Trailblazing Jew or ‘Genocide Josh?’ Shapiro faces antisemitism and criticism over support for Israel

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If Josh Shapiro is nominated for vice president and the Kamala Harris-Shapiro ticket wins in November, the Pennsylvania governor will become the first Jewish politician elected to the White House. The prospect, obviously, has many Jewish politicians and other Jewish practitioners excited and who believe Shapiro would make a good spokesperson for their faith.

“Governor Shapiro has done a really excellent job of talking about his faith and of talking about how his faith informs his values, the way he lives his life, the way he raises his kids, and most importantly, the way he governs,” State Rep. Mike Schlossberg, who is Jewish, told WHYY News.

The closest any practicing Jew previously came to the White House ended in the narrow defeat of the Gore-Lieberman ticket in 2000, when the State of Florida found itself overwhelmed by hanging chads. Vice President Al Gore and Senator Joe Lieberman won the popular vote by more than a half million votes but effectively lost the Electoral College when the decision was ultimately rendered by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Although the nation is once again challenged by severe racial and political divides and the Middle East has become a flashpoint dividing Democrats between progressives and those more pro-Israel, 2024 presents distinctions from election seasons past.

Shapiro, 51, was born in Kansas City, Missouri, but his family later relocated to Montgomery County. He attended Akiba Hebrew Academy in Philadelphia and later the University of Rochester. The Philadelphia Inquirer unearthed an opinion article written by Shapiro while at Rochester in which he argued peace “will never come” to the Middle East and that Palestinians were “too battle-minded” to coexist with Israel.

At an unrelated press conference on Friday, Shapiro argued that his opinions have evolved in the 30 some years since he was a 20-year-old college student.

“I have said for years, years before October 7, that I favor a two-state solution — Israelis and Palestinians living peacefully side-by-side, being able to determine their own futures and their own destiny,” he told reporters.

The opinion article did not resurface in a vacuum given that attack last October in which Hamas — a group labeled a terrorist organization by the U.S. in 1997 — killed 1,200 Israelis and other nationals, taking another 120 hostage.

In the article, Shapiro also claimed he once volunteered for the Israeli Defense Force (IDF), but his campaign said Friday that he was “required to do a service project” in high school and volunteered “on service projects on an Israeli army base” without engaging in any military activities.

The governor has since demonstrated strong support for Israel, even as the IDF pounded Gaza, killing as many as 40,000 Palestinians and displacing more than 2 million others.

Since October 7, anti-war activists have taken to campuses around the country where reports of antisemitic assaults have also risen. Lieberman wrote in an op-ed for Fox News that, when he was running as Gore’s vice presidential pick, he “did not face antisemitism in public life” in 2000 but “since the 10/7 attacks, antisemitism has reached a fever pitch in America.”

Schlossberg says he sees it, too.

“The past few years, and especially since the attacks of October the seventh, have unquestionably led to a massive spike of antisemitism, even that we’ve seen here in the Lehigh Valley,” he said, recounting a personal experience. His father’s funeral last October was interrupted by a bomb threat that involved the Allentown police and the fire department.

“Those issues are real, and I think by the Vice President selecting Governor Shapiro on the ticket, she’s making a very clear point that somebody’s religion shouldn’t stop somebody from advancement,” he added.

With protests and encampments taking over universities around the state, Shapiro took a particular hardline with the activists. When video surfaced of members of the Philly Palestine Coalition protesting outside Israeli-owned businesses in Philly, Shapiro called it “blatant antisemitism.”

“This hate and bigotry is reminiscent of a dark time in history,” he later said. He also called for a student encampment at the University of Pennsylvania to be disbanded and, after it was, said it was “past time” for it to happen and made a reference to “people dressed up in KKK outfits or KKK regalia” on campus. He also came out in support of a bill that would punish colleges and universities that boycott Israel or make financial decisions to penalize that country.

These positions have caused concern among progressive Democrats who otherwise appear very supportive of a Harris candidacy. Alan Minsky, executive director of Progressive Democrats of America, calls Shapiro’s comments “irresponsible” and says they should disqualify him from the ticket.

“These are classical expressions of the peace movement in the United States,” he told WHYY News, adding that Jewish-Americans have also been active in the protests, such as those affiliated with Jewish Voice for Peace. “To just sweepingly condemn them as ‘antisemitic’ and endangering students on the university campus, I think was incredibly misguided and sharp contrast to the other governors who have been named as potential running mates.”

After being contacted for comment Wednesday, Jewish Voice for Peace responded Friday by pointing to a social media post the group wrote that morning that said “Josh Shapiro has a damning history of smearing and attacking Palestinian rights advocates and free speech.”

“Opposition to choosing him as the VP candidate isn’t about his identity, it’s about his policies and rhetoric over the years,” the post on X, formerly known as Twitter, reads.

Minsky, who identifies as Jewish and said he strongly condemns Hamas and “all forms of antisemitism,” argues that the bigger issue is how Shapiro may affect Harris’ candidacy among progressives who previously threatened Biden’s prospects over his support for Israel but appear energized by Harris.

“I think he would damage the ticket,” he says. “There is this new enthusiasm among voters who will help Harris carry swing states and win the election and naming Governor Shapiro will jeopardize their support for her.”

Minsky was one of 45 progressives from around the country who signed a letter to Harris suggesting Governors Tim Walz and Andy Beshear as better alternatives given Shapiro’s stand on other issues including past support for school vouchers.

“Democrats need a credible and respected voice that has a track record of winning over and exciting an electorate, especially the ability to turn out young voters, immigrants, and independents in swing states,” they wrote.

Schlossberg discounts that risk, noting that recent polling shows Shapiro’s approval rating hovers around 60% in Pennsylvania, the state many Democrats think Shapiro can bring home for Harris. He adds that, while where Shapiro stands on issues is “fair for consideration of the vice presidential ticket,” the response is overblown when looking at his actual positions.

“His position on Gaza on a two-state solution and on Israel really isn’t any different than any other Democrats,” Schlossberg says. He points to Shapiro calling Netanyahu, “one of the worst leaders of all time.”

“Contrast that with others up for consideration, like Senator Kelly, who attended Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to Congress and who applauded him. That’s not something I see Gov. Shapiro doing,” he added.

In the end, it may be up to voters like Sophia Rosser to decide what impact Shapiro has on the ticket. The University of Pennsylvania senior was one of the protest leaders.

“If selected as VP, Josh Shapiro would succeed at a near impossible task—pushing the Democratic Party in an even more genocidal direction,” she told WHYY News by text message. “Shapiro’s brutal treatment of protesters represents only an infinitesimal fraction of what he would empower Israel to unleash on Palestinians.”

Harris is expected to visit Philly on Tuesday, where she will officially introduce her running mate.