On Tuesday a group of lawmakers in Annapolis announced the creation of a new legislative caucus, the state's first-ever Maryland Jewish Legislative Caucus.
Senator Shelly Hettleman of Baltimore County will serve as the co-chair on the Senate side, and Delegate Jared Solomon of Montgomery County will serve as co-chair on the House of Delegates side.
"With antisemitic and hate incidents at record levels, the Maryland Jewish Legislative Caucus will be an important voice in the General Assembly to combat hate, collaborate with our diverse partners, and celebrate Jewish culture and heritage," says Solomon.
Hettleman says, "Having a Maryland Jewish Legislative Caucus will enable members of the General Assembly to advocate for policies important to the Jewish communities of Maryland."
The members who have joined the caucus are below:
- Delegate Dalya Attar
- Delegate Jon Cardin
- Delegate Mark Edelson
- Senator Brian Feldman
- Delegate Jessica Feldmark
- Senator Shelly Hettleman
- Senator Cheryl Kagan
- Delegate Anne Kaiser
- Delegate Aaron Kaufman
- Senator Ariana Kelly
- Delegate Marc Korman
- Senator Ben Kramer
- Senator Karen Lewis-Young
- Delegate Sandy Rosenberg
- Delegate Jared Solomon
- Delegate Ryan Spiegel
- Delegate Dana Stein
- Delegate Joe Vogel
- Senator Jeff Waldstreicher
- Senator Craig Zucker
The caucus will meet in the coming days to create an organizational structure and by-laws.
Senate President Bill Ferguson says of the creation of the new caucus, "We must acknowledge that this is a particularly fraught moment for the Jewish community here in Maryland, nationally and globally."
He added, "As the legislature pursues strategies to combat antisemitism and encourage intersectionality, I look forward to working with the newly formed.. [caucus] in that work.
