There are more and more Jews serving in high positions in Ohio government than ever, per the Cleveland Jewish News.
"I cannot ever remember this many Jews serving at this high a level"
in state government, notes Joyce Garver Keller, veteran lobbyist for
Ohio Jewish Communities, the coalition of big-city Jewish federations.
"It’s amazing to me."Garver Keller says the accelerated leadership roles struck her when
she attended the new governor’s State of the State Address last
February and noticed how many of the movers and shakers were Jewish.
[emphasis Weiss’s] "It was like a minyan gathering," she quips."This is huge," says June Gutterman, vice president of community
services for the Columbus Jewish Federation. "But it’s also a
coincidence."Other Jewish leaders and activists repeat virtually that same phrase
to indicate that these Jewish office-holders have been elected or
appointed not because they are Jewish, but simply because they’re
competent and involved… Still, political analysts and activists agree this new level of
Jewish power is a logical culmination of political and civic
involvement by Jews over the years."Jews do have a tremendous commitment to public service," notes Garver Keller. "Jews are so engaged in their community."
The explanations that the News offers for this trend are fatuous. Besides love of public service and competence, another explanation is that Jews are loyal Democrats. But blacks are, too, and they’re not represented in this manner. The true explanation involves class. Jews are highly successful and represent a large segment of the new meritocratic establishment. This fact is to be celebrated, but it also means that Jewish movers and shakers are not where they are by coincidence, no–because they are close to the levers of economic and social advancement. That means that we are responsible in new ways. When will we own this?
