We discuss why The CJN Magazine featured watermelon earrings and a keffiyeh on its cover

Hamutal Dotan responds to the response with Avi Finegold and Phoebe Maltz Bovy.

The cover illustration of the fall issue of The Canadian Jewish News Magazine drew hundreds of responses from readers across the country. 

The image depicted a fictional family gathered for Rosh Hashanah. This family included a matronly woman in an apron wearing a yellow ribbon in support of bringing the hostages home; a young girl with a dog tag necklace in support of the Israel Defense Forces; two bearded men in a heated discussion; someone looking at footage of an explosion posted to Instagram on their smartphone; one woman clutching her forehead in apparent disappointment or frustration; and, most controversially, a young woman sporting a keffiyeh and watermelon earrings—a symbol of Palestinian solidarity. 

The magazine’s editor-in-chief, Hamutal Dotan, joined Rabbi Avi Finegold and Phoebe Maltz Bovy for a robust discussion of the logic behind the drawing. After that, they discuss Phoebe’s and Avi’s articles inside: one on what Judaism has to say about Zion as a historic homeland for Jewish people, and one on the new philosemitism that’s arisen since Oct. 7.

Credits

  • Hosts: Avi Finegold and Phoebe Maltz Bovy (@BovyMaltz)
  • Production team: Michael Fraiman (producer), Zachary Kauffman (editor)
  • Music: Socalled

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