Lou Weiss (PA): ‘Beat Him at the Ballot Box’

Lou Weiss (63), a Republican from Pittsburgh, PA, grew up a Reform Jew in a “McGovern liberal family” in Pittsburgh. His conservative political views took hold in a college freshman political science class. Today, he belongs to four synagogues. He was president of Congregation Or L’Simcha, the synagogue that merged in 2010 with the Tree of Life congregation. He occasionally writes op-eds for The Wall Street Journal. We are providing the unfiltered opinions of voters interviewed for this project. Those views are based on their understanding and perception of facts and information from a range of sources. In some cases, that information may be misleading or incorrect. Does religion affect your political views? My Judaism informs my conservatism. And it’s true of my own family too. My whole family is liberal, but they’re conservative in how they live their lives. My dad,...

Continue reading

Alma Hernandez (AZ): ‘No One Should Be Above the Law’

Alma Hernandez (26), a Democrat from Tucson, AZ, is the first Jewish Mexican-American woman elected to the Arizona State House. Her brother is also a state representative in South Tucson, and her sister is on the school board. She grew up in a nonobservant intermarried family. She connected to Judaism as a teenager, has held leadership positions in several Jewish organizations and recently became a bat mitzvah. We are providing the unfiltered opinions of voters interviewed for this project. Those views are based on their understanding and perception of facts and information from a range of sources. In some cases, that information may be misleading or incorrect. How does your Judaism affect your political views? I am very proud of my Jewish roots and I have tried to include that in every aspect of my life, including politics and policy....

Continue reading