Yonat Shimron: Reporting is how I learn about the world

Donate Now! Growing up, RNS journalist Yonat Shimron was always a reader, her nose stuck in a book — at recess, in the car, and late at night under the pillow.  At one point, she realized maybe she could tell a story, too. Lucky for us, she started with nonfiction —   journalism. She explains that it felt like an honor to tell someone else’s story, as well as an awesome responsibility to do so fairly and accurately.  All spring, we’ve been Celebrating the Storytellers at RNS – the journalists who bring you news about faith, spirituality, and culture that shapes our world. As a regular reader, we know hearing from many voices is important to you, and that’s why we’re hearing today from Yonat on how she approaches this work:     How does storytelling impact your life?  “Writing stories is the main way I learn about the world. There’s nothing like interviewing multiple people and then writing a news story to help me understand what’s going on in the world around me. My reporting and my writing help me stay informed and allow me to wrestle on a deeper level with the issues around me. It’s also opened my heart and made me feel more invested in people’s lives and in their struggles.”    How have you seen stories connect people and cultures?  “One of America’s most respected rabbis, Sharon Brous, recently wrote a book that draws on Jewish ritual and practice but may resonate just as powerfully for Christians, Muslims and people of no faith. I interviewed Brous about her book, called “The Amen Effect,” which suggests the antidote to the plague of loneliness and isolation is compassion and community. The book is a kind of meditation on the importance of “showing up” — in good times and bad — to say ‘amen,’ essentially, an expression of solidarity.”    Revisiting a Passover story    “This year, Passover falls on Earth Day (April 22), and I’ll be remembering a story I wrote about Rabbi Ellen Bernstein, who wrote a beautiful Haggadah, called “The Promise of the Land.” This Haggadah, a retelling of the story of the Exodus from Egypt, reminds Jews of the origin of Passover as a springtime harvest festival of thanksgiving that connects all living creatures to the Earth and to their responsibility to care for it. Rabbi Bernstein died just a few months ago but I’ll be thinking of her as the founding mother of the Jewish environmental movement.” This connection through independent journalism is only possible with your support. We ask that you make a commitment to a monthly donation of $10. That works out to only a quarter per newsletter!  Your gift today ensures stories of inspiration and encouragement for tomorrow. Can we count on your support?

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