From Bocoraton, Florida, this is Behind the Mima. On this episode, the rabbis are joined by Michelle Weiss, mayor-elect of University Heights, Ohio, making history as the first Orthodox Jewish woman to lead in American city. A longtime public servant, community builder, and financial professional, Michelle Weiss won across political lines with a reputation for integrity, humility, and moral

clarity. At a time of rising anti-Semitism and deep civic division, this conversation explores

what it means to lead visibly as a proud Jew without apology and to serve the broader community

with responsibility, faith, and courage. All this and more, Behind the Bima.

This season of Behind the Bima is sponsored by Julie Charleston and Daryl Benjamin in honor of their grandparents, Morton and Malvina Charleston, and their children, Ruby and Macabi Benjamin.

Welcome back to Behind the Bima.

We got a great guest this episode.

Yehhevahed and I had the privilege of speaking to Michelle Weiss, the first Orthodox Jewish woman elected

as a mayor of an American city, Cleveland Heights. And it was a great conversation. I know you're going to look forward to hearing it. Rabbi Moskowitz, how are you? I am doing great. I was actually in Cleveland this summer for the first time. and you know it's interesting because here in BRS we're so used to having everything in one building

you have so many different mignon am Eight mignon on Shabbas morning, every different flavor of Judaism all under one roof. And you go to Cleveland and it's a very different experience. That is correct. On one block I've been to Cleveland. It's like, shul, shul, shul, shul, and my experience and no criticism of Cleveland. Every community has its history and has its

tremendous things to learn from. But I don't know if this was your thought, but my BRS brain went to

Cleveland and was like, why don't you just put a fence around all these shules, have one dinner,

one board director's, one budget, and consolidate so many resources. We know it's not so easy. Not so easy. Nobody asked us and we probably shouldn't be weighing into the politics of another community, not to suggest there are politics there. Well, we have no politics here in BRS, do we? None. None, none that you would speak about either, right? You don't speak politics from the pulpit, do you? I never speak politics from the pulpit. I speak about myself and ourselves and growing and being the best versions of ourselves.

Where do you draw the line, though? Because obviously many people feel that politics and religion somewhat overlap. Certainly there are values within Judaism that are important to be spoken about. So how do you make a statement about something that's going on politically without delving into politics in a way that you would insult someone, right? Because we want everyone to feel comfortable coming to our show. Whether you're Democrat, Republican, pro this, anti that, we want you to feel comfortable davening here. So where do you draw the line where you want to push, you want to speak out on contemporary issues, but you also don't want to make anyone feel like- I'll tell you where I draw the line, and anyone can argue with me on it. And there's some subjectivity to that line itself.

People will draw it different places. But you also don't want to make anyone feel like that. I'll tell you where I draw the line. And anyone can argue with me on it.

And there's some subjectivity to that line itself. People will draw it different places. Where I draw the line is an issue of policy that there are legitimate debates, different sides, different opinions about. Certainly one where I as a rabbi don't have any more authority and don't weigh in with any more truth, that I don't think it belongs in the pulpit. but I don't think it belongs in Shul at all.

There are other denominations who will say,

let's say, that immigration is a Jewish issue and the rabbi needs to bring the Torah values to

the conversation about immigration or topics like it. But I think that they're healthy, legitimate

debates and reasonable people on both sides can argue and can even argue why the Torah would argue. At times, there are issues that rise that I don't think there's a legitimate debate. I don't think there's someone on the other side. So, for example, when the Iran deal, it seems like we've been talking about Iran my entire career in the Rabanas. When I look back at my drushes from... That and BRS building campaign. Well, Bar Hashem, I hope that one at least is coming towards an end. But when I look back at my drushes going back a long time, it's like Iran, Iran, Iran, Iran. And I think when the Iran deal was being negotiated, certainly when APEC and others, I think the whole Jewish world really mostly organized around around opposing it in Israel. Can I push you a little bit? Right? That's a subjective line. Push me a lot. Right? You and I agree on that. And obviously politically, we agreed with that and we agree with APEC. The Jewish community was not monolithic in that. And I would imagine if we had poll done an anonymous poll of our membership, I would imagine there were people that disagree with the Irene deal.

They were wrong.

How do you, but that's a subjective line then, just recognize it. It's a subjective line. I love them. I welcome them. I want them to be here. I want them to be comfortable. I want us to be a safe space for them. They're not going to hear about it all the time. They won't be called a name because they disagree.

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