An Election Post Mortum

Josh and Lori Shapiro (Jewish Insider)

It appears that the so-called ‘Red Wave’ never materialized. Although it does seem likely that the House will turn Republican. But by a much smaller margin than anticipated. With respect to the Senate turning ‘red’ - there are only 2 chances of that happening: slim and none.

The issues I thought would heavily sway the election towards a major shift in both Houses of congress were apparently not as important to voters as I thought they were. 

I personally still think that the economy and crime are by far the two biggest issues affecting the American people - pocket book issues usually do impact upon how people vote. But in this case, not as much as they should have. Either that or for some strange reason a lot of voters thought Democrats were best suited to deal with these problems – despite the fact that after 2 years of Democratic control, things seem to have only gotten worse.

It appears that the abortion issue was more significant to voters than I thought it would be. There is also the fact that the American people do care about democracy. That surely hurt Republican candidates that were election deniers (Although there more than a few notable exceptions. Such as in the Ohio Senate race where Republican J.D. Vance defeated Democrat Tim Ryan .)

There are, however, two election results that I think deserves our attention. 

First - the landslide election of Democrat Josh Shapiro as governor of Pennsylvania. Although to the best of my knowledge Shapiro is not Orthodox, he is nonetheless an openly proud Jew who does not hide his identity or his observance of Mitzvos as he understands them. Which if I understand correctly includes keeping Shabbos and keeping a Kosher home. (Again - as he understands it.) 

Shapiro won by a landslide! Which reinforces my belief in the American people. The vast majority of the American people are not in any way antisemitic. Being Jewish does not matter to them. Even though most Americans are Christian they rejected a man who believes that America should be a Christian nation and overwhelmingly chose a Jew. 

As I recently said, it’s true that antisemitism is on the rise. But the number of antisemites have not really increased. At least not significantly.  They have just been more emboldened to act on it for a variety of reasons that are beyond the scope of this post.

God bless the American people. Which – as an Orthodox Jew - I am proud to be a part of.

New York Governor, Kathy Hochul (NBC New York)

The second election result that deserves our attention is the landslide election of Democrat  Kathy Hochul as governor of New York. This is significant to New York’s Orthodox Jews because of the massive support many Orthodox rabbinic leaders gave to her opponent, Republican Lee Zeldin.

The reason they supported Zeldin was not because he is Jewish and Hochul is not.  They supported him because they saw him as their savior! All because of his strong support for their position on Yeshivos. Which is mostly about keeping the government out of their schools. A situation they saw as imminent because of NYSED’s decision to enforce their ‘equivalency rules. 

They see it as interference in the constitutionally guaranteed right to educate children their religiously as they see fit. Even if it means relegating a huge segment of Orthodox Jewry to a life of near illiteracy with respect to the language of the land.  Zeldin agreed with them. Hochul was non committal citing the fact that the governor’s office has no say on what NYSED does.

The hyperbolic rhetoric I saw during the campaign on the part of some rabbinic leaders bordered on the obscene!  For example - if I recall correctly at least one rabbinic leader actually said it was a Chilul HaShem to vote for Hochul - voting for her would be a desecration of God’s name. Adding that what NYSED was doing was an attack on the Torah and thereby their very way of life as observant Jews. Comments like that are reminiscent of 19^th century European rabbis who lived at a time where antisemitism – even on the part of the government - was rampant. 

I can’t imagine what Hochul thought about such comments. I doubt she was pleased. Although I doubt that most of Zeldin’s rabbinic support was made in those terms, it is not a stretch to say they believed it in their hearts.

Well, the proverbial ‘chickens are coming home to roost’. Hochul has to know that  - with the very notable exception of the Satmar Rebbe of Kiryas Joel - the Orthodox Jewish community rejected  her and instead gave their full enthusiastic support to her opponent. 

I wonder how all those rabbinic leaders feel now?

My guess is that Hochul is a wise politician that will not take revenge. She will no doubt do the opposite and try to cultivate a positive relationship with New York’s Orthodox Jews; listen to their concerns and actually try to accommodate them. At the same time I do not see her endorsing their views about NYSED’s new equivalency enforcement policy. She will more likely continue to stay out of the fray continuing to say that NYSED’s policies is out of her jurisdiction. 

The result of which will hopefully be a better education for Satmar type Chasidic Jews. Which makes the support she got from Satmar ironic. I do not see her suddenly becoming a champion for the near illiteracy so characteristic of Satmar – jut because they endorsed her.  Although I'm sure that’s what they were hoping for.

Chachamim Hizharu B’Devorov. Rabbinic leaders need to be careful with their words. If they’re not, it could harm the very people they lead. Which they apparently did not do enough of – instead acting quickly to support her opponent. They would do well to reflect on those words. And in the future, not make any political endorsements. Even though in this case their words may end up as a positive - in the sense that it will reduce illiteracy among a huge segment of the Jewish people.