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Last update - 13:12 05/01/2007
First thought on most Jewish Congress ever: Wow. Second thought: Oy
By Shmuel Rosner, Haaretz Correspondent
Notes from the first day of the most Jewish Congress ever: It was an exhausting day of celebration for the party (you know which party), the Jewish activists, the new members. Forty-three Jewish legislators in Congress, but who's counting?

Notes from the first day of the most Jewish Congress ever: It was an exhausting day of celebration for the party (you know which party), the Jewish activists, the new members. Forty-three Jewish legislators in Congress, but who's counting?

Record
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irst thought: Wow, so many Jews in Congress. A record number: 43. That's huge. No wonder people are so excited about it.

Second thought: Isn't it too much? Just 2 percent of the population and 13 senators out of 100? Two percent of the population and 30 congressmen? Aren't they going to draw the attention of all the anti-Semites, conspiracy theorists, Walt and Mersheimers of the world? Maybe a lower profile would have been preferable?

Third thought: Is worrying the Jewish way of celebrating or what? As they used to say - start worrying, details to follow.

Six
Six new Jewish lawmakers, all Democrats, were sworn in today on Capitol Hill. They come from different places and from different backgrounds. Some represent areas heavily populated by Jews, some areas with a negligible number of Jews. Will they thrive? Will they survive? Today they seem mostly happy to be there.

Democrats
Did we mention all the new members are Democrats? Twenty-nine out of 30 Jewish members of the House are Democrats, nine out of 13 Jewish senators are Democrats, two are independents caucusing with the Democrats and two are Republicans. Those who attended the National Jewish Democratic Council reception, House majority leader Steny Hoyer included, will not forget this. If you had any doubt, most Jews are also still Democrats (not that anyone had any doubts).

Jewish
Nancy Pelosi became the first woman speaker of the House, but that's not the most remarkable thing about her (if you ask NJDC). She is the first speaker to have Jewish grandchildren. That's history.

Women
And speaking of women, new congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords is the "first Jewish woman from Arizona" to be elected to the House. She is also, well, how should I put it? It's always nice to be reminded again that not all Jewish legislators are older, balding, mustachioed men (did I just make an anti-Semitic remark?).

Caucus
Some people think being Jewish is fashionable now, and maybe that's why so many elected them as their representatives. There's a reason to believe that the colorful Giffords ("What is the most interesting or unique thing no one knows about you?: Either that I used to race motorcycles or that I lived in a Mexican Mennonite colony. Not at the same time, of course") can make it even more so. She is engaged to an astronaut (bald, mustachioed) and generally cool. Maybe she ought to join this new sub-caucus of cool Jewish women legislators. Current member: Debbie Wasserman Schultz (who also had a reception this week, attended by many Jewish activists).

Kosher
NJDC offered kosher food for their guests, and that's not very surprising. But how about Hillary Clinton making it kosher?
Nathan Diament of the Orthodox Union, celebrating his new blog, was thankful. It is a "clear mark of sensitivity," he wrote.

I wonder how is this going to work: Diament is the lobbyist for the OU, and now also a blogger. Good lack Nathan, that's a thin line to walk.

Israel
Is it good for Israel to have so many Jewish legislators? The Israeli ambassador to Washington, attending the NJDC reception, got a warm introduction. The Jewish legislators are pro-Israel, they said. And the ambassador, Salai Meridor, said that these are people who are committed - pay attention to the order - to America, to the Jewish people and to Israel. That's more than enough
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  1.   They are Jewish Americans 10:20  |  David Torres 05/01/07
  2.   not so loud mr rosner 10:34  |  yirmi 05/01/07
  3.   I always wondered about Nancy Pelosi..... 10:35  |  Swiss (Dino) 05/01/07
  4.   AMERICA FIRST/FOREMOST: This Is Certainly NOT Being Done! 10:48  |  Proud Pal Defender 05/01/07
  5.   I`m Still Worried 10:49  |  Yosemite Sam 05/01/07
  6.   I love proIsrael legislators 10:58  |  Gina 05/01/07
  7.   Lowest IQ of all 11:12  |  Hannah 05/01/07
  8.   jewish congress 11:44  |  american w/question 05/01/07
  9.   ProIsrael legislators 11:52  |  Gina 05/01/07
  10.   justice for palestinians even more far? 13:09  |  cristina 05/01/07
  11.   # 6 Gina 13:16  |  Swiss (Dino) 05/01/07
  12.   #7 HANNAH AND INTIOMATE KNOWLEDGE OF IDIOTS 13:48  |  paul harris 05/01/07
  13.   Jewish Congress? 14:01  |  David Nigel Braham 05/01/07
  14.   to #8 14:18  |  American w/answer 05/01/07
  15.   But what kind of Jews? 14:57  |  W 05/01/07
  16.   Conspiracy This!!! 15:06  |  Ronnie Wolman 05/01/07
  17.   Those Sneaky Anti-Semites 15:19  |  Hank N Tennessee 05/01/07
  18.   they swear on old testament 15:19  |  yoram koch 05/01/07
  19.   next time 50 15:21  |  Misha 05/01/07
  20.   Not all Jewish members care for Israel 15:21  |  Moshe Artzi 05/01/07
  21.   Natan Diament king 15:22  |  CG 05/01/07
  22.   #8 One interesting note about that Koran used in 15:46  |  ballistic 05/01/07
  23.   Lowest IQ 16:03  |  Tom Pierce 05/01/07
  24.   Cardin is bald but brave 16:04  |  Miriam 05/01/07
  25.   Rosner, is you worry, don`t write this 16:05  |  M. Gillis 05/01/07
  26.   it`s bad for israel 16:13  |  CG 05/01/07
  27.   Pelosi has Jewish grandchildren? 16:13  |  Benny 05/01/07
  28.   #10 cristina it is you who are BRAIN WASHED 16:21  |  paul harris 05/01/07
  29.   Wht`s the problem with Ellison using Koran 16:24  |  Robi Dar 05/01/07
  30.   Jefferson`s Koran 16:25  |  Nancy Lintzer 05/01/07
  31.   American congress, not Jewish Congress 16:26  |  Eithan 05/01/07
  32.   Hot Gabi 16:26  |  Rudy 05/01/07
  33.   Clinton served kosher food? 16:27  |  Tom Pierce 05/01/07
  34.   Pelosi has Jewish grandchildren? 16:28  |  Rosner`s friend 05/01/07
  35.   #5 Israel will get the blame 16:30  |  UO 05/01/07
  36.   why did they invite Israel`s ambassador 16:31  |  George M 05/01/07
  37.   cancel the Jewish caucus 16:32  |  Verra 05/01/07
  38.   Congress isnt so important for foreign affairs 16:53  |  Terry Abrahms 05/01/07
  39.   the elephant and the Jewish problem 16:54  |  Barry 05/01/07
  40.   Who is a Jew? 16:59  |  Eliezer 05/01/07
  41.   Democratic Congress bad for Israel 17:00  |  Zalman 05/01/07
  42.   Jewish Republicans 17:01  |  Wendy 05/01/07
  43.   Is it good for peace? 17:03  |  Y. Ellis 05/01/07
  44.   why want you take some of them to your Israeli government? 17:04  |  Cindy 05/01/07
  45.   # 29 17:04  |  # 8 05/01/07
  46.   I voted for a Jewish candidate 17:07  |  Mormon 05/01/07
  47.   why worry, this is America 17:08  |  Ahmad N. 05/01/07
  48.   Rosner using the wrong statistics 17:12  |  Jacob Blues 05/01/07
  49.   Go rent a room American with Questions 17:15  |  Jacob Blues 05/01/07
  50.   More than enough? 17:17  |  Haim 05/01/07
  51.   Really, American with answer? 17:19  |  Jacob Blues 05/01/07
  52.   jewish power 17:21  |  Hisham 05/01/07
  53.   #27 Pelosi`s Jewish grandkids 17:47  |  ballistic 05/01/07
  54.   Shmuel rosner 17:48  |  Jose Marcio 05/01/07
  55.   The best legislators 17:59  |  Alma M. 05/01/07
  56.   Congress+Isreal? 18:01  |  goyboy 05/01/07
  57.   Ronnie Wolman - Well Said 18:05  |  Mark of Lewiston 05/01/07
  58.   Jewish Democrats, No Jewish Republicans 18:18  |  The Town Crier 05/01/07
  59.   To Torres 18:23  |  Eithan 05/01/07
  60.   Love it when Rosner gets you all worked up 18:24  |  Misha 05/01/07
  61.   We know it`s American, relax 18:26  |  Gabby 05/01/07
  62.   Blues, all Jews defended Ellison 18:28  |  Barak 05/01/07
  63.   This is a danger to us all 18:29  |  Corry 05/01/07
  64.   Destroying America helps you, Rosni? 18:46  |  Denton 05/01/07
  65.   To Lewiston 18:46  |  Cindy 05/01/07
  66.   Jewish competitiveness 18:48  |  Gilboa 05/01/07
  67.   Marcio, wrong conclusion 18:51  |  friend of rosner 05/01/07
  68.   Jewish American 18:52  |  mgb 05/01/07
  69.   right wing hacks 18:56  |  Roni 05/01/07
  70.   Why wont you rank them 19:00  |  David b. 05/01/07
  71.   #28 mr. paul harris 19:04  |  cristina 05/01/07
  72.