The First Jewish President

[cali]

n 2011, New York magazine called Barack Obama “the first Jewish president” for his tough-love support of Israel. It was not only a ridiculous statement at the time, bombast intended to counter the exaggerated attacks coming from right-wing hawks, but it was an offensive statement for many American Jews who understand that backing Israel does not make one Jewish.

That was five years ago. Today, for the first time in American history – just seventy years after U.S. forces liberated Buchenwald – we have the opportunity to intone those words in actuality: “the first Jewish president.” In Bernie Sanders, the Democratic Party has a viable, Jewish candidate inspiring young Americans across every divide imaginable, using the language of morality just as much as that of populism. Given this, it’s worth exploring just what being ‘Jewish’ means for Bernie Sanders, and why his Jewishness is meaningful.

***

I recognize Sanders, see much of my family and myself in him, as do millions of eligible voters.

Like most American Jews, Sanders is not religiously observant, if to be observant means faithfully practicing Jewish rituals, engaging with organized Jewish institutions, and adhering to Jewish law. He does none of this. And yet, his cultural identity and his ethical compass are deeply Jewish, coming from a long tradition of American Jews who have eschewed theism and organized religion while culturally and politically embracing the core tenets of justice echoed within Jewish texts.


For Sanders, socialism is Jewish. Ending income inequality is Jewish. Supporting black Americans as they struggle against continued oppression is Jewish. Which is not to say such things are inherently so, but rather that for Sanders, such positions are a direct extension of his Jewishness. His career-long drive for social justice is a central part of his political identity in the same way his being Jewish is a central part of his cultural identity, and the two are inextricably intertwined. Belief in God doesn’t matter. Going to synagogue doesn’t matter. Keeping kosher doesn’t matter.

What matters is justice. And that mattering is Jewish.

To some, this may sound strange. But most American Jews likely read the above paragraphs and nodded. Of course.

In The Daily Beast, Jay Michaelson recently wrote a fantastic piece entitled “What Kind of Jew is Bernie Sanders?” Within it, Michaelson rightly traces the history of Sanders’ Jewish progressivism:

Secular, progressive Judaism is, itself, a kind of religion. While dispensing with the God of the alte velt – if the Enlightenment didn’t kill him, the Holocaust certainly did – leftist Jews of the 20th century maintained a prophetic, religious zeal for justice.

<snip>
http://www.tikkun.org/tikkundaily/2016/02/07/the-first-jewish-president/

[hifiguy]

1. Social justice is an integral part of Jewish history.

And Bernie is proudly carrying that tradition forward with vigor and dignity. He's a real mensch.

[Vote2016]

2. If someone said that there was a special place in hell for Jews who support Clinton over Sanders,

they would rightly be shunned.

[thesquanderer]

11. It would also be ironic, as Jews don't believe in Hell! (n/t)

[Vote2016]

12. Don't tell Madeleine Albright!

[bvf]

15. Win after win! Don't see a lot of that here.

Thank you both.

[dsc]

3. The first and second Jewish Senators served while Lincoln was in Congress

they currently enjoy representation in that body at about 10 times their percentage of the population, the comparable stats for women are the first woman in the Senate served during the FDR administration and women, who are at their high water mark in terms of that representation, are still under represented by over a factor of 2. Yes, the first Jewish President is an important mark but the first woman President would be a much more important one.

[cali]

4. Ugh. You probably have no idea how offensive your post is

[dsc]

5. sorry you find it offensive

but the facts are what they are. Women have been shut out of our political life to a much larger degree than Jewish people have. Jewish man had the right to vote from the onset of the Constitution while women got it in the early 20th century to site one example.

[Odin2005]

9. So you believe HRC gender is more important than actual policy?

[dsc]

10. did I say that

the OP is the one saying we should vote for the first Jewish President. I don't recall saying vote for the woman for no other reason.

[kath]

25. Can you read? NOWHERE does the OP, nor the full linked article, say that "we should vote for the

first Jewish President". What the hell?
It is all about how progressive secular Judaism informs Bernie's political positions.

Smdh.

[djean111]

6. Sorry, as a woman I cannot get over Hillary's support for war, fracking, cluster bombs, the TPP,

increased H-1B visas, ties with Wall Street - the percentage of women in Congress is nothing compared to those issues which hurt everyone.
Can't wait for there to be a female candidate that I can support! Someone like Liz Warren, for example.

Choosing gender over issues is not what feminism is about. It, frankly, reeks.

[JudyM]

23. ^^^^this^^^^. Nt

[bvf]

16. Good lord. A bid for a "Jews vs. Women" subthread.

Stop this now. Please.

[beam me up scottie]

19. It's not the first time for this poster either.

Every time someone talks about this milestone he tries to dismiss it.

[Jefferson23]

7. Yes. A+++++++++++

What matters is justice. And that mattering is Jewish.

[wilsonbooks]

8. Bernie is a Mensch.

[hifiguy]

13. Indeed.

A great human being from the navel out in every direction.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

14. This is also during a time of right-wing Christianity that worships the rich.

[Uncle Joe]

22. The Golden Calf.

Bernie Sanders’s Liberty University speech, annotated

(snip)

I agree with Pope Francis when he says, and I quote, "The current financial crisis originated in a profound human crisis, the denial of the primacy of the human person," and this is what he writes: "We have created new idols. The worship of the ancient golden calf has returned in a new and ruthless guise in the idolatry of money and the dictatorship of an impersonal economy lacking a truly human purpose," end of quote.

And the pope also writes, quote, "There is a need for financial reform along ethical lines that would produce in its turn an economic reform to benefit everyone. Money has to serve, not to rule," end of quote.

Now those are pretty profound words, which I hope we will all think about. In the pope's view, and I agree with him, we are living in a nation and in a world, and the Bible speaks to this issue, in a nation and in a world which worships not love of brothers and sisters, not love of the poor and the sick, but worships the acquisition of money and great wealth. I do not believe that is the country we should be living in.

Money and wealth should serve the people. The people should not have to serve money and wealth. (APPLAUSE)

(snip)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/09/14/bernie-sanders-liberty-university-speech-annotated/

Meet the Evangelical Pastor and Liberty University Alum Who’s Feeling the Bern

(snip)

So why Bernie?
I’ve really admired Bernie for a long time as the senator of Vermont and how he has always been no-nonsense and straight to the point. And the thing I most like about him is that the message, to him, is way more important than the man. If he could delete his name from the ballot and somehow just offer America the portfolio of ideas, the package of ideas that he believes in, he would do it. He does not care about his name or being famous or being called Mr. President.

That is refreshing. I am arriving at those same conclusions separately from him. Basically, Bernie Sanders is a fellow wanderer on the path toward truth who I have bumped into on this journey, and I find that we are walking side by side.

You’ve said that Bernie Sanders talks like he’s reading right from Scripture and that people would have to be burying their heads in the sand to continue to support conservative policies. Are some Evangelicals burying their heads in the sand?
There are studies done that demonstrate that, on average, Christians who report that they read their Bible more often will also report having more progressive, liberal views. That’s scandalous. I’m calling my fellow Evangelicals to raise their eyes and to pay attention, to read their Bibles carefully, as I was taught to do in an Evangelical school. So many get their faith points from Bill O’Reilly or Sean Hannity, but if they would get their faith from Jesus, they would be surprised at how he does not fit into any box and flips the tables of the money-changers and stands with the adulterers and prevents the death penalty.

Bernie’s no saint; it’s not like everything he says has a stamp on it that says Jesus, but as it so happens, most of what his platform is very closely aligns with the gospel of Christ.


http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2015/09/meet-the-liberty-alum-whos-feeling-the-bern.html#

[JudyM]

24. Love the concepts here. Thanks for posting.

[The CCC]

17. The First Jewish President

Jill Stein is Jewish and is running on the Green Party platform.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

30. I voted for her in 2012. But, not because she's a woman of Jewish.

I just thought she was the most progressive candidate on the ballot.

[Fast Walker 52]

18. funny how they called Bill Clinton the first black president, than we got Obama

Now Obama is the first Jewish president... and we get...?

[DrBulldog]

20. Who gives a damn? I just want the first not-for-sale President.

[kath]

26. ME. TOO.

[gvstn]

21. Do people really look at others and talk about their religion.

When I grew up you didn't talk about two things in polite company: religion and politics.

I still remember the time when in a Chinese restaurant my Mom's husband on a Saturday night said something about all the Jews following the Sabbath. He wasn't hostile. But I have never looked at someone and tried to figure out their religion if they had one. I don't think that is appropriate.

[SamKnause]

27. It is brought up in every presidential debate and forum.

It is discussed on the news every night.

Prayers open governmental meetings all over the country.

Religion is being forced into public schools.

The Separation of Church and State is under attack.

Several of the Republican presidential candidates want the

Constitution replaced with the Bible.(Check out the history of Ted Cruz)

As an Atheist I find this alarming.

[gvstn]

28. It is more than alarming

It is disgusting. When I grew up you never discussed someone else's religious beliefs. If someone believed that pigs fly, good for them. But no one tried to make their beliefs public policy. Or maybe it was just my Mom's rule?

Ted Cruz and his ilk are an abomination to American values and I'm not religious either but abomination sounds like a good word to describe Ted Cruz.

[TBF]

29. It was talked about all the time in Wisconsin -

and this was decades ago when it was still a "progressive" state. I can still recall my mother talking about my grandfather being so welcoming to the Catholic woman his brother married. That is just one example. People talked about religion all the time. Currently I live in Texas and it's the same deal. It may be better in the cities, but in the suburbs "what church do you go to?" is one of the first questions when you meet someone.