Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) is making a truly impressive run for the White House, and in doing so is being considered by many as America\’s first mainstream \”black\” candidate — in other words a \”black\” candidate not running on a near-exclusive agenda of identity politics.
With a mix of concern for their future and amusement at the marching bands and baby-kissing style of U.S. electoral politics, Israelis are tuning in to see who might be the next U.S. president.
Brief descriptions of Republican and Democratic presidential candidates and their likely appeal amongst Jewish voters.
The most engaging, hard-hitting liberals in this country right now are Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert and Bill Maher. But they\’re not leaders, they\’re jesters. They tell funny bedtime stories so that about 2 million New York Times readers can fall asleep believing the world hasn\’t really gone to hell.
One of two Jewish candidates seeking the Republican nomination for California insurance commissioner has pulled out of the race.
Rose Engel practiced her Torah and haftorah portions with an eager diligence. She studied with the rabbi and prepared an essay. Her passion and excitement matched that of most of the synagogue\’s bat mitzvah candidates, but at 87, she is far from their peers.
Engel is the most senior member of the 31 women who became b\’not mitzvah on June 13 at Adat Ari El in Valley Village.
There were two \”Jewish\” debates earlier this month, one in the Valley and one on the Westside. While Mayor james Hahn did not attend the Valley session at Temple Judea, all five major candidates came to the Westside debate at Temple Beth Am. My visit to the latter debate allowed me to look at one constituency: Westside Jews.
Sam Kermanian is one of many Jewish Republicans in Los Angeles reaching out to immigrants on behalf of President Bush, yet perhaps the biggest news of all is that such committed immigrant activists in the Republican Party are no longer red hot news.
Kermanian, an Iranian Jewish immigrant, is still rawly aware of how people\’s lives in his native Iran are under the strict control of Islamist radicals.
With a couple of weeks left before we choose our next president, I\’ve been reflecting on how the process has affected me, both as a Jew and as an American.
More news and opinions than at a Shabbat dinner, right in your inbox.