ELI NEWMAN CONTRIBUTING WRITER
T
he adage could very well
describe every seder night
debate since the first
machloket (dispute) between Hillel
and Shammai. But now, the maxim
also applies to the future of the
United States.
For the first time in modern
history, millions of American Jews
have the option to vote for not one,
but two Jewish men to hold the
highest office in the most power-
ful country in the world. Vermont
Sen. Bernie Sanders and former
New York City Mayor Michael
Bloomberg, a pair of septuagenari-
an East Coast Jews, will both be on
the ballot for the Democratic pres-
idential primaries when the contest
reaches Michigan March 10.
The two men embody two whol-
ly different visions for the nation.
And, in good, old haimishe (famil-
iar) fashion, Jews have strong views
about them.
Two weeks before the primary, in a
stately modern home off the 18-hole
golf course of Franklin Hills Country
Club, Florine Mark, the president and
CEO of the WW Group (formerly
known as Weight Watchers), is host-
ing a “Jews for Bloomberg” event.
“We’
re here to tell the American
people what we can do for them,
”
12 | MARCH 5 • 2020
Jews in the D
On the eve of Michigan’
s
primaries, Jewish voters
weigh their options.
A Jewish President
in 2020?
TOP: Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders at a rally at Cass
Technical High School in Detroit before a crowd of
more than 4,700 on Oct. 27, 2019.
FACING PAGE: Mike Bloomberg speaks in Detroit
on Feb. 4 at Eastern Market. Local Jewish voters
listen to speakers talk about Bloomberg at a house
party hosted Feb. 25 by Florine Mark.
BRYAN GIARDINELLI/BERNIE SANDERS
CAMPAIGN
on the cover
“If you ask two Jews,
you’ll hear three
opinions.
”