ushpizim<\/em> — the guests from the Bible that are symbolically invited, one each night, into the succah — and for every liberal Hillel ask in a conservative Shammai.<\/p>\nPolitics and family dinners seldom seem a good match. As a child, I remember a Passover when two of my uncles nearly came to blows over what my mother described later simply as \u201cpolitics,\u201d and another seder that was almost ruined when my mother and her brother tussled over the morality of Woody Allen.<\/p>\n
How about just invoking and enforcing the universal table rule of no conversations about politics, religion or sex? It\u2019s a plan, but just try selling that to your libertarian dentist uncle, former flower child aunt or brother-in-law home for a visit from the West Bank.<\/p>\n
Where is all this division coming from? Despite our disagreements, aren\u2019t Jews more or less a political bloc?<\/p>\n
Looking for advice about how to prepare for a politically divided succah, I contacted an expert on political issues and American Jewish affairs — Steven Windmueller, emeritus professor at Hebrew Union College in Los Angeles.<\/p>\n
A succah filled with Jews of divergent opinions was no surprise to Windmueller. Going against the commonly held view, he already had written that the \u201cJewish vote\u201d was actually a \u201cseries of voting constituencies.\u201d<\/p>\n
According to Windmueller, sitting around our succah tables we might find a mixture of these five groups:<\/p>\n
* Southern and Midwestern Jews, \u201cwho have longstanding family ties to these regions and their respective home communities,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
* Immigrant Jewish communities, who arriving from Iran, the former Soviet Union or other societies \u201cfrequently identify with the foreign policy principles of the Republican Party.”<\/p>\n
* Traditional religious Jews, who \u201cemulate the political patterns of the Christian evangelical community.\u201d<\/p>\n
* Red diaper baby voters, who like their grandparents identify with \u201csocialist causes and left-wing political ideas.\u201d<\/p>\n
* Urban Jewish elites, who are supportive of Democratic Party candidates and identify with \u201can array of liberal organizations and often high-profile social causes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Imagine a sukkah filled with one from each group trying to sway your lulav.<\/p>\n
When I explained to Windmueller my fears about a politically divided succah, he suggested that we each \u201cCome to the table with an open hand.\u201d And to be on the safe side, he also advised, with a laugh, to keep any knives off the table.<\/p>\n
Windmueller said the more recent division among Jews is not a result of turning Republican or flocking to the Democrats as much as becoming independents. He sees younger Jews especially as being tied less to the political orientation of their families.<\/p>\n
As to whether Jewish voters are turning away from President Obama, \u201cThe amount of movement we are seeing is actually small,\u201d said Windmueller, which he estimated this election cycle at between 9 and 12 percent. He doesn\u2019t see a dramatic change in the Jewish vote like in 2004 for Reagan or 2008 for George H. Bush.<\/p>\n
Windmueller adds that the issue of Israel, which has been receiving much partisan coverage in the Jewish media and has the most potential to cause a Sukkah conflagration — is \u201cnot a top priority for many Jewish voters.”<\/p>\n
“Not even in the top five,\u201d he said, listing the economy, health care, Social Security and international terrorism as among the priorities of Jewish voters.<\/p>\n
As to how to help keep the holiday peace in this charged-up season, Windmueller suggested coming to the table \u201cprepared\u201d with more than just the usual political slogans.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou don\u2019t want to lose friends and family over an election,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople are scared to have their minds changed,\u201d said Windmueller, who rarely talks about politics at the dinner table and has found that even at temple speaking engagements, organizers often are nervous that he will sneak in an endorsement.<\/p>\n
For a more congenial evening, he also suggested sticking close to issues on which many Jews can still come together — the Iranian threat, the concern over civil order and the health of our society.<\/p>\n
Shaking those subjects together in each political direction might not bring an evening of peace, but at least we\u2019d be talking.<\/p>\n
(Edmon J. Rodman is a JTA columnist who writes on Jewish life from Los Angeles. Contact him at edmojace@gmail.com.)<\/em><\/p>\n
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