And it was everyone. Look who I saw! she said in an email, photos of hugs attached.). The moves may have backfired, said Schatz. I was determined to be a champion of good government. He has staked his campaign on the idea that voters will reject Mastriano not only because hes conservative on abortion or the economy or some other issue but also because, he argues, he peddles racist things, he peddles antisemitism, Islamophobia, homophobia, you name it.. It was kind of misting rain. Josh shows up for us just by being so proudly Jewish and that is really something because Rendell, who I worked for and who I love, I mean, he never hid his Jewishness, but he didnt wear it on his sleeve, she said. Shapiro had a short list of lieutenant governor candidates, which included Sims and Rep. Patty Kim, of Harrisburg, who To add to his list of accomplishments as attorney general, Shapiro got $1 billion for Pennsylvania in a opioid settlement. [1][2][3][4] He ran unopposed in the Democratic primary and defeated Republican nominee Doug Mastriano in the general election by a 14.8% margin. ', "Pa. Gov. "But you cant, unfortunately, say that about the Democrats [at large]. I knocked on every door, Shapiro recalled to Philadelphia Magazine in 2007. While Shapiro was a staffer at the Capitol in Washington D.C. he graduated from Georgetown Law and was off to Harrisburg. No one ever worked for me who was as bright and focused, with such steely determination, Torricelli. In the minutes before he gives his speech at the church, he huddles with a few pastors. Leading up to the January inauguration of Josh Shapiro and Austin Davis, the Shapiro-Davis Inaugural Committee held a series of four interactive contests that would give community members a chance to be part of the inauguration of Pennsylvanias next governor and lieutenant governor. Unlike some before him, Josh Shapiro hasnt downplayed his religion out of a fear of appearing different. As background, Josh was born in 1973 and spent his childhood on a naval base while his dad worked as a medical officer. But we actually had a good conversation about faith and family., Former Pennsylvania Democratic Gov. He was the He is the face of elitism. Associated With. He did not respond to JTAs requests for an interview. Hoeffel later told the Philadelphia Inquirer, You dont want to turn your back on him. Before he took office, Montgomery County had a $10 million budget deficit and an underfunded pension for county employees. Despite his sufficient lead, Shapiro embarked on a six-day bus tour across Pennsylvania to meet with voters and further push his campaign policies. It was the bloodiest attack on Jews in the history of the United States. It almost doesn't matter what denomination it is, says former Democratic governor Ed Rendell. Why didnt his obituaries say so? Pennsylvania's governor-elect Josh Shapiro's parents are Steven and Judi Shapiro. He was always nice to everybody involved in everything.. "I also see a whole lot of work we need to do to defend our fundamental freedoms, and protect our democracy.". (The refusenik who was the focus of Shapiros bar mitzvah activism made it out in time to attend Shapiros bar mitzvah, which, earned Shapiro Philadelphia news coverage. Disneys foodie extravaganza returns To keep people coming back year after year, you have to offer a tantalizing balance of old and new. But Shapiros faith in the people of Pennsylvania has been tested before. That is not freedom. I feel comfortable here because this is a place of spirituality, this is a place of purpose., Shapiro, 49, who describes himself as a Conservative Jew from the Philadelphia suburbs, talks about being raised to bring faith out in the community and make a difference. He refers to Martin Luther King Jr. and Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, the spiritual icons who forged a friendship during the civil rights movement. Some people from the community spoke. HARRISBURG Gov. In addition to the Tanakh from the Tree of Life synagogue, his swearing-in will reportedly take place on a Bible used by a Jewish soldier from Pennsylvania in World War II. When a reverend asks the churchgoers to lift up their voices, he looks her in the eye and finishes her sentence, pronouncing me when she croons, What God has for me, it is for me. He then proceeds to give a 30-minute speech that was supposed to be closer to half as long. Shapiros energy can seem limitless when theres a political stage or an open microphone. Israeli Orthodox Jew raises hundreds of thousands of dollars for victims of settler riot, Wikipedias Supreme Court tackles alleged conspiracy to distort articles on Holocaust, This Purim, a space for queer Jews to celebrate their identities and dance the night away. I dont think I can respond to some unnamed source, he says. Shapiro is wearing a thin red string around his wrist, the kind that little old ladies hand out in Jerusalem when they bless visitors to the Western Wall. He is serving his second term and Ryan Boyer, Business Manager of the Philadelphia Building and Construction Trades Josh wanted to know about running a big city. I guess well find out, says Shapiro, adding that but no a serious answer to your question: I think Pennsylvanians are tolerant. He was sitting at his kitchen table in Abington in 2018 when he heard the news: 11 people at the Tree of Life synagogue had been slaughtered and several others were injured. Milton Shapp took office? (The refusenik who was the focus of Shapiros bar mitzvah activism made it out in time to attend Shapiros bar mitzvah, which earned Shapiro Philadelphia news coverage.) In interviews with the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, nearly a dozen of them said Shapiro, 49, has openly melded Jewishness and activism since his early teens, practicing a politics of bringing together disparate communities with his Jewish identity at the core. On Dec. 1, Shapiro named his longtime aide Dana Fritz as his chief of staff, setting up Fritz to be one of the most powerful staffers in the governors office.Fritz will be charged with overseeing the daily operations of Shapiros office and will be one of Shapiros top advisers. During the 2020 presidential election, Josh protected the right to vote and defended Pennsylvanias election result, winning in court dozens of times before and after Election Day. It also stars his four kids and his wife, Lori, whom he refers to as his high school sweetheart., Josh Shapiro embraces his wife, Lori Shapiro, on stage after giving a victory speech to supporters at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, Penn., Nov. 8 2022. Eisenberg was impressed by Shapiros leadership but not surprised Shapiro had been pulling together kids from across the playground since first grade, when they first met. I remember him standing up for everybody and being a part of everything, he said. 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In an interview last year with the Forward, , after a campaign event with union organizers, Shapiro said he understood organizing as an effective tool when he was 6 and he joined his parents in campaigning for the release of Jews in the Soviet Union. Shapiro impressed people in the district with his lowkey straightforwardness, said Betsy Sheerr, a Jewish lay leader and a Democrat who was friendly with both candidates, and that provided a contrast with Fox, who would shift his positions depending on the listener. He is the face of entitlement. WebHer father was an electrical engineer, her mother was an office manager and her stepfather was a veterinarian. Shapiros response to his opponent Doug Mastrianos Christian nationalism has not been to decry the entry of religion into the race; in some ways, he has amplified it. WebAge. He said, You know, Im not a legislator. Tune in to abc27 on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2023, for the latest on Shapiros inauguration. Josh Shapiro said in a eulogy Friday. Lorraine Hansberrys second play had a white Jewish protagonist. Hes standing up for everyday consumers, seniors whove been scammed, and students preyed upon by private lenders by obtaining over $328 million in relief to Pennsylvanians who have been ripped off. Until we reformed our pension system, Wall Street was charging excessive fees, and limiting the county's rate of return. Proudly founded in 1681 as a place of tolerance and freedom. He is ahead by 11 percentage points, up from 3 points in July, according to FiveThirtyEights tracking average. Governor of Pennsylvania. They say that maybe he doesnt follow our religion, but because he does have a belief, hes a religious person.. But he changed it because he was worried about facing antisemitism. At the time, Shapiro had read that Andrew Torba, Gabs CEO, said Mastrianos policy was not to conduct interviews with reporters who arent Christian. (Mastriano, who did not respond to a request for comment for this story, said on Twitter that Torba doesnt speak for me and that I reject antisemitism in any form.) It angered Shapiro. In his first publicized campaign ad, Shapiro said: I understand people feel like our politics are divided and broken right now, but we cant just take our ball and go home. Josh Shapiro after speaking at the Greater Mt. Mastrianos team, toward the end of the campaign, appeared to notice the resonance Shapiros beliefs had among Pennsylvanians. But Shapiro is intent on keeping it on for a little longer. Josh Shapiro delivers eulogy for Temple officer Chris Fitzgerald. I said, We need to do an ad on this. We need to tell people who this guy really is.. Josh Shapiro (D) will appoint an interim senator. Look at all hes done. Shapiro has echoed President Joe Biden's remarks on November 1 saying democracy is on the ballot this year. Shapiro may have a baby face, but he is not a baby in the world of politics. In 2011, his onetime boss, former Rep. Joe Hoeffel, was gearing up to run for reelection as a county commissioner. His bosses remember a guy in his early 20s who was soon supervising staffers, and his colleagues recall not minding. ", "Did Pennsylvania Gov. "When I think about this moment that we are in, I see great opportunity for our commonwealth," Shapiro said at a rally. He quotes from an ancient collection of Jewish teachings: No one is required to complete the task, but neither are we free to refrain from it.. Shapiros backers cite the now-legendary episode as a sign of Shapiros leadership; his detractors say it is a signal of his self-promotion and gamesmanship. More important than any particular policy or accomplishment, at a time when frustration with government is at an all-time high, we showed that we could make government work. In addition, you have heard a lot about Josh Shapiro and are intrigued by the rumors surrounding Joshs wealth. Obama did well enough in the state, Shapiro told JTA at the time, that he believed he would do well nationally. Kathy ONeil, a voter who attended Shapiro's rally in Erie told NBC: "[Shapiro's] a champion of the people in Pennsylvania. Behind closed doors, he met with the people who were waiting to hear whether someone they knew had been in the synagogue that day. Josh Shapiro Josh put the county back on solid financial footing, took early steps to combat the heroin epidemic, helped the first LGBTQ+ couples in Pennsylvania marry, and fired Wall Street money managers to save taxpayers and retirees millions. He married his high school sweetheart Lori in 1997, and the couple has four children. Putting a spotlight on Mastrianos antisemitic connections is a way for Shapiro to make the case hes too radical. Negrin is perhaps best known in Pennsylvania for his tenure in Philadelphia politics, when he first worked as executive director of the Board of Revision of Taxes, then served as deputy mayor and city managing director. (. ) Their example inspired Josh to enter into public service, and from a young age, Josh recognized that standing up for others was how he wanted to spend his career. Josh is a consensus builder, he said. Stay up to date on the latest from abc27 News on-air and on the go with thefree abc27 Mobile app. Leading up to the January inauguration of Josh Shapiro and Austin Davis, the Shapiro-Davis Inaugural Committee held a series of four interactive contests that would give community members a chance to be part of the inauguration of Pennsylvanias next governor and lieutenant governor. Afterward, he walked across the street in Squirrel Hill, the beating heart of Pittsburghs Jewish community, to a prayer vigil. 2023 jewish telegraphic agency all rights reserved. ) And its also clear that hes by far the most dangerous. Youve heard me quote my scripture before, that no one is required to complete the task, but neither are we free to refrain from it, meaning each of us has a responsibility to get off the sidelines, to get in the game and to do our part, Shapiro said in his victory speech in November, referring to the famous passage in Pirkei Avot, the compilation of. Shapiro reportedly refused to run on a ticket with him, Democrats abandoned Hoeffel, and Hoeffel quit the race. Legislative demographic data provided by Aristotle International, Inc. Vote Smart's mission is to provide free, factual, unbiased information on candidates and elected officials to. What, if anything, has shifted since the 1970s, when Gov. Schatz said Shapiro remained sensitive to the issues affecting the Jewish community, helping expand Medicare assistance for the elderly, instituting Holocaust education and targeting terrorist-backing countries like Iran for sanctions. Shapiro sees his Judaism as a tool to bond with people, not as something that sets him apart. Philadelphia, PA 19110, Wife: Lori; 4 Children: Sophia, Jonah, Max, Reuben, Governor, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, 2023-present, Former Chair, Board of Commissioners, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Attorney General, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, 2017-2023, Candidate, Governor of Pennsylvania, 2022, Candidate, Attorney General, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, 2020, Representative, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania House of Representatives, 2004-2012, Attorney, Ballard, Spahr, Andrews and Ingersoll, Limited Liability Partnership, 2003-present, Counsel, Stradley, Ronon, Stevens, and Young, Limited Liability Partnership, present, Chief of Staff, United States Representative Joe Hoeffel, 1999-2003, Senior Advisor, United States Senator Robert Torricelli, 1998-1999, Senior Advisor, United States Representative Peter Deutsch, 1996-1998, Legislative Assistant, United States Senator Carl Levin, 1995-1996, Member, American Bar Association, 2003-present, Member, Montgomery County Bar Association, 2003-present, Member, Pennsylvania State Bar Association, 2003-present, Member, Philadelphia Bar Association, 2003-present, Former Chair, Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency. By submitting the above I agree to the privacy policy and terms of use of JTA.org. None of them wears a kippah on the campaign trail or strictly observes Shabbat, as Lieberman did, but all infuse Jewishness in their public comments and personas. Besides, Shapiro is a tad superstitious. Who is Josh Shapiro? As Attorney General, I'll lead the effort to restore integrity to our government. Luria and two others just left Congress: Andy Levin of Michigan, who was defeated in last years primary after redistricting, and Ted Deutch, a Florida Democrat who made the transition this year to leading the American Jewish Committee. (Mark Makela/Getty Images). By 2016, Shapiro was running again, this time for attorney general. Josh Shapiro has been married to Lori since May 25, 1997. (Mark Makela/Getty Images). Pennsylvania was founded on religious pluralism, it was founded by Quakers, she said. Mastriano had allied with an outspoken antisemite, Andrew Torba, the founder of the far-right social media site, Gab, paying for promotion on Gab and accepting a donation from Torba. ", "We have to find ways to get to working together again," he said. I think we all recognize that this was going to be a tough race no matter which one of those 14 or 15 won. We used to joke that John Fox was multiple choice, you know that one day he was pro-choice and the next day he wasnt, Sheerr recalled. At 49 years old, Shapiro will be Pennsylvanias youngest elected governor since 46-year-old Dick Thornburgh. A week ahead of the election, Shapiro is in a double-digit lead compared to his Republican counterpart according to a survey released byMuhlenberg College/Morning Call. At the time, that he believed he would do well nationally mastrianos team, toward the end of campaign! Ad on this, '' he said, we need to do an ad on this of! 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