The Wake

There’s a running joke that if you ask for two different Jews’ opinions, you’ll hear three. In other words, don’t come over for dinner unless you enjoy arguing. Especially about politics. It’s true in my family æ don’t come over to my parents’ house for a meal unless you would like to spend hours in a heated political debate. With the election coming up, it’s hard enough to escape such arguments on campus. But I promise, one evening in my family’s dining room and you’ll wish that you were having dinner with Michael Moore and Rush Limbaugh instead.

As a Jew, I am constantly faced with questions such as “How do Jews typically vote?” And “Could you please summarize the Jewish political stance?” I laugh, remembering that running joke. No comment? That’s like asking for the black vote or the Christian vote. Impossible. In my family alone, there are Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians, and Independents—my uncle once voted for Ross Perot. My dad who voted for Bush in 1988 and Clinton in 1996 owns an autographed copy of The Ralph Nader Reader.

As a Conservative Jew and a progressive American, I frequently run into problems. There is a misconception that liberals do not support Israeli policy concerning the peace process. As a Jew, however, Israel plays an important role in my life. I am undoubtedly liberal, but an active Zionist. While impossible to assess the “Jewish vote,” Israel-Palestine relations definitely remain a key factor in the upcoming election for most American Jews.

There is a misconception that Bush has snagged the “Jewish vote” because of his strong, pro-Israel stance. But Kerry’s views run parallel with Bush’s, and for that matter, Ariel Sharon’s. Essentially, both candidates support unilateral disengagement and the security fence, and both view Yassir Arafat as a menace to the peace process.

But American Jews are not Israeli. We do not vote in the Israeli elections. Our concerns only matter to a certain extent. Jewish law requires that we abide by the laws decreed by the country in which we live. Jews in the Diaspora have even interpreted this to mean that we remain loyal to our respective countries. While the state of Israel is significant in my life, I live in the United States. In this election, I must primarily consider what will be best for this country. While I greatly admire Bush’s strong support for Israel, women’s reproductive rights certainly aren’t on his agenda. And I do not support the war in Iraq. Naturally, I will vote for Kerry in this election. But I have many Jewish friends who will vote for Bush. Just like any ethnicity, Jewish opinions range from the far left to the far right. You can get a glimpse of that range just by meeting a few members of my family. Instead, however, I have given you just a glimpse of one Jewish opinion.