COMMUNITY VIEWS

A Political Awakening

My name is Rachel, I'm Jewish and
ooking like quite the intelli-
I knew nothing about politics or the
gent college student, I asked
people involved until Lieberman was
people at a dinner party this
nominated. From health care to moral
summer why former Presi-
issues, Lieberman held strong views
dent George Bush was running again
that I supported.
for president. I quickly made
I also felt closer to him
a resolution to become better
because his background was
prepared for this upcoming
similar to my own. Howev-
semester. Rather than con-
er, I never thought the
suming my time shopping
announcement of him being
like I always do, I decided it
Vice President Al Gore's
was about time I knew what
running mate would cause
was going on in the political
the media to exploit it.
world.
When the cover of the
The first step was coming
Aug. 21 issue of Time maga-
to terms with my lack of
zine came out saying chutz-
RACHEL
knowledge of international
pah, a Yiddish word for
WRIGHT
and national political issues.
"guts," I began questioning
Special to
Following my affirmation,
the media's motives.
the Jewish News
I fired up the computer and
began exploring. I caught up
Religion's Role
on the issues, made my own opinions
In American society, Jewish people are
and became familiar with the politi-
still considered a minority. The fact
cians in the upcoming election. When
that the magazine used a Yiddish word
the list of possible candidates was
on the cover made me realize how
announced in the media for the
much the media truly was going to
Democratic vice-presidential position,
play up Lieberman's religion.
I was immediately drawn to Sen.
I later logged onto Lieberman's
Joseph Lieberman.
homepage and scrolled around look-

Rachel Wright of West Bloomfield is a
junior at Michigan State University.
This commentary originally appeared in
the State News at Michigan State Uni-
versity, where she works as the paper's
business and environment reporter. She
can be reached at
wrightr9@pilot.msu.edu

ing at his numerous projects, view-
points and other philanthropic
endeavors he has completed. Nowhere
does it mention his religion — why
should it?
Lieberman's religion has nothing to
do with his qualifications for the job
of vice president — apparently the
media does not agree.

lose. My jaw nearly dropped to the
floor.
One thing I have always been
aware of is that people can be igno-
rant, and sometimes there can be no
way around it. Everyone will, at some
point or another, be faced with some-
one's lack of respect or compassion for
a given situation.
As with any culture or ethnic back-
ground, everyone wants others to try
to gain an understanding, or at the
very least an acceptance, of a different
thought.
While the media uses Jewish lingo
on the covers of their stories and as
the leads to their stories, I ask the
country to look deeper into Lieber-
man. See him as a man, a politician.
Don't just see him as a Jew. He is
much more.
party, seemingly out of curiosity. As
While Judaism defines much of
with any firsts, many questions are
who I am, it in no way creates or
formed regarding the new change. I
negates the qualifications I have —
understand the concern about Lieber-
other than making me qualified to
man being an Orthodox Jew, and the
teach Sunday school at a synagogue —
issue regarding his priority of putting
but certainly not for anything else.
his beliefs first at crucial times. What I
So when you see me, I am now
don't understand is why someone in
more
excited than ever to whip off my
my communication class referred to
newfound
knowledge of politics and
him as "the Jew with Gore."
display my interest in issues like health
care, abortion or anything else. But
Ticket To Lose?
please don't make Lieberman's religion
With that, I noticed ignorance was
a topic.
everywhere regarding this issue. I have
Because in all truth, it's not an issue
had peers — who obviously were
—
not a political one at least.
unaware of my Jewish background —
And
if someone you know does have
begin telling me their opinion of how
the
chutzpah
to make an ignorant corn-
they felt Gore picked a Jew for public-
ment, steer them clear of it.
ity, and how this was his sure ticket to

But how can I blame the media for
turning Lieberman's religion into such
a hot topic? This is a society that is
responding to thousands of polls
regarding this matter. Now my curios-
ity turns to the "why" element
involved in the issue.
As a nation, we are focused on
Lieberman being the first Jewish can-
didate to run on a ticket from a major

See him as a man, a
politician. Don't just
see him as a Jew.

LETTERS

Who's Who
In Hall Of Shame

Did anyone notice? Jonathan Tobin
("The Friends Of Our Foes," Sept. 22,
page 39) treated us to an absolutely
mind-boggling summation of the vot-
ing records of our Jewish representa-
tives in the Congress, vis a vis issues of
great concern to Jews and the State of
Israel. His source of information was
impeccable — the Arab Lobby.
What did we learn? Only four of
23 Jewish congressmen made the Arab
"Hall of Shame" list. In order to make
the Hall, they would have had to vote
on the wrong side of the issues as far
as the Arabs were concerned. Only
one senator, Arlen Spector of Pennsyl-
vania, of 11 Jewish senators, made the
list. None of our Michigan people,

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10/6
2000

42

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either Jewish or gentile, made the
"Shame List." No Levins, no Knollen-
berg.
Oh, I almost forgot. There were
Michigan congressmen and a senator
on the Arab "Hall of Fame" list —
that is, they voted as the Arabs had
hoped on the issues. The list included
the usual suspects: David Bonior, John
Dingell, John Conyers and Sen.
Spencer Abraham.
Finally, guess to whom the Jews,
nationwide, gave the most campaign
money — far exceeding money given
to those on the Jewish side of the
issues? Oh, you must have peeked.
Those in the Arab Hall of Fame, not
Shame, of course.
Jerome S. Kaufman

Bloomfield Hills

Notes Worth
Sharing

The name of the cemetery in the
cover story ("Hidden Eternity," Sept.
22, page 6), Beth Olem, is more prop-
erly translated "eternal home" rather
than "house of the world." Literali -sm
here must give way to idiom so that
that translation makes sense in the
context. See the introduction to the
Birnbaum prayer book, where the
same point is made regarding the
hymn, "Adon Olam" (Eternal Lord).
To the lovely piece honoring Hugh
and Carolyn Greenberg ("All In The
Family," Sept. 22, page 16) should be
added the fact that Carolyn's grandfa-
ther (and my great-grandfather) Isaac
August was also the founder and first
president of Congregation Mogen

Abraham in Southfield and was, as
well, one of the originators of Mach-
pelah Cemetery in Ferndale.
Stuart J. Snider

Southfield -

Feeling At Home
In Israel

I have always heard people refer to
Israel as a home away from home for
Jews across the world. But before
spending the summer there, I merely
considered this phrase a sugarcoated
representation of a country that was
made up of old buildings, a couple
thousand Israelis and really good
falafel. How could I possibly feel at
home in a country thousands of miles
away from my - family and friends?
It's been about two months now

