I never asked Senator Joe Lieberman directly about his favorite source of information about Israel and the Jewish world, but I am fairly sure he would have said it was The Jerusalem Report.
In 2003, when my family moved to New Haven, Connecticut, we joined the local Orthodox synagogue, which does not have assigned High Holy Day seats. To ensure that I wasn’t sitting in a member’s coveted seat, I chose a seat two rows from the back, on the right, about seven seats in – right next to the mechitza [dividing partition] – a seat sure to be near no one. I sat down, put on my tallit, opened my Machzor, and prepared for a long day of prayers. I unpacked the two pieces of reading material I had brought along in case of boredom – Jewish Education News and The Jerusalem Report.
To my surprise, a man with a great head of white hair and an even finer smile passed in front of me and sat right next to me. I was a bit star struck, as it was Senator Joe Lieberman, the man who was on the ticket with Al Gore three years earlier and was contemplating a bid for the 2004 presidency of the United States! Instead of introducing myself or asking the obvious question of who he was, I pointed to my magazines and said, “If you get bored, feel free to help yourself.”
“No thanks, I will read my Machzor,” he replied. Ten minutes later, the senator asked, “What have you got?” I showed him his choices, he looked carefully, and chose The Jerusalem Report. I vividly remember the cover story – it was an in-depth look at the security fence whose first phase – around three parts of Jerusalem – was approved in March of 2003. Later proposed phases would separate the West Bank from Jerusalem. The senator, who moments earlier seemed intent on focused prayer, was now deep into a series of articles on the multitude of complex issues around the building of the fence.
When Joe Lieberman read my copy of The Jerusalem Report
Ironically, as I watched the senator read my Jerusalem Report, I had been writing fairly regularly for the publication – mainly providing interesting anecdotes from the Jewish world for the Up Front section. This was the “best article I could never write.” I needed to respect his privacy. This was congregant and community member Joe who was here to daven [pray] and celebrate the holiday with family and friends.
When the holiday ended, I raced to my computer to share this experience with Sharon Ashley, who was at the time the deputy editor. I suggested that she send an anonymous subscription of The Jerusalem Report to Senator Lieberman’s Washington, DC, office.
I can only assume that he continued to read every issue cover to cover and that the fair, in-depth coverage of even the most complex issues continued to shape his views – and, in turn, US government policy.
The hundreds of tributes following the senator’s sad and untimely death on March 27 [2024] from all parts of the Jewish world – and from both sides of the aisle – captured what a sensible and good man senator Joe Lieberman was. He was truly liked by all. Despite his ability to get along with everyone, I suspect he usually had to dress and act the part of an elected official.
In our Westville neighborhood of New Haven, Joe Lieberman will be remembered mostly as a member of the Westville Synagogue and community member. He ate and socialized at the same kiddush, danced with us at community simchas, and came to weekday morning minyan when he was in town. He made the same 30-minute walk to shul through our quiet neighborhood each Shabbat and holiday when he was in town – though he was the only community member with Secret Service agents walking with him and driving alongside him. ■
Howard Blas is a US-based Jewish disabilities inclusion specialist and freelance writer.