PROFILE Writing New Laws And Observing Old Ones Joseph I. Lieberman, the Senate's first Orthodox Jew, is getting good reviews, but his biggest problem so far has been Saturday roll calls. JAMES D. BESSER Washington Correspondent T he hours are grueling and the people who hired him can be fick- le, not to mention the con- flicts between his obligations as an observant Jew and the requirements of the job. But after nearly two years in Washington as a United States Senator, Connecti- cut's Joseph I. Lieberman is a man who still finds little about the job to complain about. Likewise, few com- plaints are heard about him. Sen. Lieberman came to the Senate in January 1989, as the first Orthodox Jewish member of that elite body. As the only Sabbath- observant member of the Senate's eight-man Jewish Baltimore's Ira Rifkin contributed to this article 92 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1990 contingent, he is often pi- geon-holed as "the Senate's Jew," a designation he steadfastly resists. At the same time, howev- er, the 48-year-old Demo- cratic senator is a unifying symbol for thousands of Or- thodox Jews who often dis- agree politically, as well as being an important asset as the Orthodox community begins to flex its political muscles. An incident that occurred during his quest for the sen- atorial nomination under- scores the standing he en- joys among politically active Orthodox Jews. "The state was holding its Democratic convention for nominating their candi- dates," recalled William Rapfogel, director of the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregation's Institute for Public Affairs. "It happened to fall on a Jewish holiday. Joe Lieberman couldn't at- tend, and didn't. "I remember my rabbi making a speech about this man who was risking his nomination to high office because of his beliefs. There was a tremendous admira- tion within the Orthodox community and a pride in his accomplishment," Mr. Rapfogel said. "More important than the substance has been his style," added David Zwiebel, director of govern- ment affairs and general counsel for Agudath Israel of America. "There's no question that in Senator Lieberman's case, his demeanor and his per- sonal code of ethics have brought only pride to every faction of the Orthodox community." That includes the Chasi- dim. When Lubavitch offi- cials in Los Angeles called his office last spring asking for a word of support to pub- lish in their annual fund- raising magazine. Sen. Lie- berman quickly responded with an appropriate letter. "I've had a close relation- ship with the Lubavitch community in Connecticut," he said. "I feel they've played a very positive role. My relations with them have been non-political. They grow out of my respect for what the Lubavitch com- munity has done in Connect- icut." Equally enthusiastic about his performance so far are members of Washing- ton's pro-Israel lobby. The consensus is that he manages to convey strong support without seeming to rubber-stamp Israeli gov- ernment policies. His unabashed Jew- ishness combined with the care with which he speaks out about the Middle East allows him to serve as an in- dependent voice on this highly charged issue. It also makes him an ideal person to communicate with the Israeli government on the critical issue of Jewish support in this country. During a trip to Israel just before the Persian Gulf cri- sis erupted, for example, Mr. Lieberman provided some sober warnings to Israeli leaders about eroding sup- port on Capitol Hill. "When Joe Lieberman speaks to the Israelis about American support, they listen," said a leading pro- Israel lobbyist in Washing- ton who, like several others interviewed for this story, did not want to be named for fear of stepping on the wrong toes. "They're much more likely to take this guy seriously, because they know his sup- port for Israel is on a gut level, and they know his purpose isn't just to curry favor with the pro-Israel types. It's not politics with him. " The acclaim for Sen. Lieberman has not been universal, however. Jewish "multi-issue" groups, such as the American Jewish Congress and the American Jewish Committee, both of which have liberal domestic agendas, have occasionally butted up against his con- servatism For example, a number of Jewish groups campaigned vigorously against the capi- tal gains tax cut earlier this year; Mr. Lieberman was one of only six Democrats to side with the president in the. bitter partisan battle. And although Sen. Lieberman describes himself as pro-choice on abortion, he has "not come through for us as much as we hoped," said one Washington repre- sentative of a national Jew- ish group that takes a strong pro-choice position. But even critics of his po- sitions tend to like the man. "He's a mensch," said an- other Washington represen- tative for a major Jewish organization, who also de- clined to be identified. "We disagree on some positions, agree on others, but Senator Lieberman has never been disagreeable. He's not an easy person to dislike." Capitol Hill observers say Mr. Lieberman brings a zest to the job that is uncommon in cynical Washington. "He works extremely hard," said Mark Talisman, Washington director for the Council of Jewish Federa- tions. "I'm in awe of his energy, and I'm admiring of an observant Jew being able Pro-Israel lobbyists say Sen. Lieberman is well-received by Israeli leaders.