Twenty Jewish legislators in the Maryland General Assembly announced on Monday, Jan. 15, the formation of the first-ever Maryland Jewish Legislative Caucus.
The caucus was founded in coordination with the presiding officers of the General Assembly. In the coming days, the caucus will adopt bylaws to form the group’s organizational structure.
The caucus will be open to legislators who are Jewish, and those who are connected to the Jewish community via the district they represent, family or affinity can join as associate members.
“Having a Maryland Jewish Legislative Caucus will enable members of the General Assembly to advocate for policies important to the Jewish communities of Maryland,” said Sen. Shelly L. Hettleman (D-11th) of Baltimore County, co-chair of the caucus. “We look forward to working with our colleagues to advance the mission of the Caucus.”
Said her inaugural co-chair, Del Jared Solomon (D-18th) of Montgomery County: “With antisemitic and hate incidents at record levels, the Maryland Jewish Legislative Caucus will be an important voice in the General Assembly to combat hate, collaborate with our diverse partners, and celebrate Jewish culture and heritage. We are ready to tackle these issues as we formally begin this work.”
Among the priorities of the caucus will be:
- Combating the rising frequency of hate crimes against Jewish communities and all protected populations under the hate crimes statutes;
- Working independently and in collaboration with other Maryland General Assembly caucuses to protect and advance the civil rights and religious freedom;
- Improving security measures for organizations predominantly serving Jewish communities and other vulnerable communities at risk for hate-based violence;
- Celebrating Jewish culture and heritage in Maryland;
- Educating the community about the diversity and history of Maryland’s Jewish communities;
- And serving as a liaison to local, statewide and national organizations serving Jewish populations and communities.
Besides Hettleman and Solomon, caucus members include Sen. Brian Feldman (D-Montgomery), Sen. Cheryl Kagan (D-Montgomery), Sen. Ariana Kelly (D-Montgomery), Sen. Ben Kramer (D-Montgomery), Sen. Karen Lewis-Young (D-Frederick), Sen. Jeff Waldstreicher (D-Montgomery), Sen. Craig Zucker (D-Montgomery), Del. Dalya Attar (D-Baltimore City), Del. Jon Cardin (D-Baltimore County), Del. Mark Edelson (D-Baltimore City), Del. Jessica Feldmark (D-Howard), Del. Anne Kaiser (D-Montgomery), Del. Aaron Kaufman (D-Montgomery), Del. Marc Korman (D-Montgomery), Del. Samuel I. “Sandy” Rosenberg (D-Baltimore City), Del. Ryan Spiegel (D-Montgomery), Del. Dana M. Stein (D-Baltimore County) and Del. Joe Vogel (D-Montgomery).
“We must acknowledge that this is a particularly fraught moment for the Jewish community here in Maryland, nationally and globally,” said Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson. “As the legislature pursues strategies to combat antisemitism and encourage intersectionality, I look forward to working with the newly formed Maryland Jewish Legislative Caucus in that work. Congratulations (mazel tov) to Senator Hettleman and Delegate Solomon for their recent election as co-chairs of the Caucus.”
Said House Speaker Adrienne Jones: “The State of Maryland was founded on the principles of religious freedom and tolerance. I am confident that the Maryland Jewish Legislative Caucus will uphold this legacy and work diligently to help us combat the rising hate, intolerance, and antisemitism we’ve seen in our communities.”
A former resident of Baltimore and central Florida, Ritt was active in the Soviet Jewry movement of the 1970s and 1980s.
The Orioles' weak defense plays a major role in the nightly carnage, writes Michael Olesker.
For more than four decades, Goldman played a vital role in the supervision of elections in the city.
Educators, ethicists and Jewish leaders are debating the question as content mills slop on.