On the other hand, everybody brings his or her own moral and spiritual values with them to analyze public-policy problems.įor me, Judaism has always been about tikkun olam-about improving a broken world, and promoting justice and fairness for people who have been downtrodden and left behind. Q: How do your Reform Jewish values influence what you do in Congress?Ī: It’s an interesting question because I’m a staunch supporter of the separation of church and state, and our First Amendment. That where our kids had their bar and bat mitzvahs. I was very moved when I heard for the first time what Hillel said: “If I’m not for myself, who will be? If I’m not for myself, what am I? If not now, when?” My family belongs to Temple Sinai in Washington, D.C. I grew up as Reform Jewish and with a strong sense of Jewish values. She was the president of Hadassah in Minnesota and actually served in that capacity with Bob Dylan’s mother, Zimmerman. My grandmother was also active in the Jewish community. We were given Israeli Defense Bonds for our birthdays every year from him and my grandmother. He also was a very strong Zionist and felt that the creation of Israel was necessary for the survival of the Jewish people. Louis Park and was active in the Democratic-Farm-Labor Party. He was a pillar in the Jewish community in St. I saw in him as a role model for politics because he showed that a person in public service is someone who wants to serve other people and help them solve their problems. He was in law and politics in Minnesota and the first Jewish person ever elected to the Minnesota legislature at a time of intense antisemitism there. Q: As a Jewish member of Congress, do you mind giving readers a quick overview of what it was like growing up?Ī: My maternal grandfather was a very important Jewish influence in my life.
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