Following a period of staff layoffs and the end of its 122-year-old print edition, The Forward has named journalist Jodi Rudoren as its next editor in chief.
A veteran reporter of the New York Times since 1998, Rudoren has held numerous leadership roles at the paper, including serving as its Jerusalem bureau chief, Chicago bureau chief, and, most recently, as an associate managing editor focused on reader engagement strategies. In an interview with the Times, Rudoren described The Forward as a “pillar of investigative journalism, of provocative op-eds, and of really great cultural coverage” that she hopes to “redefine … as the platform for the American Jewish conversation.”
Originally named the Jewish Daily Forward, the publication began in 1897 as a Yiddish-language newspaper. Over the decades, the paper began offering English editions and continues to publish pieces in both languages today. After turning into a monthly magazine in 2017, The Forward morphed into an all-digital publication earlier this year.
Rudoren will begin in September and will be tasked with revitalizing the publication’s readership and digital presence following decades of financial instability.
“We’re excited to bring in Jodi’s depth of experience with digital invention and the caliber of her journalism,” The Forward’s publisher and CEO Rachel Fishman Feddersen said. “For our staff to have a leader like Jodi is inspirational.”