Shtetl (publication)

Shtetl: Haredi Free Press was a media outlet founded by activist Naftuli Moster in 2023 to cover the Haredi Jewish community. Moster renounced the site in 2025, leading to the resignation of its board.

History

Naftuli Moster, founder and former executive director of activist group Young Advocates for Fair Education (Yaffed), announced in November 2022 the upcoming launch of online media outlet Shtetl: Haredi Free Press in early 2023. Moster stated that the outlet would produce independent journalism to fill a news desert in the Haredi media landscape. Shtetl launched in November 2023.[1][2]

In June 2025, Moster announced that he regretted both Shtetl and Yaffed after growing distrustful of progressive politics after the October 7 attacks and due to his concern that his advocacy had negatively impacted family in the Haredi community. In response, all three of Shtetl's board members resigned.[3]

Staffing

The board included seasoned Jewish journalists, including Larry Cohler-Esses of The Forward and Ari Goldman of Columbia University,[1] and Adelle Goldenberg.[3] Moster was the founding editor-in-chief and the website launched with one staff reporter, a non-Haredi.[4][2]

Editorial and reception

Some reaction was praise for a news outlet that could hold communal institutions to account. According to activist Elad Nehorai, most Haredi outlets were more akin to community newspapers than journalistic enterprises. Shtetl aimed to cover stories about the Haredi community with cultural and linguistic context other news outlets were not suited for. Critics argued that Shtetl had a political agenda to undermine the community,[1] including Avi Shafran of Agudath Israel of America, who claimed that Shtetl would be focused only on the negatives of the community. NPR contrasted Shtetl's "warts and all" goals with Hamodia.[4][2]

References

  1. ^ a b c Hajdenberg, Jackie (2022-11-30). "A 'haredi free press' grows in Brooklyn, igniting both excitement and resentment". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
  2. ^ a b c Rosenfeld, Arno (2022-11-29). "Critic of yeshiva education promises 'independent' coverage of Haredi issues in new publication". The Forward. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
  3. ^ a b Elia-Shalev, Asaf (2025-06-20). "Board of Shtetl, news site covering haredi Orthodoxy, resigns after founder renounces mission". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved 12 March 2026.
  4. ^ a b Kalish, Jon (2023-09-06). "A new website reports on the ultra-Orthodox Jewish community". NPR. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
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