One form of political vision: Blind N.J. rabbi raises cash for congressional bid

August 6th, 2008

by Eric Fingerhut

Staff Writer

Dennis Shulman was blind by the time he was 15, but went on to graduate from Brandeis University, get a doctorate in clinical psychology from Harvard and become ordained as a Reform rabbi five years ago. Now he’s running for Congress, and his life story so impressed Michael (”Tac”) Tacelosky that he called Shulman’s campaign and volunteered to host a fund-raiser � even though he’d never met the rabbi and lives a couple of hundred miles away from him.

“We need more smart people in Congress,” said Tacelosky last week, the day before the Thursday event at his Dupont Circle home in which about 60 attendees contributed a minimum of $36 to meet the candidate.

An underdog in his effort to oust Republican Rep. Scott Garrett in New Jersey’s Fifth District ��which includes the Bergen County neighborhoods of Ridgewood, Paramus and Tenafly � Shulman would be the first blind member of Congress since 1941. And, of course, the first blind rabbi ever in the House of Representatives.

In a phone interview last week while in D.C., Shulman, 58, said recent technological developments mean his lack of sight shouldn’t affect him much on Capitol Hill. For instance, he has a “speech synthesizer” that reads him his e-mail and anything else that can appear on his computer screen.

And he notes that his history as a psychologist, rabbi and blind person means he has lots of experience as a “problem solver.”

Shulman said being a rabbi also is an “essential element” in forming his thinking about issues, which are often informed by the concept of tikkun olam. Still, he considers himself a strong proponent of the separation of church and state.

Shulman argues that his opponent, Garrett, is too conservative for the district, and contrasts himself with the incumbent through his opposition to the Iraq war and support of stem cell research.

Tacelosky � a Jew-by-choice who has been involved in Jews United for Justice and Bike and Brunch, among other organizations � said after the fund-raiser that he was pretty impressed by the candidate, whom he hadn’t met before Thursday.

“He views this as an opportunity to serve his country … [and] I’m happy to give him the opportunity to do that work,” said Tacelosky.

(See original at Washington Jewish Week)

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