Election 2020 will go down in history for a variety of reasons, including more Americans voting than ever before. But what role did the Jewish population play in deciding this election? What role have Jews played in past elections, and why do Jews, one of America’s most affluent and upwardly mobile ethnic groups, continue to vote against what would appear to be their class interest? Political scientist Herb Weisberg interviews historian Kenneth Wald to dive deep into the past and present of the political behavior of America's Jews.
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After decades of studying religion in politics, Ken Wald turned his attention to the political behavior of American Jews. He asks why American Jews are so much more politically progressive than non-Jews in the US who share similar traits with Jews and Jews in other countries. His book, Foundations of American Jewish Liberalism, won the 2019 National Jewish Book Award.
Herb Weisberg is an emeritus professor of political science at Ohio State University. He is originally from Minneapolis, where he went to the University of Minnesota. He received his Ph.D. in political science from the University of Michigan, where he taught for several years before moving to Ohio State University in 1974. His main areas of research are American voting and survey research, and he has written several books on both topics. Most recently, he has authored the 2019 book The Politics of American Jews, and he has written the chapter on “The Presidential Voting of American Jews” in the 2019 edition of the American Jewish Year Book.
In partnership with the Worcester JCC, Falmouth Jewish Congregation and the Jewish Book Council.