Rabbi Bernard H. Mehlman
Rabbi Mehlman is the Emeritus Rabbi of Temple Israel of Brookline and Professor of Midrash at New York’s Hebrew Union College. He spoke at the July 11th meeting of the Obama Jewish Community Leadership Committee of New England and has kindly allowed Jews4Obama to have a “scoop,” publishing his remarks here first:
As a Jewish American, I am deeply disturbed by the direction in which our country has moved under the Bush/Cheney Administration. The election of Barack Obama is of critical importance to me for the following reasons:
- We stand on the threshold of change in our Supreme Court. The next president of the United States may replace three justices of the court. Barack Obama offers the best hope for our judicial future. His appointments would counterbalance the appointees President Bush made, justices who have moved the court in a direction that threatens a flexible, progressive, and humane reading of the United States Constitution. I believe that a President Obama will end the leaning of the Supreme Court to the right.
- Barack Obama represents the best hope for the resolution of the Arab-Israeli conflict. His support for Israel is unswerving, yet he understands that negotiating with the Palestinians is an imperative. Many years ago, Leon Wieseltier spoke of the peace that has been established with Egypt and Jordan as a “cold peace.” By that he meant that Jewish, Jordanian, and Egyptian soldiers were no longer dying in the field. Diplomatic relations between these states, including the exchange of ambassadors, is a reality. Barack Obama is not a miracle worker. His vision for the region holds out the best hope for a “cold peace” with a Palestinian state. I believe that a “cold peace” between Israelis and Palestinians at this juncture in history is better than a continuation of the status quo. It is a modest goal but the best outcome we can expect. It is an agenda that I believe Barack Obama will strive to implement.
- Barack Obama brings a different political world-view to American foreign policy. He understands that in order to resolve international disputes, we must negotiate with our enemies; that peace is made with enemies; and that in order to implement a peace settlement, we must sit down and speak with our enemies.
- On the domestic front, Barak Obama supports a woman’s right to choice. It is a view he shares with the overwhelming majority of progressive American Jews.