With 30 Members, Jews Make Up 5.6% of New Congress
Graphic by Angelie Zaslavsky
By Nathan Guttman January 3, 2017
The Jewish population in America may be shrinking, but there’s one place where it’s stronger than ever – the U.S. Congress.
The 115th Congress, sworn in Tuesday, will feature 30 Jewish lawmakers, up from 28 in the previous Congress, according to an analysis prepared by the Pew Research Center. That’s a full three minyans if only all 28 Democrats and two Republicans would wish to pray together on Capitol Hill.
Just how significant is Jewish overrepresentation in Congress? According to the study, Jewish senators and House members will make up 5.6 percent of the new Congress, almost three times our share of American population.
The Jewish congressional contingent has a few new faces, including Democrats Brad Schneider of Illinois who won back his seat, Maryland’s Jamie Raskin, Jacky Rosen from Nevada, and New Jersey’s Josh Gottheimer who defeated an incumbent Republican.
Republicans, on the other hand, managed to double their Congressional representation with David Kustoff of Tennessee joining New York’s Lee Zeldin.
Contact Nathan Guttman at [email protected]
Why I became the Forward’s Editor-in-Chief
- Alyssa Katz, Editor-in-Chief
You are surely a friend of the Forward if you’re reading this. And so it’s with excitement and awe — of all that the Forward is, was, and will be — that I introduce myself to you as the Forward’s newest editor-in-chief.
And what a time to step into the leadership of this storied Jewish institution! For 129 years, the Forward has shaped and told the American Jewish story. I’m stepping in at an intense time for Jews the world over. We urgently need the Forward’s courageous, unflinching journalism — not only as a source of reliable information, but to provide inspiration, healing and hope.
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
