The Quest for Power: A Study in Jewish Political Behavior and Practice

How do we understand Jews and political power in the 21st century? Jews are in a new position for the first time in their history, holding political power both through their own nation-state system and as a result of their political access and influence within the American context. Most of Jewish history, however, tells a different story—for 2,000 years Jews would operate without power, absent a political state, and denied access within the societies in which they would reside. The Quest for Power seeks not only to define the nature of Judaism as a political system but to demonstrate how Jews would manage their limited access to political influence while living under different systems of government. The uniqueness of the American story and the creative tension between the nationalistic focus on Zion and the universal emphasis on social justice provide the basis for understanding the contemporary Jewish political environment. Certainly for the enemies of the Jewish people, any confirmation that Jews have power or have had access to it serves only to confirm their preconceived notion that Jews are too powerful. In this current reality, Jews are now forced to defend the existence of their state and their right to exercise their political clout. It was certainly permissible to rail against Jews when they were powerless as they had limited resources to challenge such assumptions. The current environment, however, must be seen as even more threatening to those opposed to Jewish influence, as Jews can and have exercised a level of influence unique in their history and important for other groups to understand and to emulate.

Dr. Steven Windmueller is a Jewish communal professional and educator. He launched his career more than forty years ago on the staff of the American Jewish Committee, where he served for twelve years as the executive director of the Jewish Federation in Albany, New York (1973-1985), and for ten years as the executive director of the Los Angeles Jewish Federation's Community Relations Committee (1985-1995). Since then, Dr. Windmueller has spent nearly twenty years at the Hebrew Union College in Los Angeles, first directing it School of Jewish Communal Service (now the School of Jewish Nonprofit Management) and then serving for four years (2006-10) as the dean of the LA campus. Dr. Windmueller holds a Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania in international relations. A specialist on political issues and American Jewish affairs, Dr. Windmueller has written and lectured extensively on Jewish public and civic affairs, the Middle East, and global social trends. Several years ago he launched The Wind Report, an interactive website (www.thewindreport.com), which serves as a repository for his extensive writings. Dr. Steven Windmueller is married to Dr. Michelle Pearlman Windmueller.