- Robin Schatz, Director of Government Affairs of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia

- Jeffrey Lasday, Senior Chief of External Affairs of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia

With all of the billboards, television ads and social media posts, it's impossible not to know that an election is happening on Tuesday, Nov. 5. During this cycle's election of the next President of the United States, the get-out-the-vote frenzy is even more intense. However, for our Jewish community, in addition to focusing on the national elections, it may behoove us to pay greater attention to the local elections for school board, city council and state legislatures happening in our backyard. As the fictional President Josiah Bartlet from the TV series “The West Wing” warned us in 2000: “All they have to do is bit by little bit, get themselves on the boards of education and city councils; 'cause that's where all the governing that really matters to anybody really happens.”

And since Oct. 7, 2023, with the rise of Jewish hatred and anti-Israel sentiment that has flooded our country, we see how these elections matter. Over the past year, how many city council meetings have been besieged by protestors demanding resolutions condemning Israel or divesting from Israel-based investments?  In Philadelphia, people speaking in support of a resolution condemning Hamas were shouted down by those who spewed epithets and antisemitic rhetoric at speakers, effectively disallowing testimony despite the Council President’s efforts to bring order to the Council Chambers. Protesters’ testimony was greeted with applause and anti-Israel and antisemitic chants before police eventually removed them because of the disruption. Still, those of us who were there in support of the resolution had to be escorted out of a different entrance to avoid attacks. These protests and demands for the city to condemn Israel have continued, including a protest in the City Council as recently as last week. And at our State Capitol in Harrisburg and City Councils across the Commonwealth.

When you cast your ballot, how often have you considered the candidates for your boards of education? Where in the past we may not have paid as much attention to school board elections as we should have, today it's critical. Not only do we need to know who is running for our boards of education, but we also need to ensure that we have school board candidates on the ballot who will be there to protect our students and families against blatant antisemitism. For example, in the past year, two Bucks County school boards were replaced due to issues related to neutrality and curriculum, including the banning of books.  

Another critical group of local officials is our state legislators. Our state elected officials provide state-funded security grants to our congregations and Jewish schools, which are critical funding that protects Jewish institutions from increasing threats. These officials also play a key role in protecting the Jewish community from anti-Israel BDS resolutions and hate crimes as well as in defining what constitutes antisemitism. Since Oct. 7, there have been legislators in Harrisburg who have failed to support their Jewish communities, ignoring the real pain that our community has faced. They have stood with pro-Palestinian protestors calling for the destruction of Israel. They have also blocked legislation that would expand the definition of hate crimes to protect marginalized communities.

Former Speaker of the House Tip O’Neil is credited with originating the phrase that all politics is local. It was true back when he said it, and it holds even more truth today. When casting your ballot this year, and yes, we mean you — be an informed voter not only for national elections, but also for local ones. Now more than ever, we need wise leaders who respect diversity, defend minorities against hate crimes, recognize flagrant antisemitism as a hate crime, and focus on local community needs without being drawn into international disputes. They must also respect Israel as a steadfast ally of the United States, and the only liberal democracy in the Middle East.

Before you vote, please take the time to educate yourself on candidates and their positions. For more information, go to the Committee of Seventy – a nonpartisan good government organization – for their voters' guide (ballot.seventy.org).

A version of this piece was originally published in The Philadelphia Inquirer.

The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia is a non-partisan 501(c)(3) tax-exempt charitable organization that is subject to federal, state, and local laws and regulations regarding political activities, such as campaign activities and lobbying. While individuals have the right to express their political opinions and engage in political activities, as an organization, we do not support or attempt to influence political campaigns legislation, or initiatives either through donations or endorsements.