Bernie Sanders Bids for Jewish History

[cali]

You wouldn’t know it from listening to his speeches, but Bernie Sanders is on the verge of making political history.

If the Vermont senator defeats Hillary Clinton in either Iowa or New Hampshire in the next two weeks, he’ll become the first Jewish candidate to win a nominating contest in either major party. The milestone is both significant and overlooked, in part because Sanders talks so little about his faith and, well, because there’s that other candidate trying to break a glass ceiling in 2016.

In many ways, it’s the lack of attention to Sanders’s Judaism that Jewish leaders find most exciting. “It’s the most wonderful anti-climax in American Jewish history,” said Rabbi Jonah Pesner, director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism. “You have a guy who is from New York with a Brooklyn accent named Bernie who is a viable presidential candidate and nobody is discussing it, which to me is just a remarkable statement of the success of the American Jewish community to be fully integrated and distinct at the same time.”

The last serious Jewish presidential contender was Joe Lieberman in 2004, who sought the top job after serving as Al Gore’s running mate four years earlier. Lieberman never caught fire with Democratic primary voters and dropped out after failing to win a primary, a caucus, or even a single delegate. Yet Lieberman’s Judaism was a major part of his political identity. He was closely associated with Jewish causes and his staunch support of Israel, talked openly about his faith, and didn’t campaign on the Sabbath.

<snip>

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/01/bernie-sanders-bids-for-jewish-history/429252/

[valerief]

1. Sanders probably doesn't talk about his Jewish upbringing because he's likely

not a believer in Judaism.

[cali]

3. Actually, he does talk about his Jewish upbringing and background.

He doesn't talk about his religious beliefs.

[valerief]

16. I've heard him talk about his background, just not in terms of being Jewish. nt

[cali]

17. He has. He has talked about how being Jewish

in the shadow of the Holocaust, with his father's side of the family being destroyed, is what sparked his interest in politics.

[valerief]

18. Interesting. Thanks. nt

[JudyM]

14. He says "I'm proud to be Jewish" but "not particularly religious."

“I’m proud to be Jewish,” Sanders said at a breakfast event in Washington. He added that he was “not particularly religious.” When Jimmy Kimmel asked Sanders in October if he believed in God, he didn’t answer directly. “I am who I am,” Sanders replied. “What I believe in and what my spirituality is about is that we’re all in this together, that I think it is not a good thing to believe as human beings that we can turn our backs on other people.”

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/01/bernie-sanders-bids-for-jewish-history/429252/

In another article he says that his politics come from his Jewish upbringing. http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/monitor_breakfast/2015/0611/Bernie-Sanders-I-m-proud-to-be-Jewish
Another recent look at Bernie's Jewish identity:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/commentary/ct-bernie-sanders-jewish-culture-perspec-0126-20160125-story.html

[valerief]

15. Thanks.

[JudyM]

31. Very welcome.

[6chars]

2. "Lieberman never caught fire with Democratic primary voters"

That is an understatement.

[Fumesucker]

5. Feel the Joementum!

[Cali_Democrat]

4. Bernie Sanders not 'actively involved with organized religion'

Bernie Sanders not 'actively involved with organized religion'

Washington (CNN)Bernie Sanders is opening up about his religious views and his Jewish heritage, saying he believes generally in God, but not necessarily organized religion.

The man who has the potential to become the nation's first Jewish president has generally shied away from talk of his upbringing and his faith, but in an interview with The Washington Post published Wednesday, Sanders said he was not "actively involved with organized religion."

"I think everyone believes in God in their own ways," he told Post. "To me, it means that all of us are connected, all of life is connected, and that we are all tied together."

Sanders has often limited talk of his upbringing to a single line in his stump speech about his father emigrating from Poland and raising his family in a rent-controlled apartment in Brooklyn.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/27/politics/bernie-sanders-organized-religion/index.html

[Krytan11c]

6. Being Jewish

Is about much more than religion.
Just as being a woman is about much more than chromosomes.

[beam me up scottie]

7. A-fucking-men, brother! "Bernie Sanders Rejects Theocracy, Defends Church State Separation"

Bernie Sanders Rejects Theocracy, Defends Church State Separation
January 9, 2016
by: Michael Stone

Rejecting the Republican dream of a Christian theocracy, Bernie Sanders tells supporters it is “dangerous for governments to get deeply involved with religion.”

Justin Scott, an Iowan who takes his politics seriously, asked the Democratic presidential candidate for his thoughts on politicians who “base a lot of their legislation on their religious beliefs” at a recent campaign event in Iowa.

Sanders answered:

Religious freedom in this country is part of our Constitution, and all of us agree with that. And you have many different religions, and people have the right, in this country, to practice the religion that they believe in.
But we also have a separation between religion and state. We know how dangerous it is, historically, for governments to get deeply involved with religion… Let’s not confuse and merge religion and state. That is not what our Founding Fathers wanted, and they were right.

Sanders is right. The attempt by today’s Republican party to “confuse and merge religion and state” is dangerous, un-American, and a repudiation of the secular values upon which this nation was founded.

This is not the first time the progressive candidate has championed secular values. Earlier this year, in an uplifting viral video supporting Sanders’ 2016 presidential campaign, the presidential hopeful declared:

The problems we face did not come down from the heavens. They are made, they are made by bad human decisions, and good human decisions can change them.

***

Sanders is a friend to freethinkers, and the enemy of conservative Christians. Religious News Service describes Sanders as “unabashedly irreligious” and “the anti-Bible thumper,” noting:

Sanders is the presidential contender most willing to dissociate himself from religion. Though he identifies as Jewish and by Jewish law is Jewish, he has freely acknowledged that he is not a religious person. He scored a solid zero from Ralph Reed’s Faith and Freedom Coalition in its most recent scorecard and a 100 from the abortion rights group NARAL Pro-Choice America.

Scoring a zero from Ralph Reed’s Faith and Freedom Coalition is a badge of honor, and should be a ringing endorsement to the ears of every humanist, every atheist, every freethinker.

More: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/progressivesecularhumanist/2016/01/bernie-sanders-rejects-theocracy-defends-church-state-separation/#sthash.c7iYfb7W.dpuf

Another reason to vote for Bernie!

It's refreshing to finally have a presidential candidate who won't pander to the bible thumpers!

[Bonobo]

30. I fucking love it when non-Jews post that ignorant shit. nt

[Jefferson23]

8. Exactly:

“It’s the most wonderful anti-climax in American Jewish history,” said Rabbi Jonah Pesner, director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism. “You have a guy who is from New York with a Brooklyn accent named Bernie who is a viable presidential candidate and nobody is discussing it, which to me is just a remarkable statement of the success of the American Jewish community to be fully integrated and distinct at the same time.”

My parents are thrilled about the real chance this will come to fruition.

[cali]

19. Yeah, that's a great observation.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

27. That's exactly it!

[dsc]

9. The first and second Jewish Senators served in Congress with Abe Lincoln

in comparison the first woman in the Senate has constituents that are still alive. On the order of 5/6 of women who have ever been in the Senate are still alive and well over half are still in the Senate. There is no comparison at all.

[cali]

20. This is about the Presidency.

[dsc]

23. Jews have been numerically over represented at the legislative level for decades

while women have been non existent there for over a hundred and fifty years then under represented by a factor of 10 for another fifty years or so, and now are still under represented by a factor of five. It is nothing short of ridiculous to compare Jews in this regard to women.

[beam me up scottie]

25. This isn't a competition, the only one comparing the two groups is you.

This is a big deal for Jewish Americans, why are you trying to diminish it?

[PyaarRevolution]

24. You're missing the bigger point.

The fact that he comes from a NON-Christian background. For women AND men who don't identify as Christian this is refreshing. I am no longer a Christian and fear there are those who have run for President and LIED about their religious beliefs for fear they would never get elected otherwise and I find that notion disgusting.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

10. He's performing a mitzvah for we the people.

[Sheepshank]

11. So is it safe to say that he has the Jewish vote all wrapped up?

because I've been told the only reason Hillary has the women's vote all tied up is because Hillary is a woman.

[cali]

21. No. Who said he did? Oh, that's right, just you.

Hillary is actually much more popular with Jews for whom Israel is very important.

[beam me up scottie]

12. He's a mensch!

[Smarmie Doofus]

28. That's a friggin' *gem*. Where'd u find this? n/t

[beam me up scottie]

29. I don't remember, probably here. :)

[TheBlackAdder]

13. Evangelicals sure love Israel, the Jews who live there, not so much!

.


In the Evangelical mindset, the Jews are only the vehicle to bring about the Rapture.


They must convert to Christianity to bring about that prophesy.


===


American Jews do not hold such worth, other than trying to placate the Israelites to embrace Christianity.

Israel must remain until a religious conversion takes place, else there is no second coming.


.

[cali]

22. Well that was nonsensical.

[libdem4life]

26. Evangelicals Revelations...their future...depends on wiping out the ME, saving 144,000

converted Jews (12,000 for each of the original Jewish tribes) so that Jesus can come down from the sky and set up rule on the Temple Mount for 1000 years of peace.

Three religions now claim that piece of real estate...Muslims, Jews and Christians. This is the trifecta leading to Armageddon...which, of course, is how the end comes. Slaughter of all of them since the Christians...believers only... have already been "raptured" and are playing Golden Harps in Heaven.

That's why they care so much for Israel and Jerusalem...has Nothing to do with Jews. In fact, it has to do with getting rid of or converting them.

Bernie is smart to avoid any association with this mess.

[fun n serious]

32. There will come a time when it will matter and he will have to address is, sadly..

I personally do not care nor do I think it matters what his spiritual beliefs are. However, shall he win the nomination people will want to know and IMO it will be a deciding factor for some people. NOT ME. I've heard Bernie talk about being Jewish, the way he put it IIRC was "only in culture." Nothing wrong with that as far as I am concerned but there are many people who will want more explanation.

[cali]

33. 91% of people in a recent Gallup poll said they'd vote for a Jew

[fun n serious]

34. I would too with no problem.

The issue here is he says he is not religious and he is a Jew only in culture. He avoids talking about it. He even has been visibly annoyed and even angered when asked. It will matter so some that he will not explain his spiritual beliefs.