In NJ, Orthodox Jews swung toward Bush in the 2004 election

Bergen Record ^ | 11.07.04

[Coleus]

Orthodox Jews swung toward Bush in election

Sunday, November 7, 2004

George W. Bush drew a higher percentage of Jews - especially Orthodox Jews in North Jersey - into his camp last week than he did four years ago, election totals show.

"We saw a significant shift in our community," said Rabbi Shmuel Goldin of Congregation Ahavath Torah in Englewood. "The majority of people for whom Israel was the issue chose Bush because of that."

Jews overall maintained their traditional identification with the Democratic Party, voting for Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry by a ratio of 3-to-1, according to some exit polls.

But Bush's 25 percent of the total Jewish vote was an improvement from his 19 percent showing in 2000. And election results from Bergen County show a striking change in the voting patterns within Orthodox neighborhoods. In the district near the Englewood synagogue, about 45 percent of voters went for Bush, as opposed to 21 percent in 2000.

A similar shift occurred in heavily Orthodox neighborhoods in Teaneck, including one where Bush captured 62 percent of the vote after garnering just 14 percent in 2000.

"The modern Orthodox community has traditionally been stratified, with some maintaining an attachment to the Democratic Party," said Sharon Hes, chairwoman of the GOP in the township. "But this year I saw quite a few Orthodox Jews who have been Democrats changing their party and their interests to Bush out of gratitude and a feeling of shared values."

In doing so, those Jews joined a powerful movement of evangelical Protestants and other religious conservatives that helped propel the president to a second term.

Among Jews, it's a trend sparked by the Palestinian uprising in 2000 and the ensuing bloodshed of the past four years.

Hes, who is Orthodox, said Bush earned Jewish votes by refusing to pressure Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and by shunning Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

"Bush has been the best friend Israel has ever had," Hes said. "He has stood by Israel when it counted."

Even so, some Orthodox Jews are ambivalent about the change.

Goldin, the Englewood rabbi, said he planned to caution his congregation during Saturday services about the risks of focusing their political concerns solely on Israel.

"We've become a one-issue community, and that's understandable and justified during times of tremendous danger or need," Goldin said in an interview. "But we should long for a world where we don't have to be so preoccupied with our own concerns, and we can be preoccupied with other people's concerns as well."

Although Goldin said Bush deserves much praise, he said some in his congregation are wary. Those Jews would like the United States to take a more hands-on approach to brokering a peace deal in the Middle East. They are also wary of aligning themselves with the Christian right.

"There are those within the community who are very frightened by this association," Goldin said. "They feel the evangelical movement has always been more interested in converting Jews than in helping Jews."

Meanwhile, one exit poll showed 70 percent of Orthodox Jews voting for Bush, compared with 23 percent of Conservative Jews and 15 percent of Reform Jews. The poll was conducted in Ohio and Florida by Frank Luntz, who does polling for Republicans.

Reform and Conservative Jews in North Jersey said they felt no need to vote Republican out of concern for Israel, because, they said, Kerry had built up impeccable pro-Israel credentials in his two decades as a senator.

"I don't get this," said Rabbi Stephen C. Lerner of Kanfei Shahar, a Conservative congregation in Teaneck. "Suddenly, Bush, who previously had no record on Israel and has all these connections to Saudi Arabian oil fields, is Israel's best friend?"

Vivienne Cooperman, a member Kanfei Shahar, said her main concern as a Jew was with the separation of religion and government.

"This First Amendment has benefited American Jews more than any other single thing," Cooperman said. "And one of Bush's major planks is to erode that."

[Coleus]

There are Eruv's popping up all over NJ.  Many of the Orthodox come in from large cities where they rent, then come to communities where they begin to own their own homes in NJ and subsequently  pay property taxes.  They see the need for smaller and less government and better fiscal control in school systems, city councils and freeholder boards.  

 

They can not send their children to public schools which makes them proponents of school voucher and tuition tax credit programs for funding private schools, they also advocate school choice for all. 

 

They are pro life and pro family abiding by G-d's natural law. 

 

Many of the Orthodox tend to vote republican while many of the Reformed tend to vote the Barbara Streisand way.

 

70% of orthodox Jews, 25% of conservative Jews and 5% of reform Jews vote for Bush

[international american]

70%?? Orthodox Jews Bump!!

[Wonderama]

I think the more religious the Jews the more supportive of Bush. A lot of Jews have abandoned Judiasm and embraced liberalism and Democrats as their form of religion. HOpefully the Orthodox Jews will be the new trend setters, which would be soooooooo cool! A trendy orthodox Jew??? This election just keeps bringing good news.

[Fiddlstix]

Ping

[elhombrelibre]

We're all rednecks now.

[Mike10542]

I am a reform Jew and I voted for Bush. Too many of us just don't have a clue. But we are coming around. The trend is good since 1992, up about 5% every election. Our goal should be 30% for 2008.

[Mike Fieschko]

Hi Coleus. I hope all is well with you up in Jersey.

I've looked for results for Lakewood (Ocean County) and West Orange (Essex), but haven't seen any Presidential race breakdowns that detailed. Do you know what they were?

[willNJ]

In my Town of Lakewood which has the largest Rabbincal College (Yeshiva) in the world voted for Bush by a landslide.In one of the districts dominated by the orthodox voted 200Appx. to 9

[Coleus]

Our goal should be 30% for 2008.>>

Let's hope, now we have to work on the blacks and Hispanics a bit more, the Hispanics are slowly turning around, I think 44% voted for President Bush.

[elhombrelibre]

As time goes on, more and more people are seeing that there is nothing humane about Left wing politics. On the international front, it's clear that the Left in Europe would throw the Jews to the terrorists as quickly as the Right did when it collaborated with the Nazis in the 1930s and '40s. The role of government, too, should be to protect minorities with law, but not to hold the hand of everyone so that they never become self-sufficient.

[Coleus]

A lot of Jews have abandoned Judaism and embraced liberalism and Democrats as their form of religion. >>

We have the same problem in the Catholic Faith, I think we've been going R since McGovern then more with Reagan and now some more with Bush 43. It's taking time but in the long run I think the Catholics will be primarily republicans and pro life.

[Coleus]

Ziva ping

[marron]

"I don't get this," said Rabbi Stephen C. Lerner of Kanfei Shahar, a Conservative congregation in Teaneck. "Suddenly, Bush, who previously had no record on Israel and has all these connections to Saudi Arabian oil fields, is Israel's best friend?"

Bush had no record on Israel because he was a governor, and before that a ball team owner. But he's also an evangelical Christian and they are Israel's closest friends, including evangelical oil men.

[Mike Fieschko]

In my Town of Lakewood

Thanks for answering part of my question in #8, 5 seconds after I posted it. [chuckle, ain't FR grand?]

[Mike Fieschko]

Hispanics are slowly turning around, I think 44% voted for President Bush.

The 40%+ figure might be bogus.

Michele Malkin has a short look at that figure.

[Clemenza]

Is there a large Orthodox population in West Orange these days? It hasn't become an extension of East Orange yet?

[Mike Fieschko]

Is there a large Orthodox population in West Orange these days?

I don't know whether you'd call it large, but there is a good number in Pleasant Valley.

[garylmoore]

The only Jews that voted for Kerry were blind to the truth.

[Ziva]

ping

[Alouette]

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