By Andrew Lapin
Rep. Nancy Pelosi, the former long-serving Speaker of the House, will step down from Congress at the conclusion of her current term in 2027, her 40th year in office.
A Baltimore native and Democrat, Pelosi, 85, is the daughter of the late Thomas D’Alesandro Jr., who served as mayor of Baltimore from 1947 to 1959. Her late brother, Thomas D’Alesandro III, served as mayor from 1967 to 1971.
Pelosi’s retirement caps an historic career in politics that included extensive outreach toward the Jewish community, from her home district of San Francisco to the halls of Israel’s Knesset and beyond.
“Because of your trust I was able to represent our city, our country, around the world, with patriotism and pride,” she told her home district Thursday, Nov. 6, in a social media video announcing her decision. “I will not be seeking reelection to Congress. With a grateful heart I look forward to my final year of service as your proud representative.” A Roman Catholic, Pelosi also invoked “the spirit of St. Francis.”
Her replacement could very well be Jewish: California state Sen. Scott Wiener, a co-chair of the state’s Jewish caucus, launched his own bid for Congress weeks before Pelosi’s announcement, saying he would challenge her if she ran for reelection.
First elected to Congress in 1987, Pelosi was elected speaker in 2007, the first woman to hold the title. She remained the top House Democrat until stepping down from the leadership role in 2023.
In the 1940s, her Baltimore-born father — then a congressman representing Maryland’s 3rd District — was critical of the Roosevelt administration for not doing enough to help European Jewry during World War II and was active in advocating for a Jewish state. He later became close with the Jewish community while serving as Baltimore’s mayor.
A multi-purpose soccer stadium is named in honor of D’Alesandro in Kiryat Haim, near the Israeli city of Haifa.
“She likes to say that growing up in Baltimore, she went to a bar or bat mitzvah every Saturday,” Amy Friedkin, a past AIPAC president, said of Pelosi in 2022.
Pelosi carried that spirit into her own time in Congress, visiting Israel and hosting Israeli politicians multiple times. She became especially close with Dalia Itzik, the first woman speaker of the Knesset.
Along with most establishment Democrats of the era, she forged close relationships with the pro-Israel lobbying giant AIPAC and major pro-Israel donors like Haim Saban, and she would advocate on behalf of Israeli hostages and their families from past regional conflicts.
She also formed bonds with American Jewish leaders including Rabbi David Saperstein, a Reform movement leader who advised her when she first became speaker.
In addition, Pelosi played a key role in elevating the profiles of many Jews in Congress, including Representatives Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida, Jamie Raskin of Maryland and Adam Schiff of California.
Pelosi and her husband, Paul, have several Jewish grandchildren.
She would have faced a formidable challenger in Wiener had she remained in the race, and not just because of growing voter antipathy to long-tenured Democratic leaders.
Wiener, who is gay, has sought to inherit the mantle of beloved local Jewish legend Harvey Milk in his progressive politics. The state senator also has notched several victories for California Jews specifically, as his legislative caucus has lobbied the state to create a new office to combat antisemitism in public schools, among other accomplishments.
Andrew Lapin wrote this article for the JTA global Jewish news source. Jmore staff contributed to this report.
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The mother of four was a native of Winchester, Virginia, who spent most of her life in Northwest Baltimore.
The remaining 6,000 members of the community are expected to immigrate by 2030.
The Columbia resident worked on the Gemini and Apollo space missions.