This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/apr/19/jewish-voters-new-york-primary-bernie-sanders-gods-candidate

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Who is God's candidate? Jewish voters speak out ahead of New York primary Who is God's candidate? Jewish voters speak out ahead of New York primary
(about 1 hour later)
Religion is a big issue in any election, and especially this one. A Texas evangelical, a Brooklyn Jew, and whatever Donald Trump claims to be are all competing to win the hearts and minds of America’s religious voters. But does all the posturing make a difference? Are Christians really swayed by Cruz’ Bible-thumping? How has Trump’s Islamophobic rhetoric affected Muslim voters? Does it matter to Jewish voters that Bernie Sanders went to Hebrew school? Religion is a big issue in any election, and especially this one. A Texas evangelical, a Brooklyn Jew, and whatever Donald Trump claims to be are all competing to win the hearts and minds of America’s religious voters. But does all the posturing make a difference? Are Christians really swayed by Cruz’s Bible-thumping? How has Trump’s Islamophobic rhetoric affected Muslim voters? Does it matter to Jewish voters that Bernie Sanders went to Hebrew school?
In our new series “Who is God’s candidate?”, we seek to find out what religious Americans think of this year’s candidates. The first installment in our series focuses on Jewish voters. In the lead-up to Tuesday’s New York primary, we spoke to rabbis and members of multiple Jewish sects about how they plan to vote this year. Here are three takeaways.In our new series “Who is God’s candidate?”, we seek to find out what religious Americans think of this year’s candidates. The first installment in our series focuses on Jewish voters. In the lead-up to Tuesday’s New York primary, we spoke to rabbis and members of multiple Jewish sects about how they plan to vote this year. Here are three takeaways.
The influence of rabbisThe influence of rabbis
Shea Hecht, a Brooklyn rabbi, carries a lot of influence. He’s the only rabbi in the Chabab community who can endorse a candidate for president. His endorsement can reach as many as 200,000 congregants. But he’s less interested in who “God’s candidate” is, and more interested in which candidate shows the traits of godliness: from a stump speech at the synagogue to the bakery aisle of the supermarket, Hecht is keen to support someone who shows his respect for humanity in all its forms. Shea Hecht, a Brooklyn rabbi, carries a lot of influence. He’s the only rabbi in the Chabad community who can endorse a candidate for president. His endorsement can reach as many as 200,000 congregants. But he’s less interested in who “God’s candidate” is, and more interested in which candidate shows the traits of godliness: from a stump speech at the synagogue to the bakery aisle of the supermarket, Hecht is keen to support someone who shows his respect for humanity in all its forms.
The Jewish voteThe Jewish vote
The Jewish community in New York is as vast as it is diverse. Large Hasidic families living on the margins of poverty (mostly in Brooklyn), for example, are extremely concerned about social welfare programs and Title 1 funding for improving academic outcomes for disadvantaged communities. Upper-income Jewish households, on the other hand, have other interests – taxes, healthcare, etc. Though domestic issues have Jewish voters divided, there is one issue that unites them: Israel.The Jewish community in New York is as vast as it is diverse. Large Hasidic families living on the margins of poverty (mostly in Brooklyn), for example, are extremely concerned about social welfare programs and Title 1 funding for improving academic outcomes for disadvantaged communities. Upper-income Jewish households, on the other hand, have other interests – taxes, healthcare, etc. Though domestic issues have Jewish voters divided, there is one issue that unites them: Israel.
The Jewish candidateThe Jewish candidate
Bernie Sanders ducked Aipac, criticized Israel, and isn’t very vocal about his faith, but when I asked Rabbi Hecht what he thought of Sanders, he said he was in no position to judge. “He’s an American and should be the American candidate,” he said. Hecht, like many of the Jewish voters I spoke with, was hesitant to say definitively one way or another which candidate should win the presidency. Bernie Sanders ducked Aipac, criticized Israel and isn’t very vocal about his faith, but when I asked Rabbi Hecht what he thought of Sanders, he said he was in no position to judge. “He’s an American and should be the American candidate,” he said. Hecht, like many of the Jewish voters I spoke with, was hesitant to say definitively one way or another which candidate should win the presidency.