Green Bay — We all know of rabbis who develop second or ancillary careers — as teachers, therapists, authors, even comedians. But outside of Israel one doesn’t usually see rabbis go for careers in politics.
Rabbi Sidney Vineburg, who will leave his post as spiritual leader of Congregation Cnesses Israel on Dec. 31, already wears several different professional hats as synagogue rabbi, teacher at St. Norbert College and, as The Chronicle reported some years ago, licensed private investigator.
He could become the first ordained rabbi to serve in the Wisconsin legislature. Since this past January, he has been running as a Democrat for the 4th District Assembly seat currently held by Republican incumbent Phil Montgomery — and “I have good reason to be optimistic that I’m going to win,” Vineburg said in a telephone interview last week.
For one, there is a kind of precedent. The region in which Vineburg lives once sent a clergyman to Congress — Father Robert Cornell, a Catholic priest and teacher at St. Norbert College, who served in the House of Representatives from 1975-79.
“The reason he ran is the same reason I’m running,” said Vineburg. “It seems that to really bring about change in government, you need to put yourself forward to run for public office.”
And “if not for Cornell paving the way,” then Vineburg being a rabbi “might be more of an issue,” Vineburg said. In fact, he said, “the only way it has been an issue is that people tend to feel I have a higher moral standard … and that is helpful in this particular environment, where we are surrounded by political scandals.”
What is perhaps more surprising is that Vineburg’s public stand against an effort to display the Ten Commandments on the courthouse lawn in Green Bay in 1998 has not been an issue in the campaign, Vineburg said.
In fact, the campaign overall “has been very clean,” he said. “There has been no negative advertising on either side…. It’s been very focused on issues,” primarily of state finances.
Should he win, Vineburg said he is “hoping that I will be able to spend all my time and energy serving the district. That will be my primary job,” though he will also continue as part-time faculty at St. Norbert.
But win or lose, Vineburg will be leaving Cnesses Israel, which he has served since 1988. “It’s been in the back of my mind for quite a while,” Vineburg said. He said there are some differences between him and the synagogue on “policy issues,” and “it was time to move on.”
“The biggest decision,” he said, “was whether to go for a larger pulpit outside Green Bay or stay here.” And this New Jersey native would like to stay; not only his wife and three children but also his parents and his brother all live in the area. “This is our home,” he said.
Should he lose, he is not sure what he will do. “There are a few things I’ve thought about,” but “whatever happens is bashert and we’ll deal with it as it comes,” he said.
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