The New York Times An Analysis

Executive Summary The company is an icon of press freedom. The New York Times masthead is instantly recognizable around the world. It is a trusted brand when it comes to journalism. It is highly valuable source of reliable news information. However, print publication is in decline. It is due the existence of non-traditional media competitors. Advertisers have found an alternative means of delivering advertising content and it is negatively affecting the profitability of The New York Times.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The New York Times: An Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In order to survive these trying times the company must learn to embrace digital technology as well as collaborate with established companies like Google and Facebook in order to interact with hundreds of millions of users that would be impossible to accomplish using traditional means. Mission The purpose of the newspaper i s written confidently in each daily issue and it says: â€Å"All the news that’s fit to print† (Hitt, Ireland, Hoskisson, 2009, p.237). It is a statement that encapsulates the commitment to print news and to inform the public of the important things that the public needed to know. It provided differentiation from other newspaper publishers because it is easier to sell newspapers rather than to adhere to strict journalistic standards. This explains the steady rise of The New York Times from a fledgling company into a globally recognized brand. External Analysis Using the 5 forces model the problems of The New York Times can be understood in a more scientific way. Looking at the first factor one can see the significance of the tough competition that the company faces in the newspaper publishing industry. The presence of three giant media companies like Gannet Co, Inc., The Washington Post Company and News Corporation is enough to take a major slice of the market share. In addition these three companies are capitalized much better than The New York Times and as a result the company owned by the Ochs-Sulzberger cannot mount a serious counter-attack to recoup losses and increase its circulation and of course the advertisers willing to pay significant amounts of money for publishers with millions of subscribers. The only positive thing that reduces the impact of The New York Times’ problems is the fact that it is difficult for new entrants to complicate the competition even further. It is extremely difficult for competitors to set-up a traditional publishing company.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It is cost-prohibitive. Based on the significant decline of the earning potential of print publication, it would be close to impossible to find investors willing to spend money on this kind of enterprise. When it comes to the bargain ing power of suppliers the company has to worry about the quality of the writers and editors under its employ. The New York Times has the bargaining power over writers and editors because of the economic downturn and the difficulty of making money in this industry means that the publishers can negotiate with writers and editors for lower pay. However, this is the only silver lining left for The New York Times because when it comes to the bargaining power of customers the company has no counter offer. The customers have the capability to choose the source of information and there is very little leverage for the company to force the customers to choose their products over that of the competition. It is not only the readers that the company has to worry about. The bulk of the profit comes from advertisers and the same story goes because advertisers have alternative means to connect with their target market. Gone are the days when most people can only access news from reading the newspa pers. This brings the discussion to another problematic area for the publishing industry – the threat of substitute products. This comes in the form of non-traditional media competitors that can offer advertisers a more cost-efficient way of bringing advertising content to their target audience. According to experts, â€Å"the advent of the Internet created news opportunities for other companies beyond The New York Times Company and traditional competitors†¦ the second generation of the Internet brought with it new online mediums such as blogs, social networks and online communities that allowed for anyone to self-publish for the world to see† (Hitt, Ireland, Hoskisson, 2009, p.243). This is a problem that has to be dealt with soon. The presence of non-traditional media competitors is an obvious threat to The New York Times Company because it draws away rich advertising clients into alternative forms of mass media communication.Advertising We will write a cu stom research paper sample on The New York Times: An Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More On the other hand the presence of non-traditional means of broadcasting information is an opportunity for the company to evolve into non-print media and transform itself into a digital company that can connect to its target market via digital technology. It is possible for company to partner with Google. As of the moment Google is making money by simply pointing users to the news content found in The New York Times online news. Internal Analysis Circulation unit sales are down as well as well as advertising related revenue (Hitt, Ireland, Hoskisson, 2009, p.244). This is the lifeblood of a typical newspaper publishing company and when the well has dried up, then there is nothing that can be done except to post losses and the value of the company plummets. The money for newspaper subscription has been diverted to pay for Internet connection. If the decline in revenue is not enough The New York Times Company made unforced errors when it began to acquire companies that are nonperforming. For instance the company has unprofitable holdings in The Boston Globe. The company spent $500 million to acquire mediocre companies and there is no need to explain that these are ill-advised acquisitions because the company is heavily in debt. Competitive Advantage The New York Times Company is not without options. At first glance it seems that everything went wrong for the company when the second generation Internet technology was embraced by the general public. The remaining competitive advantage of this company can be found in its reputation as well as the quality of writers and editors under their employ. This is a trusted brand and people will not complain if they can get access to news reports from this company as compared to blogs and amateur reporters. This is an asset that the company cannot afford to misuse. Strategic Alternat ives The company can leverage its talented pool of writers and editors to provide high-quality content that cannot be matched by non-traditional media competitors. This simply means that when a news item is released from The New York Times website it carries more weight as compared to the information that can be gleaned from blogs and social networking sites.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The company can forge alliances and business partnerships with established names like Google and Facebook in order to have access to millions of users are beyond the subscription list of The New York Times. Recommendations One of the major keys to success is in the ability of corporate leaders to use what the company possess that non-traditional media competitors do not have access to. It is a rich pool of talent that can go after news worthy information, write it down and publish it. Although the idea of publishing has been redefined after the digital revolution it must be pointed out that computers and even amateur writers cannot reach the level of competence that The New York Times writers and editors are able to produce on a consistent basis. Therefore, the company must find ways to publish news in a digital format. By collaborating with companies like Google and Facebook while at the same time improving the quality of their website the company can leverage what it has and conne ct to hundreds of millions of people all over the world. This is easier said than done. The next key to success is to persuade established Internet based companies that they must focus on what they do best and leave the content to The New York Times. This will free up Google and Facebook to develop applications that can increase the number of users while they are assured that the quality of news content remains high because they have full access to The New York Times. The ability to leverage their talented pool of writers and editors is a sustainable competitive advantage because the company has been doing research, news reporting and writing for close to a hundred years. The company knows how to hire reporters, writers, and editors and train them and keep them. This is the company’s major competitive advantage and if this can be used through the collaboration of another organization then The New York Times is on the right path to profitability and respect. Time is running ou t for the company and therefore it would be best to execute these alternative strategies in the next four years. By 2015 digital technology can be transformed into something that investors can no longer recognize. For instance news information can be easily accessed through mobile devices. There will come a time when newspapers are no longer made of paper but plastic that has micro-circuits and microprocessors that enable it to receive and transmit data. The New York Times Company must begin its strategic alignment with established companies that are experts in digital technology before the year 2015. Exhibit A Criteria The New York Times Strengths The company is an icon of press freedom. The New York Times masthead is instantly recognizable around the world. It is a trusted brand when it comes to journalism. It is highly valuable as a source of reliable news information. In other words if given the chance to know more about a certain topic a reader would easily choose this new spaper over blogs or internet articles at any given time. Weakness Print publication is in decline. It is due to two major factors: cost and speed. Why would a person buy newspapers if they can access the same information online much faster and without spending anything. Aside from the drastic changes in the way people access and use news reports and newspaper content the company also made ill-advised acquisitions of internet-based companies that are not major money-making enterprises. Opportunities The New York Times owns companies that are relatively valuable and these can be sold for a profit to finance its rebuilding process. For example it owns the Boston Red Sox Threats There are dissident investors that would love nothing more than to gain control of the company and reutrn it to its former status as highly-profitable newspaper company. Good intentions may lead to catastrophic acquisitions and another set of ill-advised business ventures and partnerships. However, the mo st serious threat comes from Gannet Co, Inc., The Washington Post Company and News Corporation these companies belongs to the elite circle when it comes to newspaper publishing. If this is not enough significant reduction in revenue is also attributed to nontraditional media competitors using mediums such as blogs, social networks and online communities. Table 1. SWOT Analysis Reference Hitt, M., Ireland, D., Hoskisson, R. (2009). Strategic Management Competitiveness  and Globalization: Cases. OH: Cengage Learning. This research paper on The New York Times: An Analysis was written and submitted by user Kyra T. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The Govts Taking of Private Property Essays

The Govts Taking of Private Property Essays The Govts Taking of Private Property Essay The Govts Taking of Private Property Essay The Governments Taking of Private Property The Constitution of the United States is based primarily on the ideas of the 17th Century English philosopher John Locke.Locke thought that everyone had natural rights, which included life, liberty, and property.Locke stated the great and chief end, therefore, of mens uniting into commonwealths, and putting themselves under government, is the preservation of property (Locke/ McClaughry 3).He thought that if any of these rights were violated that the violator should make restitution.The Takings Clause in the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution states Nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.When the government needs a citizens private property to build roads or buildings, they compensate the person with money roughly equal to the value of that persons land. The problem of the government taking or restricting a citizens land arises with regulation of private property. John McClaugh ry defines regulatory taking as a governmental confiscation or destruction of economic rights by regulation, without the physical occupation which would trigger just compensation to the owner (McClaughry 7).The case of Lucas v. South Carolina Coastal Council is an example of regulatory taking. In the case of Lucas v. South Carolina Coastal Council, Lucas bought two adjacent lots on the coast of the Isle of Palms in South Carolina, only to have the land restricted by the state, which prevented his intended use of the lots.Lucas argued that the states restriction of the land constituted taking without just compensation.The South Carolina Court of Common Pleas agreed with Lucas and awarded him $1,232,387.50.The Supreme Court of South Carolina disagreed with the lower court, and saying that the restrictions were designed to prevent serious public harm so no compensation was

Immigration Choice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Immigration Choice - Essay Example The choice of the Copper Island represents a more calculated risk for the family. Mr. Paneo, being the head of the family, primarily considers the welfare of his wife and his two children by showing preference to less risky alternatives. Instead of waiting for more than a year before the immigration permit to United Territories is processed and granted, the Paneo family is better off sending Mr. Paneo immediately to Copper Islands. It should be noted that aside from the long wait for the immigration permit, the Paneo family lacks the assurance that they will meet the immigration eligibility for United Territories. The members of the Paneo family have strong ties with each other considering their decision to stay together as one family. However, it is also assumed that they are also willing to endure some sacrifices for their utmost benefit. Thus, the Paneo family, with sad but hopeful hearts, will permit their father to immigrate first in the Copper Islands for a year. This will allow Mr. Paneo to find a good job and a house before his family move in. This will also enable him to prepare his family by providing them with essential information like the climate, the culture, the food and things that they need to be cope with.

Symphony Number 6 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Symphony Number 6 - Essay Example There were also periods where the focused instrument was of a low note. This, I think, suggested apathy, boredom or relaxation. The focus on the different instruments, giving each equal times of attention, made a variety of emotions. I liked this part the most because of the roller coaster of emotions. Especially because it captivates you from the slow and soft start to the faster and more forceful finish. The Das Lied von der Erde was of a different flavor. The melody gave a sad, tragic and sometimes scary feeling which was reinforced by the poem Das Trinklied vom Jammer. The harmony, which I observed had longer and more dragging notes, was matched with the sad poem to create despair. The slower tempo I felt was intended to give a sinking feeling. The start was with a more calm yet sad which was slowly built up to give the intense hurt. This hurt was better felt because of the stress the sudden change in dynamics. It was a different feeling than that of Le Matin but I say of equal beauty.

Disaster nursing and emergency preparedness Essay

Disaster nursing and emergency preparedness - Essay Example Furthermore, tertiary prevention is evident from restricting the reuse of gloves by the healthcare professionals and patients (Veenema, 2012). Innovative Examples One of the major consequences of a natural disaster like an earthquake is the loss of people especially including the loss of children. This creates an innovative opportunity for the nursing professionals to contribute in communicating to the family members of such people (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2014). Phase of the Disaster: Do the Three Proposed Interventions Fall The three proposed interventions fall under the phase of disaster management of nursing practice. The reason behind the selection of such phase is that it would provide a comprehensive nursing experience and exposure in different stressful circumstances (Veenema, 2012). People or Agencies Facilitate by the Proposed Interventions The proposed interventions undertaken during the nursing disaster management trip to Haiti would facilitate the healthcare professionals including doctors, nurses, and others to get practical understanding regarding management of patients in challenging situations. It would also facilitate the Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and the government agencies to execute similar interventions in order to provide effective assistance to the affected people. This proposed intervention is extremely useful with regard to humanity. Moreover, these people or agencies are considerably related to disaster management at large (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2014).

Periodic Table Trend Anomalies

Periodic Table Trend Anomalies Abstract: Atomic radius is the physical size of an atom while ionization energy is the energy required to completely pull one electron away from an atom. When it comes to the periodic table, there are accepted periodic trends for both atomic radius and ionization energy. However, there are some instances in which certain elements do not follow the predetermined periodic trends. These are areas in which trend anomalies occur. On the attached graph, four such anomalies are circled, but only three will be discussed: anomaly #2, anomaly #3, and anomaly #4. The purpose of this report is to explain what about these specified regions is unpredictable, and give a concise reasoning, in relation to electron configuration, as to why the anomalies occur. Ionization Energy: The general trend for ionization energy is that it increases up a group and also increases from left to right. Due to the fact that the elements involved in the anomalies appear consecutively on the periodic table, the left to right trend will be given focus. The reasoning for theis trend is dependent upon the Zeff. The Zeff increases concurrently with the number of protons in an atoms nucleus. The more protons in a nucleus, the more attraction there is between the individual electrons and the nucleus which in turn means a larger Zeff.The higher the Zeff, the closer the electrons are held to the nucleus and therefore, the more energy is required to separate those electrons from the atom. However, in some cases this trend does not apply to certain elements. The following anomalies occur with respect to the trend of ionization energy on the periodic table of elements: Anomaly #2: Elements 7 8 The second anomaly found on the graph occurs at elements 7 and 8, Nitrogen and Oxygen. On the periodic table Nitrogen is element 7, indicating that is has 7 protons in its nucleus while Oxygen is element 8, indicating that is has 8 protons in its nucleus. Due to the fact that Oxygen has a larger number of protons in its nucleus, it should also have a larger Zeff. The larger Zeff means that there should be a greater attraction between the nucleus and the electrons, giving Oxygen a higher ionization energy than Nitrogen. This, however, is not the case. In fact, Nitrogen has a higher ionization energy that Oxygen. To understand why this occurs, the electron configurations of both elements should be taken into account. Nitrogen has an electron configuration of 1s22s22p3 while Oxygen has an electron configuration of 1s22s22p4. Nitrogens p-orbital is exactly half full, with having 3 of a potential 6 electrons present. This configuration is considered to be a more stable one because there is an equal exchange of energies between the electrons of the 2p-orbital. This configuration is also considered to be more stable than the configuration of Oxygen, which has 4 electrons, more than half, in its p-orbital (Boudreaux, 2017). The increased stability of Nitrogen means that it takes more energy to pull electrons from its orbit than it does to pull electrons from the less stable Oxygen (Woodward, 2017). This kind of anomaly also occurs at elements 15 and 16, Phosphorous and Sulfur. The two elements are in the same periodic groups as Oxygen and Nitrogen. Like Nitrogen, Phosphorous has an exactly half full p-orbital, with 3 out of 6 possible electrons. Sulfur however, has a p-orbital with 4 electrons. Like Nitrogen, Phosphorous is considered to have a more stable configuration because the energy levels in the p-orbital are distributed evenly, while the energy levels in the p-orbital of Sulfur are not. Due to this increased stability in takes more energy to pull electrons from Phosphorous than it does for Sulfur, just as it does nor Nitrogen and Oxygen, despite the fact that the periodic trend for ionization energy would predict the exact opposite. Anomaly #3: Elements 45-50 The third anomaly on the graph occurs from elements 45 to 50; Rhodium, Palladium, Silver, Cadmium, Indium, and Tin.ÂÂ   Based on the periodic trend for ionization energy, the ionization energy should gradually increase as the graph goes from element 45, Rhodium, to element 50, Tin. This should occur because each consecutive element has more protons in its nucleus than the last, meaning a larger Zeff and by extension, a larger ionization energy. This does not occur though. Instead, starting at Rhodium, the elements follow and up, down, up, down pattern with Rhodium and Tin marking the ending and the re-starting of the regular pattern, respectively. To better understand why this anomaly occurs the following table should be taken into consideration: Atomic Number Element Electron Configuration 45 Rhodium 5s14d8 46 Palladium 4d10 47 Silver 5s14d10 48 Cadmium 5s24d10 49 Indium 5s25p1 50 Tin 5s25p2 As previously stated these elements form a pattern that goes up, down, up, down with Rhodium marking the end of the previously regular trend and Tin marking the re-start of that trend. The first element that shoots up in ionization energy is Palladium. Palladium has a much larger ionization energy than Rhodium. This is because Palladium has a full d-orbital while Rhodium does not. Palladiums full d-orbital makes it a more stable element, because its valence orbital is satisfied, than Rhodium therefore, it takes more energy to pull electrons from Palladiums orbit than it does to pull them from Rhodiums. Silvers ionization energy it much lower than Palladiums however, and it is the first of the elements to go down in the pattern. While Silver does have a full d-orbital, it also has a half full s-orbital. Due to the fact that there is a half full s-orbital, Silvers orbitals are no longer satisfied. Palladium, however, still has a full d-orbital, with no electrons in the s-orbital, makin g it the more stable configuration. Once again, Palladium has the larger ionization energy because it is considered to have a more stable configuration, and it takes more energy to pull electrons from its orbit than it does for Silver. After Silver comes Cadmium. Cadmium is the second up element in the pattern. While both of the elements, Silver and Cadmium, have full d-orbitals, Cadmium also has a full s-orbital. Due to the fact that Cadmium has both s and d-orbitals full it is considered to have a more stable configuration than Silver, explaining why Cadmium has a much larger ionization energy that Silver does. The next element to go down in the pattern is Indium. Cadmium is an extremely stable element because both its s and d-orbitals are full. Indium, however, has only 1 electron in its p-orbital making it a much less stable configuration than that of Cadmium (Barrens, 2007). Due to the fact that Indium is much less stable than Cadmium, it takes less energy to pull electrons from its orbit, giving reason to why Cadmium has a much larger ionization energy than Indium. The last element in the pattern, Tin, marks the re-start of the general ionization energy trend. Even though the electron configuration of Indium and Tin are very similar, Indium only has 1 electron in its p-orbital while Tin has 2. Despite the fact that the elements have similar configurations Tin is still considered to be a more stable element and therefore it has a larger ionization energy than Indium. After Tin, the accepted trend for ionization energy begins again. In relation to the huge jump in ionization energy between Cadmium and Indium, Zinc and Gallium also demonstrate the same kind of jump. Zinc and Gallium are in the same periodic groups as Cadmium and Indium. Zinc has an electron configuration of 4s23d10 while Gallium has an electron configuration of 4s24p1. Once again, Zinc`s 4s and 3d-orbitals are full, meaning it has a more stable configuration then Gallium, explaining why it has a high ionization energy. It should also be noted that the big drop in ionization energy occurs when a new subshell starts. The starting of a new subshell decreases the stability of an atoms configuration, making it easier to pull electrons from the orbit of that atom (Wiberg Wiberg, 2001). Atomic Radius: The accepted periodic trend for atomic radius is as follows: atomic radius increases down a group as well as from right to left on the periodic table. Due to the fact that the elements involved in the anomalies appear side by side on the table, focus will be given to the right to left trend. Atomic radii decrease from left to right due to the fact that effective nuclear charge, Zeff, increases from left to right. The Zeff is the overall pull an electron feels from the nucleus; the greater the attraction between the nucleus and the electrons, the greater the Zeff. This means that as the number of protons in the nucleus increases, so does the Zeff because there is a greater attraction between the nucleus and the individual electrons. The greater the pull of the electrons to the nucleus the smaller the atomic radius. This trend, however, is not always followed. The following anomaly occurs with respect to the trend for atomic radius on the periodic table of elements: Anomaly #4: Elements 58 to 72 First Row Inner-transition Metals This anomaly occurs from element 58 to 71, Cerium to Hafnium. Based on the trend explained above, the atomic radius for these elements should increase from Hafnium to Cerium due to the fact that each element, going backwards, has less protons in its nucleus than the last, therefore, having a smaller Zeff. This, however, does not occur and instead the graph shows the inner-transition metals to have almost or exactly the same atomic radii. This anomaly occurs due to what is called Lanthanoid contraction. To understand this anomaly the electron configuration of these elements must be taken into consideration. All of these elements have a 4f-orbital, which makes them unique (NCERT, 2017). Typically, atomic radius tends to decrease when moving from left to right on the periodic table because there is room for more electrons in the existing energy levels.ÂÂ   When more electrons are added to these energy levels atomic radius tends to get smaller because the additional protons attract the electrons more, and pull the outer shell of electrons closer to the nucleus. This does not happen with electrons in the f-orbitals though. Instead of electrons being added to the outer shell of the atom, electrons are added to an inner-shell where f-orbital elements are concerned (Wicks, 2015). This causes a shielding effect. The shielding effect occurs when the inner-shell electrons shield the outer-shell electrons from the full magn itude of the nuclear charge, or attraction to the nucleus (Bains, 2014). This shielding effect is Lanthanoid contraction.ÂÂ   In elements 58 to 71, Lanthanoid contraction causes the 4f electrons to shield each other from their attraction to the nucleus. Due to the fact that these elements do not feel the full attraction of the nucleus the atomic radius does not increase a large amount. This explains why the inner-transition metals have atomic radii that are very similar, and do not differ very much in magnitude (Encyclopedia, 2011). References Bains, Amrit. (2014). Lanthanide Contraction. Retrieved from Chemistry LibreTexts: https://chem.libretexts.org/Core/Inorganic_Chemistry/Descriptive_Chemistry/Elements_Organized_by_Block/4_f-Block_Elements/The_Lanthanides/aLanthanides%3A_Properties_and_Reactions/Lanthanide_Contraction Barrens, Richard. (2007). Zinc and Gallium Ionization Energy . Retrieved from Students` Technical Activities Body : https://stab-iitb.org/newton-mirror/askasci/chem07/chem07038.htm Boudreaux, Kevin. (2017). Periodic Trends Ionization Energy. Retrieved from Angelo State University: https://www.angelo.edu/faculty/kboudrea/periodic/trends_ionization_energy.htm Britannica Encyclopedia. (2011). Lanthanois Contraction . Retrieved from Britannica Encyclopedia : https://www.britannica.com/science/lanthanoid-contraction NCERT (National Council for Edication and Training). (2017). The d- and f- block Elements. Retrieved from National Council for Education and Training : http://ncert.nic.in/ncerts/l/lech108.pdf Wiberg, Egon., Wiberg, Nils. (2001). Inorganic Chemistry. In E. Wiberg, N. Wiberg, Inorganic Chemistry (p. 1306). San Diego: Academic Press. Wicks, Kurt. (2015). Exceptions to the General Trend for Atomic Radius. Retrieved from Chemistry Lecture Notes: http://www.chemistrylecturenotes.com/html/exceptions_to_the_general_tren.html Woodward, Pat. (2017). Ionization Energy . Retrieved from Ohio State University : http://cbc-wb01x.chemistry.ohio-state.edu/~woodward/ch121/ch7_ie.htm

Conservative Judaism: Inception, History and Way Of Life :: United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"The term â€Å"Conservative† had been attached to the moderates by the Reformers because the moderates had branded them as radicals. This name hardly describes the movement aptly. Conservative Judaism, is the American version of the principles of positive historical Judaism. The conservatives accept the findings of modern scholarship that Judaism is the product of a long period of growth and evolution. However, this process did not result in broken or inconsistent lines of development; quite the contrary, the major currents of Judaism run consistently through the extensive literature of the Jewish people, created in successive ages.† (Rudavsky 338) Conservative Judaism is one of the largest of the various sects of Judaism. Conservative Jews make up about 40-45% of those Jews who affiliate. Conservative Judaism accepts the idea that Jewish law is binding upon Jews. Conservative Jews have an obligation to obey all the teachings and commandments of Judaism., For example, Conservative Jews emphasize the laws of keeping the Sabbath and keeping kosher. Conservative Jews believe that Jewish law is capable of evolution as humans learn more about interpreting the Torah. Therefore, Conservative Jews have changed some of the earlier interpretations. Men and women worship together in Conservative synagogues, people may ride in a car on the Sabbath to attend services, and women can be ordained as rabbis. â€Å"Issac Leeser is generally regarded as the principal forerunner of Conservative Judaism in the United States. A native of Westphalia, Lesser acquired his religious and secular education before coming to American in 1824. He settled in Richmond, Virginia, where he was employed for several years in his uncle’s business. At the same time, he assisted the hazzan in the religious school of the local Sephardic congregation. During this period, he gained prominence by publishing numerous articles in defense of Jews and Judaism in American and foreign journals.†(Dimont 231) Some Jews who affiliate with the Conservative sect claim that their main reason for belonging is the fact that they don’t want to be Orthodox nor Reformed. â€Å"While some individuals describe themselves as Conservative because of their alienation from Orthodox practices, others define themselves from the opposite direction – they point out that they are not reform.† (Sklare 206) For the most part, Conservative Jews feel that if one were to be reformed they would not really be Jewish. The Reformed sect, unlike the conservative do not obey most of the Jewish laws and traditions.