I’m old enough to remember (not to mention being old enough to say things like, “I’m old enough to remember) when Al Gore introduced Joseph Lieberman as his running mate, how moving it was that in his remarks, Lieberman paraphrased the words of shehecheyanu, giving thanks, in part, that America was a place where an observant Jew could be on a major party ticket as its choice for vice president.
While as of this moment, sitting Vice President Kamala Harris has not made her choice for a vice presidential nominee, Governor Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, like Lieberman also an observant Jew, is looking like the favorite. A big part of me will be exceedingly proud that someone who could easily be a congregant of mine (let alone a classmate, again, old), could be deemed fit to hold such an office. It will be a “win” for showing that Jewish observance, and religious practice in general, can and should contribute to our civic discourse.
Yet another part of me prays he won’t be chosen. And that is not a partisan thing, but it is a Jewish thing, and an American one, I think, too.
In the Middle Ages in Europe, as part of the celebrations surrounding Easter, it was commonplace that Christians would march through Jewish neighborhoods and “lapidate,” that is throw stones, at the houses and sometimes the residents, as a way of punishing their own local Jews for the crimes the Jews of antiquity were accused of having perpetrated against Jesus at the times of his execution.
That he would be on the shortlist of contenders would suggest that Shapiro has the experience, policy positions, and beliefs appropriate to be the Democratic Party’s nominee for vice president. Yet concerns, as covered by Axios, New Republic, New York Times, and others, that his pro-Israel views and his willingness to call out as antisemitic protesters on college campuses, warrant making him nominee non grata.
As bad as that would be, what troubles me even more, is that he could be the nominee, and either on the campaign trail and if elected, while in office, be compelled to back away from or even denounce his beliefs – so as to make him palatable to those parts of the electorate who see him as “guilty” of “genocide” as such people believe Israel is itself. That he will have to in some way be the “good Jew” who can get the “bad ones” to behave in some “only Shapiro can go to Israel” way of thinking.
I’ve never understood why support for Israel needs to be a partisan issue. Why your opinions about the economy or abortion should limit your position choices on Zionism, but increasingly it seems to be the case. It would be a loss for the Democratic Party and for the United States if a politician like Josh Shapiro need to deny such a critical aspect of his identity, something that probably makes him the successful Democrat he is, in order to fit the measure of party purity.
Historically, the lapidation rituals were banned, by the Church or the secular authorities, and often in response to complaints made by the Jewish communities themselves. I can only pray that all our leaders here in the United States will protect and even encourage Jews and everyone who decries antisemitism and who proudly stands up for Israel and Jews so they can do so without fear of reprisal or rebuke.
If you do that, you’ll have my vote.
