NY Times: Rabbi With the Compelling Back Story Is Not to Be Ruled Out
September 14th, 2008
DEMAREST, N.J.
If there’s any year when a blind rabbi is going to get elected to Congress, this figures to be the one.
So is it likely that Dennis Shulman, a psychologist and rabbi who lost his sight as a child, can unseat the Republican incumbent, Scott Garrett, in New Jersey’s Fifth Congressional District, at the northern edge of the state? Probably not.
But in a year of firsts, and of unexpected campaign biographies, it would be foolish to dismiss the possibility that Dr. Shulman could make his own dent in the glass sukkah and mount a serious challenge to one of the most conservative members of Congress.
Dr. Shulman, who bears more than a passing resemblance to the actor and director Rob Reiner, knows he has gotten more attention than most challengers facing entrenched incumbents because of his unusual personal story. But he adds that his experiences speak to the heart of his candidacy.
“Look, my story is not a gimmick; it’s my life,” he said. “And my whole life, going blind as a child, growing up poor in Worcester, Mass., going to Brandeis and Harvard, how I do the things I do, has all been about solving problems. It’s the same way with my work as a psychologist and a rabbi. The major critique I have of Garrett is that he’s an ideologue; he’s not a problem solver. I am.”
Read the article at NYTimes.com
Last 5 posts in Front, News Clippings
- NJ Herald: Shulman, Garrett make final pitches to county - November 2nd, 2008
- The Star-Ledger: The rabbi is giving incumbent a good run - October 31st, 2008
- The Record: Report says government officials boosted Garret - October 31st, 2008
- The Record: Sticking to their guns - October 31st, 2008
- The Record: Editorial: Shulman for Congress - October 31st, 2008
