(Mostly Male) Jewish Leaders Meet Democratic Senators
Posted By James BesserPolitical Insider: (Mostly Male) Jewish Leaders Meet Democratic Senators
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Women are increasingly major players in Jewish communal and political affairs, but you'd never know it by looking at the delegation of machers who met with Democratic senators on Wednesday.
While there were six women among the 25 lawmakers at the table, there was only one woman among 20 Jewish leaders - Nancy Ratzan, the new president of the National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW).
Asked about the striking gender imbalance, Sen. Debbie Stabenow, chair of the Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee, responded with exquisit diplomacy.
"I'm very glad (Ratzan) was there," the lawmaker said. "I'm always interested in having as many women at the table as possible."
The mostly male Jewish leaders discussed a range of issues, from the Iranian threat and Israeli security to mounting efforts by groups such as the Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA) to fight poverty.
High on the list of priorities for some Jewish groups, including Jewish Federations and the United Jewish Communities: the administration's proposed cutbacks in Medicare and Medicaid, which Jewish leaders are urgently pressing the Democratic Congress to block.
"What we heard was not just the agenda of the Jewish community, but the agenda of America, in terms of focusing on those things that lift people up out of poverty, creating opportunity through education and the challenge of energy independence," Stabenow said.
Asked about the new pro-peace process lobby unveiled yesterday, Stabenow responded with the tact of a veteran politician - praising AIPAC, the main pro-Israel lobby, but saying the new J Street lobby and political action committee represent "another important voice. Having another set of voices come to the table is a good thing."