What makes Naomi Lauter’s work so important is that she is building a base of politically aware Jews in the hinterlands of North America.
As our Page One story details, she is going to small towns where national Jewish organizations didn’t have the time or staff to build community.
Who would have thought there would be more than a sprinkling of Jews in Asheville, N.C.? Yet the 1,300 who live there were thrilled when Lauter came and taught them how to become a voice national politicians would heed.
AIPAC, the pro-Israel lobby, has always been a grassroots organization. Its leadership built its power base one Jew at a time, first in urban enclaves like San Francisco and now in small towns.
When Lauter ran the San Francisco office, she raised more money per capita than any other AIPAC director in the country. At the same time, she built a politically active Jewish community whose members undoubtedly were influential in electing two Jewish U.S. senators and a number of congressional representatives who have demonstrated very strong support for Israel.
It’s a tribute to her and her successor, Elliot Brandt, that an overflow crowd of more than 3,500 purchased tickets to attend AIPAC’s annual meetings a week from now in four Northern California locations.
When was the last time that a local Jewish organization was able to entice that many to a lunch or dinner?
AIPAC’s main appeal is that an individual member can feel he or she is making a difference. When AIPAC members go to Washington, they have the ears of their local congressional representatives.
And various times throughout the year, those politicians ask to meet with AIPAC members to get advice on legislation and other matters.
As the only organization registered to lobby Congress on behalf of Israel, AIPAC has a critical role in these difficult times. And Congress listens because of AIPAC’s large constituency.
We should all wish Lauter, at age 71, the strength to continue building AIPAC’s ranks throughout America.