Jewish Presence

A rabbi's son with sense of balance nominated to head Homeland Security.

RON KAM P EAS
Jewish Telegraphic Agency

Washington

111

ichael Chertoff, the Jewish judge
President Bush nominated last week to
head the vast Homeland Security
bureaucracy, brings a rabbi's son's sensibility to
resolving the tensions between protecting
Americans and preserving civil liberties.
Bush made clear in his announcement that he
found Chertoff attractive because of his toughness
and his sterling reputation.
But Jewish community lead-
ers who know him say the
judge would bring much more
than that to the position.
"I can't sing his praises high
enough," said attorney Stephen
Flatow, who says Chertoff was
instrumental in drafting the
USA Patriot Act, which led to
the U.S. indictment of a
Florida-based alleged leader of
Islamic Jihad. The terror group
claimed responsibility for the
1995 murder of Flatow's
daughter, Alisa, in a Gaza Strip
terrorist attack.
Chertoff, 51, would be
Bush's second Cabinet-level
Jewish appointment; Josh
Bolten has run the Office of
Management and Budget since
2003.
Chertoff was the top crimi-
nal justice official at the Justice
Department at the time of the
Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist
attacks.
The controversial Patriot Act, which removed
the wall between how domestic and U.S. foreign
intelligence agencies gathered and shared informa-
tion, accelerated the case against the Islamic Jihad
who faces trial in Florida
leader, Sami
this summer.
As a result of this legislation, "they were able to
put together the case very quickly but thorough-
ly," said Flatow, who is chairman of the commu-
nity relations committee of United Jewish
Communities of MetroWest in New Jersey.
Chertoff since has come to question what many
consider some of the extremes of the Patriot Act
— but that has also earned him Jewish praise.
"To his credit, Judge Chertoff recognized him-
self that many of things done immediately after
Sept. 11 were not things that should have been
done," said Paul Miller, the president of the

American Jewish Congress, who has met frequent-
ly with Chertoff.
"He's someone who understands the balance we
need between protecting people on the one hand,
and tools to protect our safety — and also not to
destroy our American values."
Chertoff himself emphasized the need for
balance in his short speech accepting the
nomination.
"If confirmed, I pledge to devote all my energy
to promoting our homeland security and, as
important, to preserving our fundamental liber-
ties," he said.

But his biggest asset may be that he is not
Bernard Kerik, the former top New York City cop
who withdrew his own nomination for the job
following sordid stories about favors he accepted
and women he pursued — all of which prompted
criticism that the Bush White House did not do
enough to vet nominees.
"He's been confirmed by the Senate three
times!" Bush exclaimed with a smile at the outset
of his introduction of Chertoff, a rake-thin,
bearded and media-shy man who hesitantly
approached the microphones to accept the nomi-
nation on Jan. 11.
Chertoff also represents a
change of pace from Tom
Ridge, the outgoing secretary,
who is considered by many as
a little too attached to sym-
bolism and the media spot-
light and not concerned
enough with running the
unwieldy bureaucracy created
in the wake of the Sept. 11
attacks.

Tough Reputation

Chertoff has a reputation for
toughness, and it is clear that
President Bush expects him
to tame the Homeland
Security beast.
"When Mike is confirmed
by the Senate, the
Department of Homeland
Security will be led by a
practical organizer, a skilled
manager and a brilliant
thinker," President Bush
said.
President George W Bush presents Judge Michael Chertoffas his nom-
More substantially,
inee as secretary of homeland security on Jan. 11.
Jewish leaders say,
Chertoff would bring a
rare tendency to reach
Jewish Roots
out to an administration with a reputation for
insularity.
Chertoff has strong ties to the Jewish community.
Many Jewish groups have chafed at what they
Born and raised in Elizabeth, N.J., Chertoff is the
say is the Bush administration's "with us or
son of a rabbi, his two children have attended
against us" ethos.
Jewish day schools and his wife, Meryl, was a co-
Chertoff, a moderate Republican, is well liked
chairwoman of the regional Anti-Defamation
on both sides of the aisle.
League's civil rights committee when he was the
"Judge Mike Chertoff has the resume to be an
U.S. attorney in New Jersey in the mid-1990s.
excellent Homeland Security secretary, given his
He lives in Bernardsville, N.J.
law enforcement background and understanding
Beyond his Jewish ties, Chertoff has an impres-
of New York's and America's neglected homeland
sive resume: Harvard Law School, U.S. Supreme
security needs," U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-
Court law clerk, partner with the law firm of
N.Y., said in a statement.
Latham & Watkins, U.S. attorney, assistant U.S.
attorney general. He's now a federal judge on the
JEWISH PRESENCE on page 32
Philadelphia-based Third Circuit Court of Appeals.

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