The Jewish community's response to Barack Obama has received a lot of press and buzz in Jewish circles. Reflecting on the coverage, I'm reminded of what Ta-Nehisi Coates wrote recently in the pages of The Nation: "So much of what's been said about Barack Obama and African-Americans has been so shockingly wrong." The same applies to Obama and the Jews.

I was fortunate enough to address this topic on a panel this week ("Blacks, Jews & the Post-Racial Candidate") sponsored by the excellent young Jewish magazine New Voices, as part of their 37th annual Jewish Student Journalism Conference.

The conventional wisdom, echoed in so many media stories, holds that Obama's candidacy, whether because of his race, name or policy positions, has sparked tensions between the Jewish community that are reflective of a broader black-Jewish divide.

While Obama's opponents have employed multiple smears and sought to use Israel as a wedge issue against him when targeting the Jewish community, I don't believe this dominant narrative of tension is accurate. In fact, one could flip the coverage and view Obama's campaign as the latest iteration of the historic black-Jewish civil rights coalition. Indeed, Obama's run illustrates how much progress has been made since 1984, when Jesse Jackson's ill-advised comment about "Hymietown" sparked outrage among American Jews, to cite one oft-quoted example.

The latest Gallup poll shows Obama receiving 61 percent of the Jewish vote in a matchup against John McCain, five points behind where Hillary Clinton runs. When Obama's the Democratic nominee and the Democratic Party is finally unified, expect Obama's share of the Jewish vote to rise above 70 percent and perhaps match Al Gore and John Kerry's margins. Florida may be a difficult get for Obama--for a variety of reasons--but Jews aren't likely to swing many states come November. (The majority of Jews live in safely blue states like New York, California, New Jersey, Massachusetts and Connecticut.)

"Approximately 12,000 articles will be written between now and November about how Jewish voters have a problem with Obama, and then they will go to the polls and overwhelmingly vote for him," the blogger Atrios wrote recently. "Despite this, no articles will be written about how Jewish voters have a problem with McCain."

That disconnect in media coverage is reflective of a larger paradox in American Jewish life that is evident in the portrayal of the Jewish community vis a vis Obama. American Jews are predominantly liberal but the institutions that claim to speak for American Jews--like AIPAC and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations--are by and large conservative, whether in policy terms or temperament.

Take a look at the latest survey of American Jews undertaken by the American Jewish Committee last year. Among the findings: 67 percent of American Jews believe it was wrong to invade Iraq; 57 percent oppose the US taking military action to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons; a plurality favor the establishment of a Palestinian state; Jews are four times as likely to be registered Democrats as Republicans--and label themselves "liberal" over "conservative" by almost 2 to 1.

Yet head to the latest AIPAC conference and you're unlikely to hear these progressive views echoed. To paraphrase Richard Nixon, it's almost like American Jews have become a silent majority in their own community.

The dearth of progressive Jewish institutions has allowed the dialogue about Obama in the Jewish community to get warped and dominated by Obama's political opponents, fringe conservatives and right-wing Jews.

So people keep asking themselves: will Obama be "good for Israel?" without thinking about what that phrase even means anymore. As journalist Jeffrey Goldberg, hardly a dove, wrote in the New York Times recently: "what's needed now is a radical rethinking of what it means to be pro-Israel."

Through the lens of American politics, new groups like J Street are attempting to do just that. Let's hope they succeed.

Comments (23)

1. >>>Yet head to the latest AIPAC conference and you're unlikely to hear these progressive views echoed. To paraphrase Richard Nixon, it's almost like American Jews have become a silent majority in their own community.<<<

   Ari, you are right on the money - again!

   Why do right-wing Likud oriented Jews dominate the discussion about public policy as it relates to Israel?

   If these right-wing groups, like AIPAC, really don't represent the viewpoints of the majority of Jews, why do Democrats continue to take their money?

   If Democrats would not take money from the KKK, then why take money from AIPAC and their operatives?

   Blacks and Jews agree on "most" policy issues so this talk about a divide is really a divide between progressive blacks and conservative right-wing Jews.

   But nearly all progressive whites have the same problem with the Likud types, so I just don't get this divide thing at all.

   Posted by Metteyya at 05/30/2008 @ 2:06pm

2. Why does AIPAC call the shots?

   Organization.

   Financial backing.

   Mossad.

   For starters.

   Obama can expect continued flack from this quarter, truth notwithstanding, simply because he is far less extortionable than either the Clintons or McCain, and therefore potentially unreliable, from the Likud POV, regardless of what he may say now. Ditto his probable VP choice, Richardson.

   Posted by sloper at 05/30/2008 @ 2:19pm

3. "Blacks and Jews agree on "most" policy issues so this talk about a divide is really a divide between progressive blacks and conservative right-wing Jews."

   Posted by Metteyya at 05/30/2008

   METT, Ari is wrong. There is a divide between Jews and the African American community. Coming from Detroit, the Jewish community was notorious for their discrimininatory ways, especially in housing, jobs, business and personal loans, education and medical care.

   I find them to be very snobbish and arrogant. Many of them think we're stupid and lazy. To them the only thing blacks are good for is cleaning their big homes. And, if you ever worked for one, they're cheap as hell.

   And one more important factor...behind the KKK, they are some of the biggest racists you ever want to meet.

   Posted by ACook at 05/30/2008 @ 2:27pm

4. Is the Nation now the NY Times - i.e. whenever a Jew farts it makes the editorial pages.----Posted by Euler at 05/30/2008

   EULER...CANYON?

   Posted by Mask at 05/30/2008 @ 2:28pm

5. >>>And one more important factor...behind the KKK, they are some of the biggest racists you ever want to meet.

   Posted by ACook at 05/30/2008 <<<

   I have worked for "progressive" Jews in law firms in Seattle and San Francisco and they were GREAT! Once you get past the affirmative action question and they believe in the talent of a particular black person, they are that person's biggest backers.

   I had a friend at UC Berkeley who was Israeli and more Likud oriented. We used to argue all the time about the Palestinian question. He had a retaliatory view toward Palestinians and was more interested in getting even for some suicide bombing than trying to bring the conflict to an end. This is the same sense I get from the AIPAC-Likud types here in this country.

   Getting even gets you nowhere, and this Likud idea that Arabs look at peace as a sign of weakness and will continue to push Israel off the map if you give in to them on anything is absolutely absurd.

   Arabs, like any other human being, want peace and security and economic opportunity for themselves and their children. If Israel spent more time helping the Palestinians prosper instead of fighting and impoverishing them, they would ingratiate themselves to the entire Arab world and anti-Jew sentiment would end fairly quickly.

   They actually have an opportunity to create an economic magnet in Palestine for the rest of the Arabs in the Middle East; a place that all Arabs look up to and wish they lived there. Instead they are squandering this opportunity with a Berlin-type wall that divides people, and tit-for-tat violence that does nothing to bring the conflict to an end.

   The fact that Likud does not understand this means they have no business in a leadership position in Israel or in this country through AIPAC. We have pursued the right-wing Jew agenda in Israel for decades, and now I think it is time acknowledge the failure of this agenda, and push some new thinking in Israel that has a real chance of succeeding.

   Posted by Metteyya at 05/30/2008 @ 2:54pm

6. Posted by Euler at 05/30/2008

   It's called clout. Read a book on politics to find out more.

   Posted by srjenkins at 05/30/2008 @ 4:35pm

7. "So, a demographically insignificant part of the American electorate might vote in larger than expected numbers for Obama. Aha. So what?"

   The Jewish demographic is not so insignificant when you pay attention to the fact that they vote at a higher rate (for their proportion) in comparison to the overall population.

   With that said... I'm Jewish. And I'm voting for Obama. Too bad I don't live in a swing state...

   Posted by IvanRott at 05/30/2008 @ 5:11pm

8. Posted by Euler at 05/30/2008

   If The Nation were for the "underdog" and given it's focus on electoral politics, wouldn't it be advocating for Republicans and specifically, John McCain?

   Posted by srjenkins at 05/30/2008 @ 6:14pm

9. Jesus was blackish and jewlike...

   Posted by winyahn at 05/30/2008 @ 6:17pm

10. This topic is soooo Mark Canyon. Think he's at the barbers?

    Posted by winyahn at 05/30/2008 @ 6:19pm

11. I always love getting tarred with a monolithic stereotype that therefore predicts every detail of my life. I am half Jewish, does that mean I'll only half-vote for Obama? Jews are not some hive-minded Borg predecessor who vote as en masse for the same causes. We do (and I do) have our own political opinions and differences. So it shouldn't be too stunning if even a COUPLE of Jews vote for Obama.

    Posted by yutsano at 05/30/2008 @ 6:48pm

12. Posted by ACook at 05/30/2008

    Most generous and nicest employers that I ever had were Jewish. The worst was a a sanctimonious Christian who thought it perfectly all right to screw everybody in business world including his employees 6 days of the week and atone for it on Sunday.

    Good article. Obama will get the Jewish vote big time, despite some misgivings. The alternative is just too ugly.

    Posted by OneVote at 05/30/2008 @ 7:40pm

13. 61 % pole pro Obama. That is exciting.

    Posted by julien38 at 05/30/2008 @ 8:07pm

14. Posted by Euler at 05/30/2008 |

    The Nation itself is an underdog. More like a flea next to big corp whore multinationals like Romney's Clear Channel, and the massive monsters that slurped up McClellan-Cheney's poison: NBC, ABC, FOX, etc.

    Posted by winyahn at 05/30/2008 @ 9:55pm

15. sammy davis, jr.

    the ultimate unifier!

    Posted by frosty zoom at 05/30/2008 @ 11:24pm

16. Aww man, Harvey Korman died. That really sucks. He was one of my favorites.

    Posted by Benchrest at 05/31/2008 @ 12:31am

17. It's much harder to be hilarious without vulgarity. Korman was awesome.

    Posted by winyahn at 05/31/2008 @ 12:45am

18. Florida: Many of the Jewish people in Fla are older and more socially, psychologically and politically conservative than the majority of Jewish Americans. Too many of them lived through various iterations of redlining where wealthy white bankers(so-called Christians) used racism to displace entire urban Jewish communities with Blacks. This left a legacy of tension, distrust, and fear, really on both sides. But I think it is more the conservatism of age. Its less that Obama is Black and more that he is new and unfamiliar. Many if not most elderly folks "cling" to what they know. It wasn't that they loved Hillary, its that they have known her and her husband for a long time. Its really as simple as that I think.

    Posted by sabatia at 05/31/2008 @ 07:12am

19. ACook, Hey you black bourgoeise, how many Jews have you stepped and fetched for laterly. You are obviously an ignorant fool.

    Posted by bobforer at 05/31/2008 @ 5:04pm

20. Ari, why do you continue to perpetuate the wrongful stereotype that American Jew's cast their ballots based on their religious or cutural affiliations and not on what's best for your country. Yes, I am Jewish. And I am voting for Barack. Thanksfully, he's a good choice for not just American and its close ally, Israel, but for the enire world.

    Jew will be out in numbers for Senator Obama. Next time, it would be nice if you would comment on a relevant issue rather than repeat the propaganda of the right wing press.

    Posted by bobforer at 05/31/2008 @ 6:13pm

21. I believe your conclusions on Obama's real support in the Jewish community are correct. Challenging Senator Obama's support (and potential support) among Jews seems to be an epidemic born from a common ignorance. For instance, A recent Wharton School report showed Obama would have won Caucus states by an even greater margin had those states held popular vote elections. Democratic Pollster Mark Mellman offers compelling statistics showing Obama with a higher White voter support than either Al Gore or John Kerry enjoyed. And regardless of declarations to the contrary, Hillary Clinton is NOT winning the popular vote in the Democratic primaries - unless of course you believe that Senator Obama would have received zero votes in Michigan had his name appeared on the ballot. Additionally, the early and bogus Florida primary was unfairly skewed against Senator Obama since that bogus primary never offered his campaign the opportunity to develop the all-important name recognition enjoyed by Senator Clinton. I'm a 60-year old white gun-owning Jew, and I'm voting for Barack Obama. That's one - and there are many more.

    Posted by wbramh at 06/01/2008 @ 03:20am

22. I live in South Florida where votes never count regardless of religious preferences. We are in fact disenfranchised the same as an Arab in Israel to be quite honest about it. In fact according to most reports the Jewish population in the Palm Beach County area of South Florida cast a huge number of votes for Pat 'Adolf' Buchanan in 2000 and then tried to 'blame the ballot design'! lmao It's always somebody else's fault with them it seems. lmao

    Posted by HR Holmes at 06/01/2008 @ 08:55am

23. I take this to be Ari Berman's ObamaSpeech -- the one where he poured out his soul addressing Pastor Wright. A kind o' coming-to-terms with the old folks by the young 'uns. It is all part of (an) utterly fascinating psychosemiotic* (*pat pend) relio-political alignments occurring now, I submit, as a result of these four things (as chief contributing factors)

    1. narrative history. Who judges which narratives are 'accurate' not? Some narratives override others, nd when it comes to 'what's good for the Jews", the overriding narrative is what happens to little Israel. (150 nukes and all). The 50-50 split the Jewish controlled media will manipulate events to maintain to November is between McCain/Hillary Israel Firsters, vs. the rest of humanity. Exisrtential angst aside, let's try to stay focused on the big picture of national discourse (=> side to the spelunking idiots I've screened - musk, vzoom, who haven't deleted me)

    2. identity politics. We Cro-Magnon White Male Christian Protestant liberals from the Old South, with gun rack on the rear view window of my Dodge Ram and six six packs behind the seat did not start these identity wars. But when the Nation, with Katha Pollitt, Katrina, Nichols et al, bless 'em, start dealing the theological diplomas -- Chris Matthews, Java Joe, Bill Richards et al start slicing the Catholic Values Vote in Ohio, vrs. Hagee's wang slang in San Antonio -- we who won the West have to step in, I believe. Call us nativists; I call us Texans (blue). I'm tired of having the men of my state peed on in public because all those who followed Bush deserve it. i'm not lol on that.

    3. Politican Strategy of Tension, playing off one side of deep and long standing traditional conflicts and antagonisms against one another at a lower, geo-political level, while glossing over the incompatibility with higher-level (overriding) predicates that call for an Amertica First And Only alignment. And that calls for disidentification of U.S.-Israeli interests in the Mid East; and, by implication, disidentification with Libby Lobby Aipacers (Zionist Power Configuration (ZPG): Ex. Lieberman, (gitchaback) Foxman, Fleisher, Dershowitz, Perle, Feith, Podhoretz, Kristol ...pop out ... not to flatter them by thinking I keep lists, but iterations are iterations, no one can change that). The ZPC, and the Pope, have thrown the name of God into the political power equation (see 2 above: identity politics) They ought not to have done that. This is moral "ought". It violates the conditions of perpetual peace (Kant) They sinned by doing that. This is theological condemnation. Christ is sacrificed to the overriding narrative.

    4. Cyber-condensed text messaging of soul. I write all of this, above, without rancor, hatred, from the metaphysically aligned position of Positive Christianity (please see the philosophy section of 'the phora' web-site; also check out "Jewology"). The tokens* (*signs in their empirical particularity -- words, numbers, pictures,...) would not otherwise or elsewhere by assembled as if in concentrated fury (fetal rage: visible in perinatal videos, now; conversion of deep system-shock trauma into total spiritual recoil. It is a lawlike energy flow. Radical anger is real.)... were it not for this para-Biblical (Old Testament) narrative laid onto our American identity -- without ever being put to a vote or even discussed, where all might have gone much better.

    After the Great Abomination of Bush in the Knesset, ... it's too late now for a lot of things.

    Posted by jones at 06/01/2008 @ 10:36am