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September 26, 2003/Elul 29 5764, Vol. 56, No. 1
Jewish politicians tackle religion and government
BARRY COHEN
Editor
Local Jewish politicians tapped into their years serving state and federal government to tackle such issues as prayer in the legislature, lobbying on behalf of Israel, and how religion and politics can conflict.
Sam Coppersmith, Ruth Solomon, Barbara Leff and George Weisz took part in "Jews in Politics: A Conversation," Sept. 15, at Hillel Jewish Student Center at Arizona State University's main campus in Tempe.
Approximately 50 college students and members of the community attended the event, moderated by Bill Straus, regional director the Anti-Defamation League.
Concerning the issue of how Judaism has conflicted with political life, Solomon - a Democrat and former member of the state House and Senate and current policy advisor to Super-intendent of Public In-struction Tom Horne - cited a statewide training session for social workers that former Gov. Jane Hull scheduled on Rosh Hashana.
"I raised much Cain about that," said Solomon.
"But we did schedule another training session," responded Weisz, former chief of staff for Hull and current special assistant for criminal justice on assignment to the Arizona Department of Corrections.
This controversy led to issuing calendars listing the major religions' holidays to state government offices, added Weisz.
Leff, current state senator (R-11th District), said an ongoing frustration is prayer in the legislature.
"I am really tired of praying to Jesus every morning" before official business begins, she said.
Leff said she minds prayer the most when there are children in the gallery or watching over the Internet.
"It would appear that the state was a Christian state and that if you're not Christian, you're not welcome," said Leff.
This year, Leff said, she voiced her concerns to Senate President Ken Bennett (R-1st District).
Bennett suggested men-tioning to religious leaders scheduled to offer opening prayers that not everyone in the legislature is a Christian, and to ask them to pray to God, not Jesus, said Leff.
"Lo and behold, we found out that about 90 percent of the people were willing to do that," she noted.
Concerning the issue of prayer in the state legi-slature, Straus asked the panel whether anyone had "questioned the appropri-ateness of prayer."
"The answer I got when I raised that issue was that there is a chaplain ... and prayers in the Congress of the United States, and there's no reason for us not to have prayer," said Leff.
Some issues are not worth fighting for, said Weisz. "It's not that you don't stand up. It's that ... you decide where you are going to put your efforts," he explained.
Straus also asked the panel about how "volatile an issue" support for the state of Israel has been in their political careers.
Coppersmith described a meeting in 1994 when, as a U.S. Representative, he was lobbied by a delegation from the Anti-Defamation League. Coppersmith, a Democrat, at that time was also cam-paigning for the Senate seat held by Republican Jon Kyl.
The delegation had a 10-point agenda, said Coppersmith.
He agreed with nine of the 10 issues, and Kyl lined up with none of them, he noted.
But Kyl did support one issue not on the list - Israel, said Coppersmith: "He had voted for foreign aid for Israel."
"So half the delegation that's meeting with me is going to vote for the guy who is zero for 10 on the stated agenda because (Kyl) is with them on the unstated issue," he noted.
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