Image by VoteSchleifer.com

Baltimore has a rich Jewish history that stretches back to the colonial era. Next month will mark a milestone when it is expected to elect its first Orthodox Jew to the City Council.

As the November election approaches, , Isaac “Yitzy” Schleifer, a 20-something businessman, Sabbath observer, and father of one is the overwhelming favorite to win in Baltimore’s Fifth Council District, covering a swath of the city’s northwest that is home to a large Jewish community.

“I think we’re going to bring new leadership to Baltimore and a lot of new ideas,” Schleifer told the Baltimore Jewish Times after he won the Democratic primary in April, virtually ensuring success in the general election. “I know we can not only do better for the district, but for the city as a whole.”

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

Schleifer, who grew up in the district and graduated with a business degree from the University of Maryland-Baltimore, has said that his priorities include more affordable housing, lower taxes, crime fighting and improved communication between City Hall and local neighborhoods.

“We have a lot of safety concerns whether it be home invasions, car break-ins, property crimes, but also we have our share of muggings and assaults,” he told the Baltimore paper in an earlier interview. “And across the city that has been looked at as petty crime but these are quality of life issues that make people too afraid to walk outside at night.”

“They feel that we can do better, that there’s a lot of opportunity that currently exists in the city that’s not being extended to this area,” he continued, referring to his constituents. “I have a lot of fresh ideas… and a different perspective on things.”

Schleifer’s Jewish bona fides are without question. He sits on the board of his synagogue, as well as on the advisory committee of the Jewish community watch, known as shomrim. He also convinced the city to supply free kosher meals to observant Jewish children through its summer lunch program.

Speaking to the Baltimore Jewish Times after the primary, Schleifer set his sights high. “I know we can not only do better for the district, but for the city as a whole,” he said.

Contact Daniel J. Solomon at [email protected] or on Twitter @DanielJSolomon

The Forward is free to read, but it isn’t free to produce

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward.

Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda.

At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse.

Readers like you make it all possible. We’ve started our Passover Fundraising Drive, and we need 1,800 readers like you to step up to support the Forward by April 21. Members of the Forward board are even matching the first 1,000 gifts, up to $70,000.

This is a great time to support independent Jewish journalism, because every dollar goes twice as far.

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

2X match on all Passover gifts!

$90 → $180 $180 → $360

$360 → $720

Other amount