The Kosher Bookworm: The eternal question — Why are Jews liberals?

The Kosher Bookworm

By Alan Jay Gerber

Issue of December 11, 2009/ 24 Kislev 5770

A few months prior to the recent elections a book appeared titled, “Why Are Jews Liberals?” by essayist and political commentator, Norman Podhoretz. The question posed in its title informs us about the book’s content and purpose: namely, a coherent answer to this eternal question that has baffled political thinkers for over the past century.

While for the most part Jews have been the most loyal ethnic/religious group to support the liberal Democratic Party and its policies, the quandary has been, what  motivates one of the highest income earning groups in the United States to so identify politically with those far less affluent and educated than them? This book sets out to explain this through history, philosophy and political observation.

From the outset let me state that while I am in full sympathy with the author’s political views, I do not see it necessary to come to terms with his quandary. Rather, I contend that a more productive stance would be to continue to advocate  within our community the ideologically political conservative positions and to recruit Jewish citizens to the conservative cause. In this, Podhoretz’s work is a valued additional tool.

What I found most interesting in the research on this book leading up to this review were the numerous other reviews, both pro and con, that give this issue a life beyond the subject of this book’s validity.

One particular review by conservative radio personality Michael Medved caught my attention. Medved attributes the Jewish antipathy to the conservative cause to a secular-based rejection of Christianity.

Writing in an on-line symposium reviewing this book, Medved stated, “This political pattern reflects the fact that opposition to Christianity — not love for Judaism, Jews, or Israel — remains the sole unifying element in an increasingly fractious and secularized society.”

Medved further elaborates on this theme by citing the overwhelming secular nature of American Jewry today, including a decrease in support for Israel, synagogue  affiliation  and lack of quality Jewish youth education. This is a major factor in the political predisposition of those Jews who utilize political liberalism as a surrogate faith in place of Judaism itself. In addition, the antipathy to other religious faiths, especially given the onerous history that Christianity had with our people’s ancestors only serves to fuel their commitment to liberal causes such as same sex marriage and abortion rights, falsely  morphing these issues into “Jewish causes” for all the world to see. This, in turn, further frames the public political debate in the overall Jewish community in liberal rather than conservative terms.

This situation is compounded by these political liberals who actively shun support for legitimately  Jewish  causes  by Christian evangelicals as well as other Christian based organizations and  personalities.

This observation is most telling. It  reflects a reality that, if sustained in the years to come, will only serve to further erode the political position that Jews inhabit in the American political spectrum; bringing grief to us all.

Ironically, the only grouping within American Jewry that in increasing numbers reflect a conservative  stance  in the public arena are those affiliated with Orthodox Judaism and, to some extent among the religiously affiliated Conservative community. This is a truism that no one disputes. The only question is, what motivates this political behavior, and how deep is this sentiment ?

This is at the heart of what constitutes the answer to Podhoretz’s query and points to us the true value of his work: to open up debate as to where do we go from here. This leads me to the following observations.

The recent election results in our community point to a foreshadowing of things to come.

A resurgent GOP win in our community only behooves the local Republican Party to open its doors to Jewish affiliation, something that is currently lacking. The ideological predisposition to a conservative political stance is finding greater favor with a growing South Shore constituency whose political roots are to be found in the  Democratic  Party  bastions  of Brooklyn and Queens, where a Jewish Republican was a rare as a ham sandwich at a bar-mitzvah.

This past election both  here  and  in the Orthodox Jewish communities in New Jersey should serve  notice to all that next year’s congressional elections in these locales might prove to be very chastening to many long time, smug Democratic  incumbents. This is where the future is at, and only time will tell whether the Republican Party will extend itself to welcome these new constituencies into its party structure and its decision making process — and  not just to regard Jews as sources for fundraising and money.

Podhoretz’s book has opened up the debate. Medved’s astute observations  gives this book further traction. And consider the following, for this we have only ourselves to blame for the poor leadership we have. The sad and pathetic Jewish reaction to the enlightened and humanitarian stance on Jewish settlements in Judea and Samaria by Sarah Palin should, in time, be a thing of the past. That  reaction, laced with  bigoted anti-Christian rhetoric, can only serve to further embarrass those of us who wish to encourage the growing support that the American Christian community is giving to the cause of yishuv Eretz Yisrael.

Palin’s open stance  in  support  of our brothers and sisters in Israel, whatever her religious motivation, should be welcomed by us and by all G-d fearing peoples, regardless of faith and denomination. We live in dangerous times, and we can not afford to play politics with Jewish survival.

One closing observation. This past Sunday the Orthodox Union, at their annual dinner honored the owner of a Jewish bookstore, Danny Levine, of The J. Levine Co. To my understanding, this is the first time a book store owner has been so honored. To Danny, mazal tov. To all our dear readers, have a joyous Happy Chanukah.