. To prepare me to enter the courtroom in the Tree of Life murder trial, award-winning, Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle reporter David Rullo patiently answered questions and gifted context. While covering anti-Israel protest at Columbia University, Associated Press reporter Cedar Attanasio, in addition to sharing detail about antecedent events, heightened my sense of purpose, telling me that local journalism is an essential counter to the ubiquitous echo chamber of national media.

Unlike some of my more didactic and polemical labor union writing, the “Diaspora Report” is not a platform for ideology. The column coda values reflective analysis over strident opinion. I am a Jew, Reform by upbringing and belief, Conservative by association and affiliation, Orthodox by ancestry and Chasidic by appreciation for Chabad, but respectful of diverse religious practices, Jewish and Gentile, that embrace the dignity of all humankind. And I am a left center, FDR Democrat, but grant a decent respect and civil hearing to viewpoints that challenge mine. In crafting columns, I take seriously the comments of readers, whether appreciative or critical. While situational evaluation of on-going events is subject to reassessment, my fundamental beliefs are deeply rooted. 

Since the October 7 terrorist attack, the Israel-Hamas war has challenged Jewish-American journalists. My core beliefs about the conflict – the legitimacy of self-defense and destruction of Hamas, commitment to the survival of the Jewish people, the importance of Israel remaining a Jewish state, the imperative of replacing the current hard-right Israeli government with one that reflects the best of Jewish and democratic values, and the need to plan for a just and secure peace – remain intact. At this point in the conflict, however, tactics, casualties and the misconduct of the Netanyahu coalition have led me to prioritize safeguarding the lives of Palestinian civilians. As war and the eventual post-conflict settlement proceed, the “Diaspora Report” will attempt to voice responsible and constructive response to events happening in real time.

The “Diaspora Report” seeks to contribute to Jewish consciousness, pride and identity without recourse to hyperbole or distortion. Nonetheless, more direct engagement with the underside of Jewish life merits attention in future columns. Past columns confronted the Jewish Nazi Daniel Burros and xenophobic Rabbi Meir Kahane, but have thus far not dealt directly with violent gangsters Bugsy Siegel and Mickey Cohen, corrupt financers Ivan Boesky and Bernie Madoff, and predatory transgressors Jeffrey Epstein and Harvey Weinstein. Eschewing sensationalism and group shaming, consideration of the factors that led individuals and phenomenon to violate Jewish values may contribute to consideration of future correctives.

Amidst the polarization of our political and cultural discourse, it is a gift and challenge to write the “Diaspora Report.” The goal is for the column to make a difference at a time when news, particularly that about Jews and Israel, is skewed. I aspire to establish a legacy and to publish “Diaspora Report” columns in a book. Pre-publication, my wife Nancy reads everything I write, evaluating expression and content. Nancy doesn’t agree with all that I write, but she believes in me – and the goals of the “Diaspora Report.”