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| Torossian is active in supporting pro-Israeli causes, especially those associated with the Israeli right wing. He represents ], a former Israeli ] member from the ] party, who is a strong supporter of Jewish settlement in the Occupied West Bank. He is active in ], an orthodox Jewish organization whose headquarters are in the occupied Arab section of Jerusalem. He also works closely with Christian supporters of Israel, including the ], led by TV evangelist ]. | Torossian is active in supporting pro-Israeli causes, especially those associated with the Israeli right wing. He represents ], a former Israeli ] member from the ] party, who is a strong supporter of Jewish settlement in the Occupied West Bank. He is active in ], an orthodox Jewish organization whose headquarters are in the occupied Arab section of Jerusalem. He also works closely with Christian supporters of Israel, including the ], led by TV evangelist ]. | ||
| Torossian has been outspoken on the need for aggressive policies for Jewish settlement of the West Bank and oppression of opposition. He has called Israeli prime minister "a disaster" for his decision to temporarily freeze settlement construction to encourage peace talks. "I feel completely disenfranchised by Benjamin Netanyahu's vision and actions as head of Likud," he said in an interview to the New York Jewish Week. "I will never actively support him again."<ref>Stewart Ain, , The Jewish Week, January 8, 1999</ref>. In an interview with the Forward, Torossian objected to the leadership of the ] of the ], which rules some of the West Bank. "The PLO or PA., or whatever the gangsters call themselves today, have no place in Jerusalem," he said<ref name=Forward/>. | Torossian has been outspoken on the need for aggressive policies for Jewish settlement of the West Bank and oppression of opposition. He has called Israeli prime minister ] "a disaster" for his decision to temporarily freeze settlement construction to encourage peace talks. "I feel completely disenfranchised by Benjamin Netanyahu's vision and actions as head of Likud," he said in an interview to the New York Jewish Week. "I will never actively support him again."<ref>Stewart Ain, , The Jewish Week, January 8, 1999</ref>. In an interview with the Forward, Torossian objected to the leadership of the ] of the ], which rules some of the West Bank. "The PLO or PA., or whatever the gangsters call themselves today, have no place in Jerusalem," he said<ref name=Forward/>. | ||
| == Praise and Criticism== | == Praise and Criticism== | ||
Revision as of 10:53, 28 March 2011
| Ronn D. Torossian | |
|---|---|
 Ronn Torossian | |
| Born | Brooklyn, New York |
| Nationality | United States |
| Citizenship | American, Israeli |
| Employer | 5W Public Relations |
| Known for | Public relations |
| Title | Chief executive officer |
| Website | RonnTorossian.com |
Ronn D. Torossian (born 1974) is an American public relations executive, and a leading American supporter of Israel's right-wing. He is the founder and CEO of the New York City-based 5W Public Relations firm.
The New York Times has described him as “brash and aggressively outspoken... the consummate scrappy publicist".
Biography
Torossian was born in Midwood, Brooklyn and grew up in The Bronx. As a youth, Torossian was national president of the Israeli youth movement Betar, a youth organization affiliated with the conservative Likud party in Israel. He later moved to Israel, where he lived a few years, and founded an organization called "Yerushalayim Shelanu" (Our Jerusalem), which urged Arabs to move out of Jerusalem.
Torossian founded 5WPR in 2003, and quickly became a presence in the New York PR scene. From a two-man operation, the company grew to be 13th largest PR firm in the US by 2009.
Activities and opinions
Torossian is active in supporting pro-Israeli causes, especially those associated with the Israeli right wing. He represents Binyamin Elon, a former Israeli Knesset member from the Moledet party, who is a strong supporter of Jewish settlement in the Occupied West Bank. He is active in Aish Hatorah, an orthodox Jewish organization whose headquarters are in the occupied Arab section of Jerusalem. He also works closely with Christian supporters of Israel, including the Christians United For Israel, led by TV evangelist John Hagee.
Torossian has been outspoken on the need for aggressive policies for Jewish settlement of the West Bank and oppression of opposition. He has called Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu "a disaster" for his decision to temporarily freeze settlement construction to encourage peace talks. "I feel completely disenfranchised by Benjamin Netanyahu's vision and actions as head of Likud," he said in an interview to the New York Jewish Week. "I will never actively support him again.". In an interview with the Forward, Torossian objected to the leadership of the Palestine Liberation Organization of the Palestinian Authority, which rules some of the West Bank. "The PLO or PA., or whatever the gangsters call themselves today, have no place in Jerusalem," he said.
Praise and Criticism
Torossian's style, PR tactics and opinions have led to criticism. Jeffrey Goldberg, a writer for the Atlantic, wrote that "it's said of Ronn Torossian that he represents 'right-wing' Israeli politicians, but this description does not do his clients justice," Goldberg wrote. " Torossian represents the lunatic fringe.". Rabbi Andy Bachman, a leader of the US Reform movement, has called his PR tactics unethical, and has protested a decision to hire Torossian as spokesman of Birthright Israel, a program to encourage young US Jews to visit Israel, "You can't hire an unethical person to represent a program that is supposed to inspire people to connect with the Jewish tradition - and all the great things Judaism has to offer," he said in an interview in the Israeli Haaretz newspaper.
On the other hand, some have lauded his aggressive PR style. "Even in an industry fueled by hype, Torossian stands out," wrote Business week. "Few seem better equipped to navigate a celebrity-obsessed culture." In the article, Torossian described the importance of aggression and focus in his work,
He was listed in PR Week's "40 under 40" in 2007, and in 2010 was a semifinalist for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of Year.
References
- ^ Kurutz, Steven (February 20, 2005). "Brash P.R. Guy Grabs Clients, Ink". The City. The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-09-05.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ Popper, Nathaniel (April 2, 2004). "Publicist scores with rappers, right-wing politicians". The Forward.
{{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - [http://www.odwyerpr.com/pr_firm_rankings/independents.htm Top PR Firm Rankings | Public Relations Agency Rankings by O'Dwyer's Public Relations News]
- Stewart Ain, "Enough of this guy", The Jewish Week, January 8, 1999
- Jeffrey Goldberg, [http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2008/10/the-jewish-extremists- behind-quot-obsession-quot/9006/ "The Jewish Extremists Behind 'Obsession'"], The Atlantic, October 27, 2008
- Nathaniel Popper, "The right-wing PR firms that make Birthright Israel free", Haaretz, August 20, 2009
- Brady, Diane (November 12, 2007). "The Bad Boy of Buzz and His PR Problem". Businessweek.
{{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - "40 under 40". PR Week. December 3, 2007.
{{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help)