AVATAR OF THE J STREET VISION:

Blind rabbi takes on pro-Israel incumbent: Dennis Shulman is backed by the new dovish group J Street in his bid to unseat U.S. Rep. Scott Garrett, a Republican who enjoys the support of the country's largest pro-Israel political action committee. (Eric Fingerhut, 10/12/2008, JTA)

History was made in the race for New Jersey’s 5th Congressional District even with Election Day some six weeks away.

On Sept. 21, two blind men -- Democratic challenger Dennis Shulman and Barry Honig, a surrogate for the Republican incumbent, Scott Garrett -- squared off at a campaign forum.

“My guess," said Honig, a failed state Senate candidate who served as Bergen County chairman of the Bush-Cheney campaign in 2004, is that “you could search the annals of history” and not find another instance of “two very affiliated blind Jews” engaging in a political debate.” [...]

Garrett has the support of the New Jersey-based NORPAC, the largest pro-Israel political action committee in the country. Shulman, meanwhile, has been endorsed by the new J Street PAC, which sees itself as an alternative to traditional pro-Israel groups because of its championing of increased U.S. involvement in the peace process.

“It's a great microcosm” for the debate going on in the Jewish community, said J Street’s executive director, Jeremy Ben-Ami. Shulman, he adds, is “the perfect person” to be carrying the J Street message.

That jews have to defeat pro-Israel candidates?

Posted by Orrin Judd at October 12, 2008 5:08 PM