Popping up under the headline, Members of the Tribe, this article offers a bi-partisan list of Jews who have influenced the presidential election. But it begs the question, is this what we mean by Jewish influence? Or is this just influence being exerted by Jews? Is there a difference? I think that there is and I think that it matters a great deal.
Why should this list matter if the only thing Jewish about it is the ethnic/religious affiliation of those who appear on it? Is it about instilling tribal pride in those who see it? Is it about announcing how much power Jews have? If so, how different is it from similar lists compiled by those who hate Jews and see us as having altogether too much power already?
Yes, it differs from the list complied by the hate mongers in that they talk about The Jews, as if we get together once a month to plot our next moves in the exercise of global domination. And that is a real difference. But we should take a moment to consider how racial/tribal love and racial/tribal hate are more closely related than we often admit.
And that does not mean that I am opposed to the notion of Jews as a people defined by things larger than shared doctrines of faith or philosophical orthodoxies. In fact, I love the idea of the Jewish family for all the reasons that I love the idea of family – the way it transcends choice, ideology, geography, and the fact that it affirms a sacred connection even between people who might not like each other, let alone agree with each other.
I believe in tribal connection and in ethnic pride as well. But not all forms of pride are equal, and strikes me as important to ask what makes this list a source of healthy pride. I wonder how Jewish wisdom or even the fact of their Jewishness shapes the work of these 36 distinguished individuals. Did anyone ask them? Could they provide a meaningful answer if someone did so?
Some on this list could certainly answer my questions, and have done when I asked. But for that information to be missing from this list, should bother anyone who thinks that there is more to being Jewish than feeling good about being Jewish.
Frankly, I don’t care how they answer. The content of Jewishness is an ongoing conversation — one which I hope never ends. And I love that the list includes strident right-wingers, equally strident left-wingers, and lots in between. It puts to bed the debate about who is the “Jewish candidate” i.e. the one who “best represents Jewish values”. The answer to that question is yes and no for both candidates.
I look forward to a celebration not only of the influence which is wielded by Jews, but of influential Jews who can draw on Jewish wisdom and their own experience as Jews in the exercise of their influence. That’s real Jewish influence.
Author, radio and TV talk show host, and President of CLAL-The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, Brad Hirschfield is the author of 
posted October 21, 2008 at 10:17 am
The Lamed Vuv of 2008 presidential politics? Was the choice of “36″ a numerical accident based on the major influences test, or intended to have deeper and more Tribal meaning? Looks like there were others named in the article that might have been included, despite their stated “minor” roles. Were they de-listed to keep the magic number, or because their contributions were really too minor to warrant inclusion in the list?
posted October 21, 2008 at 10:52 am
What bothers me the most is that people are more concerned about the color of a persons skin,(Negro, African American,)than what they are going to do for the country if they become President on November 4, 2008, and never hear about whether a person is Jewish or not. And it really shouldn’t matter. There are many Jewish people that are voting. Of course we will never know if they voted Republican (McCain-Polin) Democrat (Obama-Biden). And of course you don’t know if they are registered as either Republican or Democrat and how they actually decided to vote. And of course you don’t know if they are Jewish,Catholic, Protestant, Episcopalian and of course it should not matter, as long as they VOTE IN 2008.
Thanks for listening. RBS.
posted October 21, 2008 at 11:30 am
What bothers me more than anything else about liberal Jews is that they will STILL vote for Obama, either ignoring or truthfully, quite ignorant (which is scary since most Jews are pretty well informed politically-but in this election-it seems liberal Jews have left their brains somewhere else!
What part do liberal Jews not understand that that Obama has received millions from the arab/muslim communities and he is no friend to Israel, Just the opposite as a matter of fact! He has many on his staff that are anti-semitic, General McPeak for one (by the way-that general was asked to step down by the pentagon as he was an embarresment along with General Wesley Clark (another hidden anti-semite who nearly caused WWIII with his blatant disregard for Bosnia.
It seems that liberal Jews never learn their own history to their everlasting disgrace and they may (G-d forbid) the destruction of us all!!!
posted October 21, 2008 at 12:18 pm
Mr. Obama won his first political contest — a primary for the State Senate — by paying a consultant to invalidate the petition signatures of the incumbent and of all other opponenets on the ballot. After the Arab-American Action Network (producers of an oral history of the “nakba” ["Catastrophe" the word anti-Jewish Arabs use to describe the 1948 founding of Israel]) held an Obama fundraiser in 2000, Obama returned the favor by garnting them thousands of dollars from the nonprofit he helped Bill Ayers to run. There’s also the small matter of 20 years supporting a church whose mission statement supported a book claiming that whites had to hate their whitness before this country would know peace.For flaks like spinmeister David Axelrod to promote this sort of individual is, to use the words of my FDR-loving grandma of blessed memory, a shandeh fur de goyim.
posted October 22, 2008 at 4:00 am
36 Jews Who Have Shaped the Election? – Who were they?
posted October 22, 2008 at 4:15 am
Please, Sara Stein and David Altschul, before making the negative comments you have made about Obama you should have done thorough investigations including asking for an audience with Obama or his white grandmother to verify your information.
After WWII an African-American by the name of Ralph Bunche [from Chicago] who was then a UN Under Secretary-General successfully negotiated the creation of the state of Israel. Even today, there is not a street, Blvd, lane, road, avenue, or even a restroom in the whole of Israel named after that great man and Nobel Laureate. And yet not a single blackman has made that omission/lack of appreciation an issue with the Jews. San Franscisico has been considering naming the Sewage Plant in that city after George W Bush in spite of his eight years of disastrous presidency!
In summary, please do not poison the minds of other people against Obama when he has publically stated that if elected president of USA he will support, and do everything possible to ensure the security of, Israel.
posted October 22, 2008 at 4:57 am
Sara Stein/ david Altschul I don’t agree with both. Long time ago I know the Jewish people here in USA, also in SouthAmerica. Believe me I love the jews people. But when I read your expression about the Future President: USA with negative things, about Senator Obama. Maybe you are no open mind. Ya let pass Al Gore as President,but God is great he won: Nobel, John Kerry.
I ask the both: What do you want for the future generation?. I don’t belong any political party. I don’t close my eyes. I know Mr Obama have a lot wonderful ideas. I hope If he is Elect as President USA the others let the work to Obama
Forget the discrimination, segregation, He has race mix. For me, more important is the personality, education, class the superation etc.
You can’t talk to negative about the liberal Jews, because they have more open mind, or perhaps have better vision for this century.
posted October 22, 2008 at 2:59 pm
My grandmother was a full Jewess and ergo , me. I am a light skinned currly haired Black woman that beleivess in the State of Israel , have visited there and donated momey, but I find David Atschul ‘s commet sad and frightening.
We are the same , Blacks and Jews. Remember that John McCain and Sarah Palin would have us go back to the days of Kristlkniack (broken glass) . excuse the spelling. You get the point.
I nhave been really hurt and dispointed with the Jews in my life . I have Muslim friends that that treat me better than my people in Tennessee . Hashem , Allah, G-d made us all. But in the meantime make sure all facts are correct.
Shalom Aleichum,
Chava
posted October 30, 2008 at 5:18 am
Read an article by one of the 36 on the website of Shalom Hartman Institute of Jerusalem, Israel, a pioneering center for research, philosophy, interfaith study and pluralistic Judaism.
posted November 2, 2008 at 8:32 am
I still don’t get it. Who are the 36 Jews that made a difference in our election process? Forget your hate mongering. Get to the point. I am voting for Obama.
Avi