Obama "the first Jewish president" - has a deep understanding of issues that confront Israel and the Jewish community - Alan Solow

Alan Solow, is an attorney (Goldberg ,Cohn) from Chicago. He is a widely respected leader of the Jewish community. Nominating committee head James Tisch announced that he had been unanimously nominated to become the chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations which will end May 31st, 2010." This is claimed to be U.S. Jewry's most prominent voice in foreign and domestic policy issues and encompasses 50 national Jewish groups across the Jewish political and religious spectrum .

The nomination will be presented to the full Conference for a vote at a General Meeting in early January.

Solow, who once lived in Obama's neighborhood, (which is centred on the synagogue in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago) is one of Obama's veteran supporters, having backed his campaign for the Illinois State Senate a dozen years ago.

"I said with a smile that he will be the first Jewish president," Solow was quoted as saying after Obama won the Democratic presidential nomination in late August. "He also has a deep understanding of issues that confront Israel and the Jewish community."

Solow says that Obama has always had "excellent relations with the Jewish community." "As a local senator, he was very effective and helpful in what we call 'the Jewish agenda,' the community issues, values. He has always had a deep understanding of Israel's need for security.

I went with him to Israel for a week in January 2006, and when he started the race for the presidency I had no doubt I'd support him. The first thing that impressed me about him was his intellect - he's one of the smartest people I've met - but he's also a warm and caring person who has a keen interest in issues that people of this country are worried about,"

continues Solow. .....

"I said with a smile that he will be the first Jewish president. He also has a deep understanding of issues that confront Israel and the Jewish community. And I think his personal story reflects the story of Jewish immigration to the United States."

Alan Solow is also very familiar with Obama's first appointment - his designated White House chief of staff.

"Rahm is an active member of Jewish community, his children go to the day schools and he was always recognized as Jewish when he was Clinton's advisor. But I don't believe that the fact that he's a devoted Jew and supports Israel has anything to do with his appointment. He's simply the best person for this job, because of his experience in Congress and in Clinton's administration, and because of his intellect. But his support of Israel fits with the president-elect's thinking."

Michael Bauer, a political activist from the community has known Obama for over a decade and supported his presidential campaign ..

"As a U.S. senator he visited Israel twice, and especially the second time I think was highly significant .... I've known the president-elect for over 10 years, and his values and principles never change. If you ask me whether I have confidence that he'll continue to be committed to Israel's existence as a Jewish state within secure borders - I have absolutely no doubt."

Bauer was also heavily involved in Rahm Emanuel's campaign for Congress.

"The fact that Joe Biden, with a long record of supporting Israel, is Obama's vice president-elect and Rahm Emanuel is his chief of staff - I'm not sure what reassurance anyone needs that the president-elect when he is president will remain a close ally of the State of Israel and the people of Israel."

At a democratic forum In Cleveland , Ohio , in October 2008, 700 people heard Alan Solow and Denis Ross, Middle East advisor to Obama, and previously director for policy planning in the State Department under President George H. W. Bush and special Middle East coordinator under President Bill Clinton as well a co- founder of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) reassured Jewish voters that Obama would not only strengthen Israel’s security but also do a far better job of it than his rival Sen. John McCain.

Ross said he chose Obama as his candidate ,because U.S. standing in the world has never been lower than it is today.

"The U.S. cannot “be in a position where we do not shape world events ..... Where we don’t affect Iran’s behavior. Everything today takes place without us.”

Solow told the meeting of his trip to Israel with Obama in 2006.

"Obama is pro-Israel and shares Jewish values,"

Solow insisted,

“because he’s believed them for years, based on his personal vision of America. He understood what Torah meant - Love your neighbor as yourself.”

During that 2006 trip, Palestinian students told Obama they wanted to vote for Hamas and asked why the U.S. wouldn’t accept that democratically elected government, Solow said. Obama replied that the U.S. would not deal with terrorists and would not recognize a Hamas-controlled government in the West Bank, Solow recalled.

During the height of the intifada in 2003, when terrorists frequently blew up Israeli buses, Obama supported the building of the security barrier. Every parent, he said, has the right to put his child on the bus and expect him to come home in the evening safe and sound, Solow related.

While touring South Africa, the Jewish attorney noted, Obama told students that Israel absolutely has the right to defend itself and fight back if attacked.

In telling stories about Obama, Solow maintained, “He has a Jewish soul. I like to say he’s going to be the first Jewish president of the United States.”

Obama picked up 78 % of the Jewish vote in comparison to McCain's 21% haul, according to exit polls and the Jerusalem Post 5/11/2008 - Exit polls: 78% of Jews voted for Obama... there is also an all-time record of Jewish reps in Congress. ...see list of all 45 names



Palestinian fighters ready as ceasefire endsAl Jazeera