American Turning Point
Moral Authority
Al Gore's selection of a modern Orthodox Jew, Senator Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut, as his vice-presidential
running mate, marks a milestone in American history — the first Jew to run as a major-party candidate for
vice president. Jewish leaders hailed the decision as a sign that America is ready to accept a man
on the basis of his accomplishments and moral values, apart from his religion.
MICHAEL J. JORDAN
Kosher At Yale
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
Judaism became the core of the younger
Lieberman.
At Yale in the 1960s, he was one of only a hand
ful. of Jews who kept kosher — so Lieberman was
known as the one in the cafeteria always eating
defrosted fish, says Stone.
When his first nominating convention for
Senate in 1988 landed on a Friday night,
Lieberman did nor attend. Instead, he sent along a
videotaped acceptance speech.
"It was a very symbolic and meaningful deci-
sion, the kind of thing that has deepened people's
respect for him," says Ethan Felson, director of the
Jewish Community Relations Council of Hartford.
"He knows when his involvement is necessary,
and when he can employ other means." Indeed, in
Washington, when Lieberman's presence is needed
in the Senate on a Saturday, he walks several miles
to get there — with an escort for protection. He
doesn't use the subway 01 elevator. If he is required
S
enator Joseph Lieberman's first Friday in the
U.S. Senate posed a problem for him — not
politically, but religiously.
It was 1988, and the Senate session was
running late into the night. Lieberman, an Orthodox
Jew, was obliged to stick around, despite the Sabbath.
Instead of walking all the way to his new home in
the Georgetown neighborhood — or violating the
laws of Shabbat by jumping in a taxi — he made
alternate plans: He would sleep on a cot in his office.
When his Senate colleague Al Gore got wind of
Lieberman's ad hoc accommodations, he implored
the freshman lawmaker to stay at the nearby apart-
ment of Gore's parents.
Lieberman consented. He was then surprised to
find that Gore had arranged for the bathroom lights
to be turned on and the bedroom lights turned off.
As Lieberman later recounted to rabbi and author
Kurt Stone, "I may have had the most distinguished
Shabbos goy in history."
to vote, the Senate leadership allows him to do so
by v hand, rather than electronically.
."They used to say that Jacob Javits was the most
Family Values
The senator's offices in Washington and Hartford
have mezuzot on the doors and pushkas on the
desks, for tzedalea, or charity. It is said Lieberman,
58, calls his mother every day and also prays daily.
He reportedly prayed with Gore on Monday after
agreeing to be the Democratic vice presidential can-
didate.
began courting the sister of his bosses, they permit-,
"The best compliment I can give him is that he's
ted them to marry only after he had raised his earn-
a mentsh — and I define mentsh as growing up to
ings to $25 a week.
be the person that your parents always hoped you
•. • "It was my parents who taught me to value and
would be," said Stone, author of the soon-to-be-
honor work," Lieberman told the union crowd.
released book, The Congressional It;1 inyan: The Jews o f f
They also taught him the ways of Judaism.
Capitol Hill..
•
•
Indeed, as Lieberman noted at an AFL-CIO
meeting Monday on his way to accepting. Gore's
offer, he owes his value system to his parents.
His father worked the night shift loading and
unloading a bakery truck before taking a similar job
in a liquor business run by two brothers. When he
,
Lieberman's parents were reportedly not too reli-
gious, nor did tither attend university. But his father
a self-taught Jew.
As Stone writes. in the honor store Lieberman
nni n ,Sta m ford Con n., u 3 tom ei
senior later
\vould often find him studying Loral:,
'‘,valkin
listeniir to classical music.
Talmud or nuidrash
Jewish Jew in politics; that title now belongs to
Lieberman," says Stone. The late Javits was a for-
mer New York senator.
Not surprisingly, Lieberman became something
of a celebrity. When yeshiva and day-school stu-
dents visit Washington, "The kids always ask do I
know the Orthodox senator," said Abba Cohen,
counsel and director of the Washington office of
Agudath Israel. "They don't ask me if I know the
president.
'Lieberman continues to consult with his child--
hood rabbi. Rabbi Joseph Ehrenkranz of
"
•
Congregation Agudath Sholom in Stamford,
Conn.,.who also officiated at his bar mitzvah.
In Vashino-ton. the Liebermans belong to the
Resher Israel congregation. I heir daughter,- Hana,
recently celebrated her bat mitzvah and graduated
Iewish. Primary Dav School of the
al in _tune. Lie-berman spoke at her
graduation.