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Message: <br /><br /> If you are having trouble reading this email, you may view this article online at: http://www.jweekly.com/18502/full/18502/german-politicians-court-small-but-crucial-jewish-vote/ <br /><br /> <b>German politicians court small but crucial Jewish vote</b> <br /> Friday, September 20, 2002 | by <p>TOBY AXELROD </p> <br /><br /><p>BERLIN—Who cares what German Jewish voters think?<br /><br /> The answer, on the eve of national elections here, is that all the major candidates do.<br /><br /> Some 67 million Germans—among them only 30,000 Jews—are eligible to vote on Sept. 22.<br /><br /> Polls indicate that the incumbent, Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder of the Social Democratic Party, has a slight edge over his challenger, Edmund Stoiber of the Christian Social Union.<br /><br /> But that edge was hard-won, and the race remains too close to call.<br /><br /> So it may be surprising that the leaders of Germany's top parties took the time recently to answer questions posed by Germany's main Jewish newspaper, the Judische-Allgemeine Wochenzeitung.<br /><br /> But some observers say it should not be shocking at all. The small Jewish population has a large moral voice, whether they want to or not, they add.<br /><br /> The very presence of Jews here—there are 100,000 in all, two-thirds of whom emigrated from the former Soviet Union since 1990—reminds non-Jewish Germans of a role that some willingly embrace, others begrudgingly accept, still others vehemently reject and virtually no one can ignore: the duty to remember the crimes of the Nazi era.<br /><br /> And though many Jews resent being turned into symbols, this special relationship can pay off.<br /><br /> Judith Hart, editor in chief of the Judische-Allgemeine Wochenzeitung, was virtually assured of getting a response to her query, despite the closeness of election day.<br /><br /> "I am not sure that all of the politicians were so interested in answering our questions, but it is hard for them to say no," said Hart. "And I have to say, in general, we have a good relationship with them."<br /><br /> Among the questions she asked:<br /><br /> Why should Jews vote for your party?<br /><br /> * What would you do for the Jewish community in Germany if you win the election?<br /><br /> * Was the pre-summer "anti-Semitism debate"—in which the vice president of the Free Democratic Party, Jurgen Mollemann, was accused of using one-sided, anti-Israel rhetoric to win votes—useful or damaging to relations between Jews and non-Jews in Germany?<br /><br /> The responses were predictable. From the conservatives to the communists, all condemned anti-Semitism, pledged to help in the integration of Jewish immigrants from the former Soviet Union and swore loyalty to Israel while supporting the Palestinians' right to a homeland.<br /><br /> Ultimately, the Jewish vote will be neither monolithic nor influential, said German Jewish journalist Richard Chaim Schneider, who nevertheless enjoyed speculating on "What is 'good for the Jews' on Sept. 22" in a recent column for the Suddeutsche Zeitung newspaper.<br /><br /> Does it really matter to the Jewish community who wins?<br /><br /> "It turns out not to be so dramatic," said Henryk Broder, columnist for Der Spiegel and a member of the Jewish community.<br /><br /> "Schroeder told me the world will not fall apart if he is not elected," he quipped.<br /><br /> Jewish voters certainly will not make or break the election.<br /><br /> But in at least one sense their influence may be greater than their numbers seem to warrant: Jewish confidence in Germany builds world confidence in Germany.<br /><br /> And no mainstream politician wants to rock that boat.</p> <p> </p>

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