March 31, 2008

Dear Friend:

We are writing as American Jews from all across Pennsylvania to ask that you join us in
supporting Senator Barack Obama for President of the United States.

Much has been said and many questions have been raised within the Jewish community in recent
weeks about Senator Obama's sensitivity to our community and his record on Israel.
Unfortunately, much of the discourse has been based more on politics and positioning and less
on facts and fair-minded analysis. We are writing to set the record straight and tell you why we
intend to vote for Barack Obama.

Each of us – as members of the Jewish community – takes great pride in our commitment to
Judaism. For us, the strategy of assigning guilt by association – as has been to done to Senato r
Obama – runs counter to our teachings and dishonors Jewish law and ethical traditions. Jewish
law neither condemns thoughts nor does it denounce the musing of other's hearts. By contrast,
under Jewish law, we – all of us – are judged by our actions and our actions alone.

Senator Obama has earned our respect and gratitude because of his support for traditional Jewish
values and his commitment to a peaceful and prosperous Israel. His support for Tikkun Olam –
“repairing the world” – and social justice is evident through his accomplishments in the Illinois
Senate and the U.S. Senate. Without exception, Senator Obama has voted 100% consistently
with the position of AIPAC on foreign aid and all other legislation and resolutions affecting
Israel. These are the kind of actions for which we are grateful as a community. And, these are
facts. For a more in depth look at the Senator's strong record on issues that matter to our
community, please click here.

Earlier this month, responding to withering criticism of the pastor of his church, Senator Obama
delivered a courageous and powerful speech that demonstrated his unique ability to talk frankly
about the continuing racial tension in our country. His speech itself will not lead to racial
reconciliation or a complete understanding of our different religious and cultural traditions, but it
has opened a new door for Americans of all backgrounds to begin speaking openly with one
another. It is a speech that will serve as a teaching tool for all our citizens and will surely serve
the interests of the Jewish community. In trying to place the speech in historical context, The
New York Times editorialized that the "Inaugural addresses by Abraham Lincoln and Franklin
D. Roosevelt come to mind, as does John F. Kennedy's 1960 speech on religion..."

While we are profoundly disturbed by the unpatriotic, bigoted and anti-Semitic comments of the
retired pastor of Senator Obama's church, we are moved that Barack stood up at the National
Constitution Center in Philadelphia earlier this month, and “ condemned in unequivocal terms the
statements of Reverend Wright" and expressed his own views on issues near and dear to the
heart and soul of the Jewish community.

Specifically, in repudiating the remarks of his former pastor, Senator Obama said Reverend
 Wright "expressed a profoundly distorted view of this country…a view that sees the conflicts in
the Middle East as rooted primarily in the actions of stalwart allies like Israel, instead of
emanating from the perverse and hateful ideologies of radical Islam."

Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, a great rabbinic scholar of the 20th century, was known equally
for his theological scholarship and as well as for having marched alongside the Rev . Dr . Martin
Luther King Jr. during the civil rights movement.

Heschel once recalled that when marching in Selma, he was confronted by a host of people who
were filled with hate and ignorance. They jeered at the Rabbi who afterwards declared to his
fellow Jews: "When I marched in Selma, my feet were praying." Later, Heschel would recount
that while he had always found comfort in his Siddur, his prayer book, it was in Selma where he
learned to pray with his feet as well.

We have each chosen to pray with our feet and stand with Barack Obama because he is sensitive
to the issues of the Jewish community and a stalwart supporter of Israel.

We respectfully ask that you stand with Senator Barack Obama and vote for him on April 22.

The Honorable Josh Shapiro Mark Alderman Peter Buttenwieser Bradley T. Forman
Deputy Speaker Bryn Mawr, PA Philadelphia, PA Harrisburg, PA
PA House of Representatives
Abington, PA Marian Allen Daniel Clearfield Sue Friedberg
Pittsburgh, PA Harrisburg, PA Pittsburgh, PA
The Honorable Daylin Leach
PA House of Representatives Tom Allen Carl Cohen Aaron J. Friewald, Esq.
Ardmore, Pennsylvania Pittsburgh, PA Pittsburgh, PA Wynnewood, PA

Rabbi Robyn Frisch Irl Barg Dan Cohen, Serena Fujita

Rydal, PA Chester County, PA Pittsburgh, PA Bucknell University
Lewisburg PA
Rabbi Seth Frisch Henri J. Barkey Hillary Cohen
Rydal, PA International Relations Dept. Pittsburgh, PA Bernard Gerber,
Lehigh University Berks County, PA
Rabbi Jonathan H. Gerard Allentown, PA Marcia Cooper
Easton, PA Pittsburgh, PA Susan Golomb
Dr. Steve Barrer Pittsburgh, PA
Rabbi Joshua Waxman Abington, PA Mickie Diamond
Fort Washington, PA Pittsburgh, PA Stephen M. Goodman
Daniel Berger, Esq. Philadelphia, PA
Robert S. Adelson Philadelphia, PA David Ehrenwerth
Merion, PA Pittsburgh, PA Mahnaz Harrison
Todd W. Bernstein Pittsburgh, PA
David Ainsman Philadelphia, PA Judy Ehrenwerth
Pittsburgh, PA Pittsburgh, PA Ross Harrison
James D. Bloom Pittsburgh, PA
Meryl Ainsman Muhlenberg College Justin Ehrenwerth
Pittsburgh, PA Allentown, PA Pittsburgh, PA Rick Horowitz
Merion, PA
Ruth Horowitz Michael E. Lowenstein Carl Shuman,
Merion, PA Pittsburgh, PA Harrisburg, PA

Eve Biskind Klothen, Esq. Jules Mermelstein Alan Siger

Swarthmore, PA Township Commissioner Pittsburgh, PA
Upper Dublin, PA
Joseph Kohn, Esq. Patricia Siger
Devon, PA Morey Myers, Esq. Pittsburgh, PA
Scranton PA
Dean Kross, M.D. Prof. Lawrence
Pittsburgh, PA Sondra Myers Silberstein
Scranton, PA Director, Berman
David Landau Center for Jewish
Wallingford, PA Jacob Naveh Studies
Pittsburgh, PA Lehigh University
Clifford Levine Bethlehem, PA
Pittsburgh, PA Todd Reidbord
Pittsburgh, PA Larry Silverman
Rosanne M. Levine Pittsburgh, PA
Pittsburgh, PA Stephan Rosenfeld
Jenkintown, PA Roger Simon
Daniel E. Loeb Lehigh University
Publisher Judi Shapiro Bethlehem, PA
Philadelphia Jewish Voice Upper Dublin, PA
Philadelphia, PA Jill Stein
Jeff Shell Villanova, PA
Cathy Lewis Long Philadelphia, PA
Pittsburgh, PA Lem Tarshis
Laura Shell Blue Bell, PA
Andrea M. Lowenstein Penn Valley, PA
Pittsburgh, PA Jill Zipin
Stephanie Shell Philadelphia, PA
Ardmore, PA