BY REBECCA SHAVULSK`r
A thirst and hunger
tea
.
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Other observers agree that the growth of Jew-
ish activity in the halls of Congress is part of a
broader trend.
"There is a thirst and a hunger across the
country because of the moral questions that are
being raised in our society, the decisions we all
have to make," said Shoshana Cardin, chair of
the Center for Jewish Learning and Leadership
(CLAL).
Several years ago, the New York-based group
ran a series of Capitol Hill seminars for Jewish
legislators with topics like "the realities and dan-
gers of plural loyalties."
CLAL, in response to the growing demand, is
considering renewing its Capitol Hill activities.
"There is a frustration with the complexity of
the issues in our era," Ms. Cardin said, "that's
KAM
leading people to look for a longer-term per-
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spective. How did people in the past deal with
these kinds of decisions? What wisdom has come
down through the ages about dealing with these
issues? The Jewish perspective has so much to
offer for the people who are making decisions
that will affect all of us."
She noted another indication of the growing
interest in Jewish topics in the Washington pol-
icy debates — the Coalition on the Environment
get some perspective, in
is very sophisticated."
Rabbi Levi Shemtov of
terms of our Jewish reli- and Jewish Life's recent nationwide conference call on
The sessions are broadening for him, as well, Rab-
American Friends of
gious heritage. And it's al- the environment had more than 1,000 participants.
bi Marcus said. "Growing up with religious training
"Jewish leaders and Vice President [Al] Gore talked
Lubavitch:
ways important to be
can be parochial," he said. "You sometimes don't see
about
environmental policy, in terms of regulation and
"I'm
not
a
Jewish
reminded that as a Jew,
as clearly how it gets applied in different settings."
missionary on the Hill."
I have a clear responsi- legislation," she said. "But they also talked about the rel-
Rep. Benjamin L. Cardin (D-Md.), a senior member
bility to look at the ethi- evant lessons from our Jewish tradition. I can't imagine
of the Jewish delegation in Congress, is one of the rab-
that kind of connection being brought out five years ago."
cal dimensions of the decisions I make."
bi's admirers.
Rabbi Sidney Schwarz, president of the Washington
Other Jewish teachers on Capitol Hill report a grow-
"It's hard to describe his impact," he said. "One day
Institute for Jewish Leadership and Values, said that
you're talking about the Megiilah, the next day you're ing demand for their services.
Rabbi Barry Freundel, an Orthodox rabbi, has been the growing interest in public policy and Jewish tradi-
talking about term limits. You never know what's go-
holding regular classes on government ethics from the tion is related to frustration with a brand of Judaism
ing to come up."
that substitutes social action for spirituality and ob-
Does it help shape the decisions Mr. Cardin makes Jewish perspective for House and Senate staffers for
on the House floor? "Absolutely. It helps me turn the about five years; before that, another rabbi from his servance.
In addition to running the Panim el Panim High
focus away from the minute details of legislation and synagogue, Kesher Israel, conducted Capitol Hill class- School in Washington — a program that brings Jew-
look at a long-term, historical perspective. It doesn't es.
Recent sessions have considered issues such as pri- ish high school students to Washington for an intensive
tell me how to vote, but it gives me an additional, broad-
vacy, family values, poverty and welfare and health exposure to the intersection of Judaism and political ac-
er framework for analyzing issues."
tion — Rabbi Schwarz teaches classes in Jewish spiri-
Rabbi Marcus' meetings serve another important care reform.
"There's no question that interest is increasing," he tuality at the local JCC.
purpose, according to Mr. Cardin. "There isn't a 'Jew-
"Part of my personal and professional agenda is to
ish caucus' in the House; these sessions are among the said. 'During the debate over health care, we had many. make people realize that they can fulfill much of their
few times we get together to talk as Jewish members." requests (for discussion groups). These are very com- Judaism in the public realm," Rabbi Schwarz said. "But
Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) is another regular plex issues; people don't see any easy answers. And so it has to be connected to something rooted in history
at the Genesis lunches. "It's an oasis in the middle of they're looking for moral guidance, for a broader frame- and tradition. They want something that's not just po-
the day," he said. "It helps us take a deep breath and work for decision-making."
litical." O
aim
A Spiritual Revival
And the pace of life in the
legislative fast lane, he said,
generates "a certain desire
to seek sanctuary, to re-
move oneself from the dai-
ly battles and step back and
look at bigger questions.
JAMES D. BESSER WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT
And a lot of people here on
obody is happier ues," he said recently. "Peo- Capitol Hill understand
about the Jewish re- ple are looking for some- that they are involved in
vival on Capitol Hill thing more than what they questions of values all the
than Sen. Joseph get in the daily news. And time, in terms of law-mak-
they're increasingly turn- ing. That is another reason
Lieberman (D-Conn.).
these study sessions are so
Senator Lieberman, a ing to faith."
popular."
One spur to the Jewish
moderate Democrat who
Senator Lieberman also
won a second term last No- revival in Washington, he
sees
evidence of a Jewish
vember, is the only Ortho- said, involves the changing
dox member of the Senate. workforce. 'There are clear- revival at his own syna-
As a result, his life on Capi- ly more Jewish people gogue, Kesher Israel in
Georgetown. Rabbi Barry
tol Hill has required some working here," he said.
juggling between his reli- "There are more younger Freundel, the senior rabbi
gious and legislative re- people here who are obser- there, leads one of the pop-
vant — and not just Ortho- ular Capitol Hill classes for
sponsibilities.
'We're in a period of such dox. They have a lively Jewish staffers and legis-
extraordinary change in interest in their religion, lators.
"Every Saturday, the
our society, and there are and they're receptive to
place
is filled," Senator
such assaults on basic val what's happening here."
Joseph Lieberman, the only Orthodox
member of the Senate, sees a return
to faith among the young.
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And there are still the
Lieberman said. "And a lot
of the people work in gov- Saturday votes, which
ernment. A generation ago, sometimes force Senator
many of these observant Lieberman to make hard
young people wouldn't have choices.
"The most difficult part
considered working on
Capitol Hill. Today, there's for me has been relating to
a much broader range of op- the holidays and to Shab-
portunities available for ob- bat," he said. "I don't par-
servant Jews —
and that really
makes me happy."
But the Jewish
revival on Capitol
Hill is not com-
plete, he said.
There is no regular
minyan for staffers
and legislators. "I
daven at home," he
said. "Several times
in the past, there
has been a regular
minyan; hopefully
that's something Sen. Joseph Lieberman: "People are
that will develop looking for more than what they get in the
again."
daily news."
ticipate in politics on Shah-
bat, but I have always felt
that I should exercise my
public responsibilities on
Shabbat when that is re-
quired, on the theory that
there are people whose wel-
fare depends on me doing
that."
So Senator Lieberman
limits his activities on Sat-
urdays; he walks to the
Capitol and doesn't operate
electric lights. But he votes
when his vote is likely to
make a difference.
Despite those complica-
tions, he said it is not diffi-
cult being Jewish on
Capitol Hill.
"It's increasingly possi-
ble to be observant and to
be active in Congress," he
said. "It's an exciting time
for Jewish involvement in
Washington."