Soccer Dad

What Is A "Jewish Vote"?

During the General Assembly of the United Jewish Communities in Los Angeles last week, Jonathan Rosenblum conducted an experiment that indicates the future of Diaspora support for Israel is in danger.

I spoke to a group of about 30 students at the University of Pennsylvania. In the course of the talk, I asked how many were pleased with the recent election results. All raised their hands. Then I asked how many thought that Democratic control of the Congress would be better for Israel. No hands were raised. One student did opine that American support for Israel is bi-partisan, and another argued that American pressure on Israel to be more forthcoming vis-à-vis the Palestinians is in Israel’s long-term interests.

"Correct me, if I’m misstating this," I said, "but Israel simply did not factor into your voting." No one protested. The results of my informal poll mirrored those of a 2004 poll that found Israel to be a major factor in the vote of only 14% of American Jewish voters.

Rosenblum notes that these were students who were in a program that requires a commitment to some form of Jewish learning at least twice a week, and were studying at the most Israel-friendly of America’s elite campuses.

In light of this, take a look at a post on the NJDC website where they had a link after the election to the results of a CNN poll that indicated Jews Vote Democratic 87%-12%

But what does that mean? Is this really a cause for celebration? I saw one letter to the editor of my local Jewish newspaper that was enthusiastic about the election results because the new Congress would pursue the Jewish view of stem cell research and a number of similar issues. There was no mention at all of what the implications of the elections were for Israel.

Did that 87% that voted for the Democrats really represent the Jewish vote, or just the vote of the majority of Jews who vote the liberal line? If indeed these Jews who voted for Democrats did not see Israel, her security, and her future as a consideration in how they voted--then how is that a Jewish vote?

Does voting the liberal line on issues in and of itself constitute a "Jewish vote"? Is that all there is to the Jewish vote? If so, what do they make of the vocal liberal anti-Israel protests which accuse Israel of apartheid and call for her destruction.

In the months leading up to the election, the RJC came out with a number of powerful ads that claimed that the Republican Party was a stronger friend of Israel than the Democrats. In response, the NJDC made much of the story they ‘broke’ that:

to put it bluntly, AIPAC rejects the premise of the RJC'S massive ad campaign and indicates that, unsurprisingly, Israel has nothing to fear from a Speaker Pelosi -- indeed, she, like the Democratic Party itself, is a stalwart supporter.

To put it equally bluntly, does the NJDC honestly believe that AIPAC was actually going to openly endorse one political party over another in an election? Is there any doubt that they would sidestep the issue and proclaim both parties to be friends of Israel?

It takes more than an endorsement from AIPAC to counter those ads.

Bottom line, a Jewish vote for a Democratic candidate was in no way a betrayal of Israel, and there is plenty of room to argue about just how much of a friend of Israel Bush has been—especially during his second term.

However, it is valid to question just what are the implications of such a large Jewish vote for the Democrats—not only for Israel, but for Jews as a whole. Based on Rosenblum’s observations, the implications are not all positive.

by Daled Amos

Technorati Tag: Israel and Democrats and Republicans Posted by daledamos at November 28, 2006 3:08 AM | TrackBack