Future of American Jewish Political Influence Assessed

American Jews will continue to wield political influence beyond their numbers because they must if they are to survive, according to Howard Squadron, outgoing president of the American Jewish Congress and Rep. Sander Levin (D. Mich.). But political analyst Ben Wattenberg disagrees.

The three men participated in a panel discussion on “Configuration of Jewish Political Influence in the 21st Century” at the Biennial National Convention of the AJCongress here. The 500 delegates elected Theodore Mann of Philadelphia to succeed Squadron who served two terms as AJCongress president.

BASIS FOR CONTINUED POLITICAL INFLUENCE

Squadron argued that Jewish political influence in the U.S. will remain strong because it is not based on numbers but on such Jewish community characteristics as “a high level of education, intensity of purpose and a clear knowledge of where its survival interests are.”

He explained that Jews do not wield political power directly because of their small numbers but are able to influence those who do wield political power. “Because we shall continue to be a minority, we will continue to be driven by our highly developed survival instincts,” he said.

Levin referred to the intellectual contributions of Jews to the nation and their ability to work effectively in the political arena as reasons why they will continue to exert political influence.

He acknowledged a declining Jewish population in the U.S. and increased dispersal of American Jews from large Jewish population centers. Nevertheless, according to Levin, Jewish influence will remain high and will increase in states that heretofore have known minimal Jewish political influence

CONSEQUENCE OF JEWISH POPULATION DECLINE

Wattenberg, co-editor of Public Opinion magazine, said the almost certain decline in the Jewish population would translate into fewer Jewish votes. As the proportion of the Jewish population to the nation’s population as a whole continues to dwindle in relation to other ethnic groups, particularly from Third World nations, the ability of the Jewish community to protect its interests through political activity will “sharply diminish, sharply erode each year unless there are more Jewish votes,” he said.

Wattenberg, a conservative, claimed that although the Jewish community has been accused of backing away from liberalism, the fact is that a segment of the liberal community has moved away from Jewish concerns.

Squadron predicted, however, that the Jewish community would continue to support its traditional “liberal” agenda which includes church-state separation, civil rights and social justice because it is in the self-interest of Jews to do so.

Mann, who succeeds Squadron, has been long active in Jewish and civic affairs. He served as chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations from 1978-80 and as chairman of the National Conference on Soviet Jewry from 1981-83.