Jewish voters went with their consciences and not with their fears in selecting Barack Obama as the next President of the United States. Exit polling indicates that about 77% of the Jewish vote went to Obama, which is a wonderful thing.
It's wonderful, not because we know for certain that Obama will be a better President than John McCain would have been. We do not - though now that he is elected, we all better hope he will be at least as good. It's wonderful because these numbers indicate that Jewish voters brought their usual voting values with them into the booth and not simply a great deal of baseless fear or racist suspicion.
The 76% is in line with past elections, indicating that Jewish voters did not change political course, despite earlier indications that they would do so in this election. It's not that I necessarily believe Jewish values and Democratic values are more in line with each other. In fact, I believe that the tradition which I follow is bigger than can be contained within the policies of any one party, and wiser than any single candidate.
But it would have been troubling to see a sudden shift away from a candidate who articulated so many views that have been popular among Jewish voters for decades - especially when he "happened" to be black and "coincidentally" had Hussein as a middle name. Instead, we see that for better or for worse, Jewish voters put away their fears and voted their conscience. However we may feel about the outcome of this election that is a good thing.
I wonder if this might be a turning point for Jews on a whole variety of issues.
Are we ready to be less fear-driven on the future of the Jewish community in America? How about on Israel? Is it possible that we are ready to imagine that we are not a community on the brink of disappearance, but a people in the midst of a remarkable transformation?
Yesterday's election results indicate that Jewish voters are ultimately willing to base their political decisions more on hope than fear. I wonder if the same could be said about our spiritual/communal decisions as well. I wonder what would happen if we stopped worrying about what will happen if we don't do certain things - everybody has their list, for some it's topped by in-marriage, for others by Shabbat observance, for others its Jewish education. I wonder what would happen if instead, if we simply asked what we hoped for as Jews and began doing that.
A people following its hopes. That approach got a black man with a "funny name" elected President of the United States, and the numbers tell us that Jews thought it was a pretty good approach. Perhaps we should apply that approach to our own Jewish community.
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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 
eastcoastlady...sorry to tell you but you past illusions. Is that all you people got to state when you feel so offended. Abortion is wrong...and you lost a few peas... You say you educated???
Deal with your beloved Obama when the ......hit the fan and the glory of him has swiftly passed you by and left you and others hanging.
Wow. Can you say, "sinat chinam"?
The fear or rather the beleif that Obama, may turn tide against the Jewish nation now that he is in office. Remains to be seen, it is true that in the Muslim ,'Quran, that it is very clearly written, that in the end of time, the tress will speak and state, a , Jew; is hidding in this tree. The text goes on to say, that the ;Muslims, scour the earth, looking for non beleivers, and that Christians messiah, Jesus is accepted as accending to heaven, and sits with Allah.
No, matter if the current president is a muslim, sympathiser, there are alot already who sympathise, and little do they know, that they are targeted also, not just Jewish people, 'in the end, if you do not convert to Islam, you will be killed! The world is split on religion and religiousity, and it is commonly beleived that all religions beleive they know best. The truth is wars are yet to come, it will be politics verse religion, one or the other will win. And the common trend is that Americans are tired of over seas fights, and the neglect that our presidents give to its own countries at home needs. Sure world peace is good, but to strengthen the country comes first, and it does not appear to have much importance, already our need to purchase oil will be depleated as oil drilling will be reversed now.
However, the Jewish nation does not require the U nited states to protect it self, it has the highest power possible, the real messiah is coming in power and will lead the Jewish nation to supremancy, and if it takes all turning against them to bring about the power of Hashem, then so be it. Hashem will be the leader of the best nation on Earth, Isreal. And it does not matter what any nations leader does, Isreal will prevail! I would gladely die for that nation!
Can anybody tell me if the sir name "Kurtz"is jewish?I have heard it is but am not sure.
Dera,
I knew a non-Jewish Kurtz. Probably German.
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