Need to Know for June 7

June 7, 2018 JMORE Staff

Horseshoe Casino Baltimore

Primary elections, dangerous ‘isms’ and Horseshoe Casino

Sen. Dianne Feinstein talking with reporters in the Capitol building, June 5, 2018. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)

Primary season

Eight states, scattered across the continental United States, held what added up to the biggest primaries day this season. Jewish incumbents appear safe for the most part, and the fretting about a far-right incursion into Republican precincts is overstated — but not entirely put to rest. California has a “jungle primary”: The two top vote-getters on June 5 go head-to-head in November, whatever their party. Democrats survived “lock-outs” — races where the abundance of Democrats vying for the nomination might have handed the two top spots to Republicans. Jewish Democrats in the state did not face that concern: Dianne Feinstein, 84, who has been in office since 1992, is likely to be reelected in November. She garnered 44 percent of the vote; her closest rival was Kevin de León, a state senator and a Democrat, who got 11 percent of the vote. Other California Jewish Congress members seem likely to be reelected: Adam Schiff, the ranking Democrat on the U.S. House of Representatives Intelligence Committee and a perennial thorn in the side of President Donald Trump, got 72 percent of the vote in California’s 28th District, encompassing suburbs north of Los Angeles. Brad Sherman, the ranking member on the House terrorism and Asia subcommittees and an outspoken proponent of impeaching Trump, cruised in the 30th District encompassing the San Fernando Valley. Alan Lowenthal got 60 percent of the vote in the 47th District, which includes Long Beach. Ron Cohen, a Republican whose father was Jewish, is unlikely to unseat incumbent Democrat Ro Khanna, who won 59 percent of the vote to Cohen’s 25 percent. Khanna’s 17th District is in Silicon Valley.

Also see: Maryland Primaries: A Look at Political Races Around the State and Community

Dallas church — A Dallas-area church’s list of dangerous ‘isms’ (Screenshot via Twitter)

Dangerous ‘isms’

A Dallas-area church has included Judaism among “dangerous isms” that includes liberalism, alcoholism and pessimism. The items, defined in a flier as “a distinctive practice, system or ideology,” will be discussed as part of the Greenville Avenue Church of Christ in Richardson, Texas summer lecture series. The lectures will “shed light on these topics and provide a proper response by the Christian,” the promotional material said. Minister Shelton Gibbs III defended the series at the church. “We’re not here to criticize or be antagonistic toward people and to beat them down,” he told the Dallas News. “There’s no threat. The people in the community should not feel a threat.” The church has been attacked on social media for appearing to equate Judaism with some of the other items on the list. Islamism also appears on the list. One social media user said on Twitter he had filed a complaint with the IRS, in order to threaten its tax-exempt status. Several Muslim and Jewish leaders in the Dallas area offered to meet with Gibbs and other members of the church’s leadership in an effort to jumpstart a dialogue. –JTA

Jack Phillips, owner of the Masterpiece Cakeshop, celebrates in his Colorado store after the U.S. Supreme Court voted 7-2 in his favor in a dispute with a gay couple, June 4, 2018. (Joe Amon/The Denver Post via Getty Images)

Take the cake

Seven Supreme Court justices sided with a Colorado baker in his legal fight with a gay couple. And seven major Jewish groups weighed in on the decision. Six of the Jewish groups disagreed with the decision. But one Jewish organization, the Orthodox Union, dissented from the rest, calling the ruling a victory for religious freedom. “Too many pundits and politicians have lately engaged in rhetoric that seeks to paint religious liberty in a negative light, especially as they seek to advance policies to which some have sincere dissent,” Nathan Diament, the O.U.’s executive director for public policy, said in a statement. “Today, the United States Supreme Court sent a clear message: that the demonization of religious beliefs – especially in policymaking – is constitutionally unacceptable.” The O.U. stance is significant because Jewish groups across the spectrum have long based their policy positions on a robust defense of religious freedom. For decades, that meant keeping religion out of the public square and promoting so-called “public accommodation” laws that require places open to the public to grant customers full and equal treatment. This was partly due to a fear that allowing religious exemptions would amount to a tacit government endorsement of Christianity. But in recent years the O.U. has supported a number of efforts to allow more public religious expression, contending that expanding those rights would benefit religious Jews.

Horseshoe Casino’s luck turns around

Horseshoe’s luck might just be turning around, with the South Baltimore casino posting its first year-over-year revenue gain in 16 months, according to Baltimore Fishbowl. Revenue in May climbed 2 percent compared to May 2017, according to the latest figures from the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency. That marks the first sign of growth in nearly a year and a half for the four-year-old gambling spot on Russell Street. In the 16 months between December 2016 and this past May, Horseshoe averaged a monthly slide in year-over-year revenue of more than 13 percent. The bump for Horseshoe was part of a record-setting month for the state’s six casinos. Altogether they drew $156.6 million, up nearly 15 percent from one year ago. MGM National Harbor led the pack with $62.3 million, followed by Live! Casino with $52 million. Horseshoe was third with about $24.1 million. Ocean Downs Casino in Berlin had a particularly strong May, with revenue increasing by more than a fifth from $5.3 million in May 2017 to $6.4 million. The casino’s numbers have improved since it added table games to its formerly slots-only space last December. Revenue also rose 7 percent for Hollywood Casino Perryville and 4 percent for Rocky Gap Casino in Cumberland.

The Associated receives award

The Associated: Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore was recently recognized as one of Maryland’s healthiest workplaces, receiving a Gold Level Wellness at Work Award from the state. Sponsored by Healthiest Maryland Businesses, the state’s initiative to support Marylanders’ health, the awards honor organizations that implement successful wellness initiatives to improve the quality of life for workers. Recognition is based on the Center for Disease Control’s Workplace Health Model, and applicants are evaluated on their healthy policies and programs. As part of its wellness initiative, The Associated has a dedicated wellness manager to engage employees to take responsibility for their health. The organization offers employees courtesy fitness membership to the JCC of Greater Baltimore and generous benefits, vacation and employee assistance program services. In addition, the organization implements well-being classes during lunch and after work, and offers wellness workshops with health specialties on topics ranging from disease prevention and healthy cooking to stress reduction and Tai Chi.

JBiz

Jmore’s special 13th issue will be out on newsstands in June. Read more about it at jmoreliving.com/jbiz and find out information about our June 13 networking event at jmoreliving.com/jbiztix. Go to facebook.com/JMORELiving Tuesday at 12:30 p.m. to watch Need to Know—JBiz edition. The June 12 guest is former Howard County Executive Ken Ulman.