A follow up to the whole blurred image post

Rather than bury new information at the bottom of the page, I decided this update deserved its own post.

First of all, as some of you have pointed out in the comments of my previous post on the topic, Machon Meir did, in fact, post an apology on their Hebrew language website stating:

"מכון מאיר מביע בזאת את התנצלותו הכנה על פרסום בלתי ראוי של תמונתה של רותי פוגל הי"ד"

[Machon Meir offers this apology for publishing an inappropriate photograph of Ruth Fogel (may her blood be avenged)]

As other comments have pointed out, that leaves some ambiguity as to whether they are apologizing for blurring out her face... or if publishing a photo of her at all was 'inapropriate', and thus required an apology.

So I called up Machon Meir and spoke with a gentleman there who agreed to forward written questions to their management.  Here is exactly what was contained in the email (my questions are in black and his responses are in blue)  He pasted the management's responses onto my emailed questions:

Dear Mr. Listman,

Thank you for taking the time to speak with me a few moments ago.

 My questions are as follows:

Dear Mr. Bogner,

The replies to your queries are below.

Thank you,

Question 1.  The published apology that is on the Hebrew language website of Machon Meir seems to be apologizing for publishing an inappropriate picture of Ruth Fogel, rather than for having blurred out her face.  I would like to know if Machon Meir's current policy would allow the publication of a woman's photo (assuming she is dressed modestly) without having her image blurred out?

Response:  No, it does not allow publication of a woman's photo.

Question 2.  Rav Aviner has gone on record defending the blurring out of Ruth Fogel's face when he was asked specifically about last Shabbat's alon. He says that by blurring her image it was honoring her, not insulting her.  As Rav Aviner is associated with Machon Meir, I am confused as to what your institute's formal policy is regarding publishing photographs of Women. Please clarify this for me.

Response:  The policy is to publish articles that woman write but not pictures. If we would be obligated to publicize a picture of a woman then we do so.

Question 3.  I have not gone back to check older issues of the Alon, but have there been photographs of other women in past issues that were not blurred out, and is there a policy in place whereby Machon Meir tries not to publish photographs of women at all?

Response:  No, there have not been pictures of such.

Sincerely

R' Menachem Listman

Machon Meir English Department Director

www.machonmeir.net 

I think those responses speak volumes as to exactly what they were apologizing for.