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148-475: Wildstein grew up in a Jewish family in Livingston. He attended Livingston High School in the late 1970s, where he was a classmate (one year ahead) of future governor Chris Christie. Christie has said that although he knew who Wildstein was and that both of them had worked on Thomas Kean 's campaign for governor in 1977, Christie and Wildstein were not close acquaintances in high school: "We didn't travel in

296-483: A 1983 JTA report. Over the course of his political career, he worked for a number of other New Jersey Republican politicians, including two congressmen, Chris Smith and Bob Franks . At 23, he was elected to a four-year term on the town council, serving from 1985 to 1988. He then served as mayor of Livingston from 1987 to 1988. Some considered his personal style in local politics at the time aggressive and combative, and he alienated even some members of his own party. He

444-452: A 2020 poll conducted by Pew Research , approximately two thirds of American Jews identify as Ashkenazi , 3% identify as Sephardic , and 1% identify as Mizrahi . An additional 6% identify as some combination of the three categories, and 25% do not identify as any particular category. During the colonial era, Sephardic Jews who arrived via Portugal represented the bulk of America's then-small Jewish population. While their descendants are

592-657: A 25-mile (40 km) radius of the Statue of Liberty. At the beginning of the 20th century, there were no road bridge or tunnel crossings between the two states. The initial tunnel crossings were completed privately by the Hudson and Manhattan Railroad in 1908 and 1909 ("Hudson Tubes"), followed by the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1910 (" North River Tunnels "). Under an independent agency, the Holland Tunnel

740-499: A Jewish state; it had little apparent effect however, with 90% still voting other-than-Republican. In every election since, except for 1980, no Democratic presidential candidate has won with less than 67% of the Jewish vote. (In 1980, Carter obtained 45% of the Jewish vote. See below.) During the 1952 and 1956 elections, Jewish voters cast 60% or more of their votes for Democrat Adlai Stevenson , while General Eisenhower garnered 40% of

888-485: A casualty of investigations into the " Bridgegate " scandal. Basil Paterson , father of former Governor David Paterson , served on the board from 1989–95, and again from 2013–14. The current commissioners are: On July 14, 2016, David Samson pleaded guilty to a felony for conspiring to impede an airport project to coerce United Airlines to reinstate a discontinued flight to an airport in South Carolina, near

1036-492: A former political director at WMUR in New Hampshire; Cook Political Report House analyst Dave Wasserman; political and sports cartoonist Rob Tornoe ; and Steve Kornacki , who hosts a cable television political news commentary program on MSNBC . Kornacki has said of Wildstein, "I've never met anybody ... with more thorough institutional knowledge of New Jersey politics." The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey

1184-429: A historical art form. They tell us how Jews have survived being uprooted and transformed. Many immigrant narratives bear a theme of the arbitrary nature of fate and the reduced state of immigrants in a new culture. By contrast, ethnic family narratives tend to show the ethnicity more in charge of his life, and perhaps in danger of losing his Jewishness altogether. Some stories show how a family member successfully negotiated

1332-791: A home that he owned. He was appointed by Chris Christie. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey manages and maintains infrastructure critical to the New York/New Jersey region's trade and transportation network—five of the region's airports, the New York/New Jersey seaport, the PATH rail transit system, six tunnels and bridges between New York and New Jersey, the Port Authority Bus Terminal and George Washington Bridge Bus Station in Manhattan and The World Trade Center site. The Port of New York and New Jersey

1480-402: A lawsuit in a failed attempt to get on the ballot as a member of the county Republican Committee. The following year, he ran in the local school board election, although he was legally too young to have served on the school board. Still a high school student at the time, Wildstein was accused by his social studies teacher of having deceptively encouraged his teacher to sign a letter of support that

1628-517: A letter from counsel for Wildstein alleged that, in contrast to Christie's public assertions, the governor knew of the lane closures while they were happening in September 2013 and suggested that Wildstein had documents to prove his claims. Wildstein pleaded guilty in federal district court in Newark, New Jersey to two felony counts of conspiracy—one count of conspiracy to misapply property of

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1776-466: A major role in left-wing politics and, after 1936, in Democratic Party politics. Although American Jews generally leaned Republican in the second half of the 19th century, the majority has voted Democratic since at least 1916, when they voted 55% for Woodrow Wilson . With the election of Franklin D. Roosevelt , American Jews voted more solidly Democratic. They voted 90% for Roosevelt in

1924-454: A major-party ticket when he was chosen as Democratic presidential candidate Al Gore 's vice-presidential nominee. The elections of 2000 and 2004 saw continued Jewish support for Democrats Al Gore and John Kerry , a Catholic, remain in the high- to mid-70% range, while Republican George W. Bush 's re-election in 2004 saw Jewish support rise from 19% to 24%. In the 2008 presidential election , 78% of Jews voted for Barack Obama , who became

2072-433: A means to define Jews in a world that threatened to overwhelm and absorb Jewish uniqueness. The journal represented the ideals of the menorah movement established by Horace M. Kallen and others to promote a revival in Jewish cultural identity and combat the idea of race as a means to define or identify peoples. Siporin (1990) uses the family folklore of ethnic Jews to their collective history and its transformation into

2220-406: A minority nowadays, they represent the remainder of those original American Jews along with an array of other Jewish communities, including more recent Sephardi Jews , Mizrahi Jews , Beta Israel-Ethiopian Jews , various other Jewish ethnic groups , as well as a smaller number of converts to Judaism . The American Jewish community manifests a wide range of Jewish cultural traditions , encompassing

2368-687: A minority population of the older Sephardi Jewish families remained influential. Jewish migration to the United States increased dramatically in the early 1880s, as a result of persecution and economic difficulties in parts of Eastern Europe. Most of these new immigrants were Yiddish -speaking Ashkenazi Jews, most of whom arrived from poor diaspora communities of the Russian Empire and the Pale of Settlement , located in modern-day Poland , Lithuania , Belarus , Ukraine , and Moldova . During

2516-516: A per-capita basis for incorporated areas in the US are Kiryas Joel Village, New York (greater than 93% based on language spoken in home), City of Beverly Hills, California (61%), and Lakewood Township , New Jersey (59%), with two of the incorporated areas, Kiryas Joel and Lakewood, having a high concentration of Haredi Jews, and one incorporated area, Beverly Hills, having a high concentration of non-Orthodox Jews. The phenomenon of Israeli migration to

2664-455: A potential 7.0–7.4 million Americans of Jewish descent. Those higher estimates were however arrived at by including all non-Jewish family members and household members, rather than surveyed individuals. In a 2019 study by Jews of Color Initiative it was found that approximately 12-15% of Jews in the United States, about 1,000,000 of 7,200,000 identify as multiracial and Jews of color . The overall population of Americans of Jewish descent

2812-399: A profound impact on the Jewish community in the United States, especially after 1960 as Holocaust education improved, as Jews tried to comprehend what had happened during it, and especially as they tried to commemorate it and grapple with it when they looked to the future. Abraham Joshua Heschel summarized this dilemma when he attempted to understand Auschwitz : "To try to answer is to commit

2960-594: A provision in the Constitution of the United States permitting interstate compacts . The idea for the Port Authority was conceived during the Progressive Era , which aimed at the reduction of political corruption and at increasing the efficiency of government. With the Port Authority at a distance from political pressures , it was able to carry longer-term infrastructure projects irrespective of

3108-426: A respectable 35%, but during Bush's re-election attempt in 1992, his Jewish support dropped to just 11%, with 80% voting for Bill Clinton and 9% going to independent Ross Perot . Clinton's re-election campaign in 1996 maintained high Jewish support at 78%, with 16% supporting Bob Dole and 3% for Perot. In the 2000 presidential election , Joe Lieberman became the first American Jew to run for national office on

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3256-540: A sense of complete identification and solidarity born of our own painful historic experience." During the World War II period, the American Jewish community was bitterly and deeply divided and as a result, it was unable to form a united front. Most Jews who had previously emigrated to the United States from Eastern Europe supported Zionism , because they believed that a return to their ancestral homeland

3404-484: A similar split among Israelis and led to a parallel rift within the pro-Israel lobby , and even ultimately to the United States for its "blind" support of Israel. Abandoning any pretense of unity, both segments began to develop separate advocacy and lobbying organizations. The liberal supporters of the Oslo Accord worked through Americans for Peace Now (APN), Israel Policy Forum (IPF) and other groups friendly to

3552-543: A skilled player. Wildstein's lifelong involvement with politics began early. At age 12, he was mentioned by a local newspaper as having left a group backing one congressional candidate in order to throw his support behind the candidate's opponent, Thomas Kean Sr., then a member of the state Assembly and a neighbor of Wildstein. (Kean lost the Republican primary to Millicent Fenwick , but later became governor of New Jersey, serving from 1982 to 1990.) At 16, Wildstein filed

3700-478: A state Assembly committee investigating the lanes closure in January 2014, Wildstein invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination and refused to answer the committee members' questions. The committee found him in contempt and referred the case for prosecution. Wildstein's attorney Alan Zegas said that Wildstein would answer any questions if granted immunity from prosecution. On January 31, 2014,

3848-459: A state's presidential primary election. For congressional and senate races, since 1968, American Jews have voted about 70–80% for Democrats; this support increased to 87% for Democratic House candidates during the 2006 elections. The first American Jew to serve in the Senate was David Levy Yulee , who was Florida's first Senator, serving 1845–1851 and again 1855–1861. There were 19 Jews among

3996-987: A station on the Northeast Corridor rail line, and the AirTrain JFK system linking JFK with the Howard Beach subway station and the Jamaica subway and Long Island Rail Road stations . Major bus depots include the Port Authority Bus Terminal at 42nd Street , the George Washington Bridge Bus Station , and the Journal Square Transportation Center in Jersey City. The PANYNJ is a major stakeholder in

4144-494: A supreme blasphemy. Israel enables us to bear the agony of Auschwitz without radical despair, to sense a ray [of] God's radiance in the jungles of history." Zionism became a well-organized movement in the U.S. with the involvement of leaders such as Louis Brandeis and the promise of a reconstituted homeland in the Balfour Declaration . Jewish Americans organized large-scale boycotts of German merchandise during

4292-563: A twofold experience—one of the spirit and one of our history.   ... From our Jewish historic experience of three and a half thousand years we say: Our ancient history began with slavery and the yearning for freedom. During the Middle Ages my people lived for a thousand years in the ghettos of Europe.   ... It is for these reasons that it is not merely sympathy and compassion for the black people of America that motivates us. It is, above all and beyond all such sympathies and emotions,

4440-506: A way to enhance the agency's power and prestige, and agreed to the project. The Port Authority was the overseer of the World Trade Center, hiring the architect Minoru Yamasaki and engineer Leslie Robertson . Yamasaki ultimately settled on the idea of twin towers. To meet the Port Authority's requirement to build 10 million square feet (930,000 m ) of office space, the towers would each be 110 stories tall. The size of

4588-567: Is a joint venture between the U.S. states of New York and New Jersey , established in 1921 through an interstate compact authorized by the United States Congress . The Port Authority oversees much of the regional transportation infrastructure, including bridges, tunnels, airports, and seaports , within the geographical jurisdiction of the Port of New York and New Jersey . This 1,500-square-mile (3,900 km ) port district

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4736-438: Is a congressionally-authorized joint venture between the states of New Jersey and New York which manages much of the regional transportation infrastructure, including bridges, tunnels, airports, and seaports. Senior staff at the agency are appointed by the governors of the two states. In 2010, Wildstein was appointed by newly installed Governor Chris Christie's senior representative at the Port Authority, Bill Baroni , to serve as

4884-417: Is a liar." In the plea hearing, Wildstein admitted that he had conspired with Baroni and Kelly to shut down the lanes and cause significant traffic problems in retribution for Sokolich's decision not to endorse Christie for reelection. In return for his cooperation with federal prosecutors, Wildstein was released on a $ 100,000 personal recognizance bond before his sentencing hearing. Sentencing of Wildstein

5032-681: Is demographically characterized by an aging population composition and low fertility rates significantly below generational replacement. However, the Orthodox Jewish population, concentrated in the Northeastern United States , has fertility rates when taken alone which are significantly higher than both generational replacement and that of the average U.S. population. The National Jewish Population Survey of 1990 asked 4.5 million adult Jews to identify their denomination. The national total showed 38% were affiliated with

5180-870: Is estimated that up to 15 million Americans are part of the "enlarged" American Jewish population, accounting for 4.5% of the total US population, consisting of those who have at least one Jewish grandparent and would be eligible for Israeli citizenship under the Law of Return . Jews were present in the Thirteen Colonies since the mid-17th century. However, they were few in number, with at most 200 to 300 having arrived by 1700. Those early arrivals were mostly Sephardi Jewish immigrants, of Western Sephardic (also known as Spanish and Portuguese Jewish ) ancestry, but by 1720, Ashkenazi Jews from diaspora communities in Central and Eastern Europe predominated. For

5328-857: Is generally encompassed within a 25-mile (40 km) radius of the Statue of Liberty National Monument . The Port Authority is headquartered at 4 World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan . The Port Authority operates the Port Newark–Elizabeth Marine Terminal , which consistently ranks among the largest ports in the United States by tonnage handled, and the largest on the Eastern Seaboard . The Port Authority also operates six bi-state crossings: three connecting New Jersey with Manhattan , and three connecting New Jersey with Staten Island . The Port Authority Bus Terminal and

5476-669: Is planned to be extended from its terminus at Newark Penn Station to a new Newark Liberty International Airport Station . The PANYNJ announced in March 2023 that it was deferring funding for the Newark Airport extension to a future capital plan. Another Port Authority project involves redeveloping LaGuardia Airport, replacing three existing terminals with a single terminal. Terminal B would be demolished and terminals C and D would be merged. Some 2 miles (3.2 km) of additional taxiways are to be built, and transportation around

5624-475: Is the largest port complex on the East Coast of North America. In 2021, Port Authority seaports handled the fourth largest amount of shipping among U.S. ports, measured in total tonnage. As of August 2022, the Port Authority led the country when considering only containers and not bulk materials such as petroleum and grain. The Port Authority operates the following seaports : The Port Authority operates

5772-608: The American Jewish Yearbook that the American Jewish population totaled 7.15 million, making up 2.17% of the country's 329.5 million inhabitants. In the same year, the American Jewish population was estimated at 7.6 million people, accounting for 2.4% of the total US population, by other organization. This includes 4.9 million adults who identify their religion as Jewish, 1.2 million Jewish adults who identify with no religion, and 1.6 million Jewish children. The American Jewish Yearbook population survey had placed

5920-651: The Anti-Defamation League was asked by the conference to apologize for criticizing ZOA's Morton Klein . The conference, which under its organizational guidelines was in charge of moderating communal discourse, reluctantly censured some Orthodox spokespeople for attacking Colette Avital , the Labor-appointed Israeli Consul General in New York and an ardent supporter of that version of a peace process. As of 2020,

6068-609: The ExpressRail rail services within the seaport area, including dockside trackage and railyards for transloading . It interchanges with Conrail Shared Assets Operations (CRCX) on the Chemical Coast Secondary, Norfolk Southern (NS), CSX Transportation (CSX), and Canadian Pacific (CP). From January through October 2014 the system handled 391,596 rail lifts . As of 2014, three ExpressRail systems (Elizabeth, Newark, Staten Island) were in operation with

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6216-659: The Gateway Program . The program will upgrade the Northeast Corridor by building two new tunnels under the Hudson River paralleling the existing North River Tunnels , as well as connecting infrastructure. The Port Authority also owns and operates a network of shuttle buses on its airport properties. As of 2017, the agency operates 23 Orion buses at Newark Airport, 7 at LaGuardia Airport, and 40 at JFK Airport, all purchased in 2007 and 2009. The Port Authority also participates in joint development ventures around

6364-536: The George Washington Bridge , linking the northern part of Manhattan with Fort Lee, New Jersey , with Port Authority chief engineer, Othmar Ammann , overseeing the project. The bridge was completed in October 1931, ahead of schedule and well under the estimated costs. This efficiency exhibited by the Port Authority impressed President Franklin D. Roosevelt , who used this as a model in creating

6512-828: The Goethals Bridge , the Bayonne Bridge , and the Outerbridge Crossing , which connect Staten Island and New Jersey . They also maintain many entrances approaches to these crossings, such as the GWB Plaza and Lincoln Tunnel Helix . The Port Authority operates the PATH rapid transit system linking lower and midtown Manhattan with New Jersey, the AirTrain Newark system linking Newark International Airport with NJ Transit and Amtrak via

6660-563: The New York Port of Embarkation . The congestion at the port led experts to realize the need for a port authority to supervise the extremely complex system of bridges, highways, subways, and port facilities in the New York-New Jersey area. The solution was the 1921 creation of the Port Authority under the supervision of the governors of the two states. By issuing its own bonds, it was financially independent of either state;

6808-724: The New York metropolitan area , establishing the world's major concentrations of the Jewish population. In 1915, the circulation of the daily Yiddish newspapers was half a million in New York City alone, and 600,000 nationally. In addition, thousands more subscribed to the numerous weekly papers and the many magazines in Yiddish. At the beginning of the 20th century, these newly arrived Jews built support networks consisting of many small synagogues and Landsmanshaften (German and Yiddish for "Countryman Associations") for Jews from

6956-451: The PATH rail system are also run by the Port Authority, as well as LaGuardia Airport , John F. Kennedy International Airport , Newark Liberty International Airport , Teterboro Airport and Stewart International Airport . The agency has its own 2,100 member Port Authority Police Department . The Port of New York and New Jersey comprised the main point of embarkation for U.S. troops and supplies sent to Europe during World War I , via

7104-679: The Panama Canal Commission General George Washington Goethals , connected Elizabeth, New Jersey and Howland Hook, Staten Island . At the south end of Arthur Kill, the Outerbridge Crossing was built and named after the Port Authority's first chairman, Eugenius Harvey Outerbridge . Construction of both bridges was completed in 1928. The Bayonne Bridge , opened in 1931, was built across the Kill van Kull , connecting Staten Island with Bayonne, New Jersey . Construction began in 1927 on

7252-682: The Reform tradition , 35% were Conservative , 6% were Orthodox , 1% were Reconstructionists , 10% linked themselves to some other tradition, and 10% said they are "just Jewish." In 2013, Pew Research's Jewish population survey found that 35% of American Jews identified as Reform, 18% as Conservative, 10% as Orthodox, 6% who identified with other sects, and 30% did not identify with a denomination. Pew's 2020 poll found that 37% affiliated with Reform Judaism, 17% with Conservative Judaism, and 9% with Orthodox Judaism. Young Jews are more likely to identify as Orthodox or as unaffiliated compared to older members of

7400-587: The Republican Party . The 114th Congress included 10 Jews among 100 U.S. Senators : nine Democrats ( Michael Bennet , Richard Blumenthal , Brian Schatz , Benjamin Cardin , Dianne Feinstein , Jon Ossoff , Jacky Rosen , Charles Schumer , Ron Wyden ), and Bernie Sanders , who became a Democrat to run for President but returned to the Senate as an Independent. In the 118th Congress , there are 28 Jewish US Representatives. 25 are Democrats and

7548-684: The South Jersey Transportation Authority , which leases the airport site from the FAA . JFK, LaGuardia, and Newark Liberty as a whole form the largest airport system in the United States, second in the world in terms of passenger traffic, and first in the world by total flight operations, with JFK being the 19th busiest in the world and the 6th busiest in the U.S. The Authority operated the Downtown Manhattan Heliport ( Manhattan , New York) until

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7696-478: The State of New York to locate government offices at the World Trade Center. In August 1968, construction on the World Trade Center's north tower started, with construction on the south tower beginning in January 1969. When the World Trade Center twin towers were completed, the total cost to the Port Authority had reached $ 900   million. The buildings were dedicated on April 4, 1973, with Tobin, who had retired

7844-626: The Tennessee Valley Authority and other such entities. In 1930, the Holland Tunnel was placed under the control of the Port Authority, providing significant toll revenues. The Port Authority also controlled the Lincoln Tunnel , connecting New Jersey and Midtown Manhattan . The Lincoln Tunnel opened in 1937 as a single-tube tunnel; a second tube opened in 1945, and a third tube opened in 1957. In 1962,

7992-625: The World Trade Center site , the Port Authority has worked since 2001 on plans for reconstruction of the site, along with Silverstein Properties , and the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation . In 2006, the Port Authority reached a deal with Larry Silverstein , which ceded control of One World Trade Center to the Port Authority. The deal gave Silverstein rights to build three towers along

8140-732: The Zionist Organization of America (ZOA), Americans For a Safe Israel (AFSI), and the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs (JINSA) tried to counterbalance the power of the liberal Jews. On October 10, 1993, the opponents of the Palestinian-Israeli accord organized at the American Leadership Conference for a Safe Israel , where they warned that Israel was prostrating itself before "an armed thug", and predicted and that

8288-509: The full spectrum of Jewish religious observance . Depending on religious definitions and varying population data, the United States has the largest or second largest Jewish community in the world, after Israel . As of 2020, the American Jewish population is estimated at 7.5 million people, accounting for 2.4% of the total US population. This includes 4.2 million adults who identify their religion as Jewish, 1.5 million Jewish adults who identify with no religion, and 1.8 million Jewish children. It

8436-564: The "thirteenth of September is a date that will live in infamy". Some Zionists also criticized, often in harsh language, Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Shimon Peres , his foreign minister and chief architect of the peace accord. With the community so strongly divided, AIPAC and the Presidents Conference, which was tasked with representing the national Jewish consensus, struggled to keep the increasingly antagonistic discourse civil. Reflecting these tensions, Abraham Foxman from

8584-491: The 1930s to protest Nazi Germany . Franklin D. Roosevelt 's leftist domestic policies received strong Jewish support in the 1930s and 1940s, as did his anti-Nazi foreign policy and his promotion of the United Nations . Support for political Zionism in this period, although growing in influence, remained a distinctly minority opinion among Jews in the United States until about 1944–45, when the early rumors and reports of

8732-422: The 435 US Representatives at the start of the 112th Congress ; 26 Democrats and 1 ( Eric Cantor ) Republican. While many of these Members represented coastal cities and suburbs with significant Jewish populations, others did not (for instance, Kim Schrier of Seattle, Washington; John Yarmuth of Louisville, Kentucky; and David Kustoff and Steve Cohen of Memphis, Tennessee). The total number of Jews serving in

8880-436: The American Jewish population is, depending on the method of identification , either the largest in the world, or the second-largest in the world (after Israel ). Precise population figures vary depending on whether Jews are accounted for based on halakhic considerations, or secular, political and ancestral identification factors. There were about four million adherents of Judaism in the US as of 2001, approximately 1.4% of

9028-472: The Board of Commissioners after an ethics investigation revealed that her attempt to intervene in a traffic stop for her daughter included what the Port Authority described as "profoundly disturbing" conduct. New Jersey police released a videotape of her attempting to leverage her position at the Port Authority to intimidate police officers, following a routine traffic stop of a vehicle in which her adult daughter

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9176-521: The Democrat, with only 45% support, while Republican winner Ronald Reagan garnered 39%, and 14% went to independent (former Republican) John Anderson . During the Reagan re-election campaign of 1984, the Republican retained 31% of the Jewish vote, while 67% voted for Democrat Walter Mondale . The 1988 election saw Jewish voters favor Democrat Michael Dukakis by 64%, while George H. W. Bush polled

9324-476: The Fort Lee entrances (used by local traffic from Fort Lee and surrounding communities) to the upper level on the George Washington Bridge , which connects to Manhattan , were reduced from three to one from September 9–13, 2013. The toll lane closures caused massive Fort Lee traffic back-ups, which affected public safety due to extensive delays by police and emergency service providers and disrupted schools due to

9472-551: The House of Representatives declined from 31 in the 111th Congress . John Adler of New Jersey, Steve Kagan of Wisconsin, Alan Grayson of Florida, and Ron Klein of Florida all lost their re-election bids, Rahm Emanuel resigned to become the President's Chief of Staff; and Paul Hodes of New Hampshire did not run for re-election but instead (unsuccessfully) sought his state's open Senate seat. David Cicilline of Rhode Island

9620-424: The Israeli response; the great majority came to accept the war as necessary. Similar tensions were aroused by the 1977 election of Menachem Begin and the rise of Revisionist policies, the 1982 Lebanon War and the continuing administrative governance of portions of the West Bank territory. Disagreement over Israel's 1993 acceptance of the Oslo Accords caused a further split among American Jews; this mirrored

9768-547: The Jewish community. Many Jews are concentrated in the Northeastern United States, particularly around New York City . The world's largest menorah is lit annually at Grand Army Plaza in Manhattan , while the largest menorah in New Jersey is similarly celebrated in Monroe Township , Middlesex County . Many Jews also live in South Florida , Los Angeles , and other large metropolitan areas, like Chicago , San Francisco , or Atlanta . The metropolitan areas of New York City, Los Angeles, and Miami contain nearly one quarter of

9916-465: The Jewish vote for his reelection, the best showing to date for the Republicans since Warren G. Harding 's 43% in 1920. In 1960, 83% voted for Democrat John F. Kennedy against Richard Nixon , and in 1964, 90% of American Jews voted for Lyndon Johnson , over his Republican opponent, arch-conservative Barry Goldwater . Hubert Humphrey garnered 81% of the Jewish vote in the 1968 elections in his losing bid for president against Richard Nixon . During

10064-433: The Labour government in Israel. They tried to assure Congress that American Jewry was behind the Accord and defended the efforts of the administration to help the fledgling Palestinian Authority (PA), including promises of financial aid. In a battle for public opinion, IPF commissioned a number of polls showing widespread support for Oslo among the community. In opposition to Oslo, an alliance of conservative groups, such as

10212-406: The Midwest. Gradually the Cincinnati Jewish community would adopt novel practices under the leadership Rabbi Isaac Meyer Wise , the father of Reform Judaism in the United States, such as the inclusion of women in minyan . A large community grew in the region with the arrival of German and Lithuanian Jews in the latter half of the 1800s, leading to the establishment of Manischewitz , one of

10360-407: The Nixon re-election campaign of 1972, Jewish voters were apprehensive about George McGovern and only favored the Democrat by 65%, while Nixon more than doubled Republican Jewish support to 35%. In the election of 1976, Jewish voters supported Democrat Jimmy Carter by 71% over incumbent president Gerald Ford 's 27%, but during the Carter re-election campaign of 1980, Jewish voters greatly abandoned

10508-416: The Port Authority absorbed the bankrupt Hudson & Manhattan Railroad and reorganized it as Port Authority Trans-Hudson (PATH) . As part of the deal, the Port Authority acquired the rights to build the original World Trade Center on the site of the old Hudson Terminal , one of two terminals in Manhattan for H&M/PATH. In 1942, Austin J. Tobin became the executive director of the Port Authority. In

10656-535: The Port Authority and one count of conspiracy to violate the civil rights of Fort Lee residents in the September 2013 lane closings—as part of a plea agreement with federal prosecutors. He was later sentenced to three years of probation. The plea agreement was signed on January 12, 2015, and publicly released on May 1, 2015, when Wildstein formally entered his guilty plea in court before Judge Susan D. Wigenton . Wildstein's attorney confirmed that he had been cooperating with federal investigators for some months. On

10804-489: The Port Authority centered on tax issues. A final agreement was made that the Port Authority would make annual payments in lieu of taxes, for the 40% of the World Trade Center leased to private tenants. The remaining space was to be occupied by state and federal government agencies. In 1962, the Port Authority signed the United States Customs Service as a tenant, and in 1964 they signed a deal with

10952-548: The Port Authority for operating purposes. Newark Liberty is owned by the cities of Elizabeth and Newark and is also leased to the Authority. In 2007, Stewart International Airport , owned by the State of New York , was leased to the Port Authority. The Port Authority officially took over select management functions of the Atlantic City International Airport on July 1, 2013, in conjunction with

11100-533: The Port Authority's policies. Under an informal power-sharing agreement, the governor of New Jersey chooses the chairman of the board and the deputy executive director, while the governor of New York selects the vice chairman and executive director. The Port Authority is headquartered at 4 World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan . The agency was headquartered at 1 World Trade Center in the first World Trade Center complex, where it occupied 22,411 square feet (2,082.1 m ) of space. It had been headquartered in

11248-759: The US is often termed Yerida . The Israeli immigrant community in America is less widespread. The significant Israeli immigrant communities in the United States are in the New York City metropolitan area, Los Angeles, Miami, and Chicago. According to the 2001 undertaking of the National Jewish Population Survey , 4.3 million American Jews have some sort of strong connection to the Jewish community, whether religious or cultural. Port Authority of New York and New Jersey The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey , ( PANYNJ ; stylized, in logo since 2020, as Port Authority NY NJ )

11396-494: The US population. According to the Jewish Agency , for the year 2023 Israel was home to 7.2 million Jews (46% of the world's Jewish population), while the United States contained 6.3 million (40.1%). According to Gallup and Pew Research Center findings, "at maximum 2.2% of the US adult population has some basis for Jewish self-identification." In 2020, the demographers Arnold Dashefsky and Ira M. Sheskin estimated in

11544-597: The United States in large numbers due to antisemitic laws and restrictions in their countries of birth. They primarily became merchants and shop-owners. Gradually early Jewish arrivals from the east coast would travel westward, and in the fall of 1819 the first Jewish religious services west of the Appalachian Range were conducted during the High Holidays in Cincinnati , the oldest Jewish community in

11692-636: The WTC complex beginning in 1973. After the previous headquarters were destroyed in the September 11, 2001 attacks , the Port Authority moved into 225 Park Avenue South in Midtown Manhattan , with employees divided between offices in New York and New Jersey, before returning to the World Trade Center in 2015. Financially, the Port Authority has no power to tax and does not receive tax money from any local or state governments. Instead, it operates on

11840-409: The World Trade Center. Eighty-four employees, including 37 Port Authority police officers, its executive director, Neil D. Levin , and police superintendent, Fred V. Morrone , died. In rescue efforts following the collapse, two Port Authority police officers, John McLoughlin and Will Jimeno , were pulled out alive after spending nearly 24 hours beneath 30 feet (9.1 m) of rubble. Their rescue

11988-510: The agency's Director of Interstate Capital Projects, making Wildstein the second highest-ranking Christie political appointee among the agency's executives, after Baroni himself. This position had never existed at the Port Authority prior to Wildstein's appointment and had no job description, but drew an annual salary of $ 150,020. The Record 's Shawn Boburg, who wrote a March 2012 profile about Wildstein based on interviews with then-current and past Port Authority colleagues, described Wildstein as

12136-403: The airports into fee-generating facilities, adding stores and restaurants. David Rockefeller , president of Chase Manhattan Bank , envisioned a World Trade Center for lower Manhattan . Realizing that he needed public funding in order to construct the massive project, he approached Tobin. Although many questioned the Port Authority's entry into the real estate market, Tobin saw the project as

12284-415: The attack. The Port Authority was ruled to be negligent. The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 , and the subsequent collapse of the World Trade Center buildings impacted the Port Authority. With the Port Authority's headquarters located in 1 World Trade Center, it became deprived of a base of operations and sustained a great number of casualties. An estimated 1,400 Port Authority employees worked in

12432-462: The bonds were paid off from tolls and fees, not from taxes. It became one of the major agencies of the metropolitan area for large-scale projects. Early bond issues were tied to specific projects, but this changed in 1935 when the Authority issued General and Refunding bonds with a claim on its general revenues. In the early years of the 20th century, there were disputes between the states of New Jersey and New York over rail freights and boundaries. At

12580-465: The city of Fort Lee, New Jersey with New York City and is one of the busiest bridges in the world, is managed by the Port Authority. From September 9 through September 13, 2013, two of the three lanes providing local access to a Fort Lee entrance to the bridge were closed on Wildstein's orders without notification of local government officials, emergency responders, or other Port Authority officials, resulting in massive traffic congestion and delays for

12728-644: The city was having difficulties maintaining the status quo, losing money and unable to undertake needed expansions. The city was looking to hand the airports over to a public authority , possibly to Robert Moses ' Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority . After long negotiations with the City of New York, a 50-year lease, commencing on May 31, 1947, went to the Port Authority of New York to rehabilitate, develop, and operate La Guardia Airport (La Guardia Field), John F. Kennedy International Airport (Idlewild Airport), and Floyd Bennett Field . The Port Authority transformed

12876-605: The community of Fort Lee. Some local officials and political commentators speculated that Wildstein and associates in the Christie administration had ordered the lane closures as political retribution against the Democratic mayor of Fort Lee, or other members of the Democratic Party who represent Fort Lee. In early December 2013, just days before the state legislature was scheduled to begin hearings to investigate

13024-407: The company from 1988 to 2007. In 2000, while still working at the family business, Wildstein secretly founded a New Jersey political news site called PoliticsNJ.com (since renamed PolitickerNJ.com), which he ran with the financial support of his friend New Jersey real estate mogul Jared Kushner , who publishes The New York Observer . Wildstein wrote a blog on New Jersey politics for the site using

13172-585: The conflict between ethnic and American identities. After 1960, memories of the Holocaust , together with the Six-Day War in 1967 had major impacts on fashioning Jewish ethnic identity . Some have argued that the Holocaust highlighted for Jews the importance of their ethnic identity at a time when other minorities were asserting their own. In New York City, while the German-Jewish community

13320-537: The construction of a fourth at Port Jersey underway. The Port Authority operates New York New Jersey Rail, LLC (NYNJ), a switching and terminal railroad operating a car float operation across Upper New York Bay between the Greenville Yard in Jersey City and Brooklyn. The Port Authority operates the following airports: Both Kennedy and LaGuardia airports are owned by the City of New York and leased to

13468-583: The core mission of supporting transportation infrastructure. Major projects by the Port Authority include One World Trade Center and other construction at the World Trade Center site . Other projects include a new passenger terminal at JFK International Airport, and redevelopment of Newark Liberty International Airport's Terminal B, and replacement of the Goethals Bridge. The Port Authority also has plans to buy 340 new PATH cars and begin major expansion of Stewart International Airport. As owner of

13616-427: The delayed arrivals of students and teachers. Two Port Authority officials (who were appointed by Christie and would later resign) claimed that reallocating two of the toll lanes from the local Fort Lee entrance to the major highways was due to a traffic study evaluating "traffic safety patterns" at the bridge, but the executive director of the Port Authority was unaware of a traffic study. As of March 2014 ,

13764-695: The eastern side of the site, including 150 Greenwich Street , 175 Greenwich Street , and 200 Greenwich Street . Also part of the plans was the World Trade Center Transportation Hub , which opened in March 2016 and replaced the temporary PATH station that opened in November 2003. The Port Authority began construction of a new terminal at Newark Airport in June 2017. The new facility will replace Terminal A and will open in 2022. The PATH 's Newark–World Trade Center train route

13912-429: The election cycles and in a more efficient manner. In 1972 it was renamed the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to better reflect its status as a partnership between the two states. Throughout its history, there have been concerns about democratic accountability , or lack thereof at the Port Authority. The Port District is irregularly shaped but comprises a 1,500-square-mile (3,900 km ) area roughly within

14060-410: The elections of 1940, and 1944, representing the highest of support, equaled only once since. In the election of 1948, Jewish support for Democrat Harry S. Truman dropped to 75%, with 15% supporting the new Progressive Party . As a result of lobbying, and hoping to better compete for the Jewish vote, both major party platforms had included a pro-Zionist plank since 1944, and supported the creation of

14208-542: The fact that some of them were denied the right to vote or hold office in local jurisdictions, Sephardi Jews became active in community affairs in the 1790s, after they were granted political equality in the five states where they were most numerous. Until about 1830, Charleston, South Carolina had more Jews than anywhere else in North America . Large-scale Jewish immigration commenced in the 19th century, when, by mid-century, many German Jews had arrived, migrating to

14356-631: The federal-program fraud or wire fraud laws. We therefore reverse the judgment of the Court of Appeals and remand the case for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.” New Jersey Globe was founded by Wildstein in early 2018. It is a news website with original reporting and analysis on New Jersey politics that was founded as part of Sea of Reeds Media. The editor-in-chief is Wildstein. American Jews American Jews or Jewish Americans are American citizens who are Jewish , whether by culture , ethnicity , or religion . According to

14504-455: The first African American to be elected president. Additionally, 83% of white Jews voted for Obama compared to just 34% of white Protestants and 47% of white Catholics, though 67% of those identifying with another religion and 71% identifying with no religion also voted Obama. In the February 2016 New Hampshire Democratic Primary , Bernie Sanders became the first Jewish candidate to win

14652-579: The first time, the English Plantation Act 1740 permitted Jews to become British citizens and emigrate to the colonies . The first famous Jew in US history was Chaim Salomon , a Polish-born Jew who emigrated to New York and played an important role in the American Revolution. He was a successful financier who supported the patriotic cause and helped raise most of the money needed to finance the American Revolution. Despite

14800-541: The formation of new centers, as Jewish school enrollment more than doubled between the end of World War II and the mid-1950s, while synagogue affiliation jumped from 20% in 1930 to 60% in 1960; the fastest growth came in Reform and, especially, Conservative congregations. More recent waves of Jewish emigration from Russia and other regions have largely joined the mainstream American Jewish community. Americans of Jewish descent have been successful in many fields and aspects over

14948-493: The governor's "eyes and ears" at the agency, watching the entire agency, as one informant put it, for "strict adherence to the Christie agenda". Boburg has said Wildstein "made a point to stay in the shadows and be the person directing the show from behind the curtains" and "was known for walking the halls, monitoring other executives." Wildstein "was wildly feared and admired for his work ethic, his intelligence, and his political savvy." The George Washington Bridge , which connects

15096-488: The horrors of the Holocaust. This attention was based on a natural affinity toward and support for Israel in the Jewish community. The attention is also because of the ensuing and unresolved conflicts regarding the founding of Israel and the role for the Zionist movement going forward. A lively internal debate commenced, following the Six-Day War . The American Jewish community was divided over whether or not they agreed with

15244-429: The judge" at their own sentencing. The trial of Baroni and Kelly finally began on September 19, 2016. As part of Wildstein's plea agreement, he testified against both defendants, becoming a "key witness" in the proceeding. During the trial, Wildstein testified that Christie and Baroni were aware of the plan while the closures were taking place. Baroni and Kelly were convicted on all counts on November 14, 2016. Baroni

15392-411: The lane closures, Wildstein announced his resignation, saying he had planned to leave the agency the following year but "the Fort Lee issue has been a distraction, and I think it's better to move on earlier." Under subpoena from the legislature ordering him to produce documents related to the lane closures, Wildstein turned over emails and text messages that showed Christie administration aides discussing

15540-490: The lane closures. In an eight-word email, Christie's deputy chief of staff, Bridget Anne Kelly , wrote to Wildstein in August 2013, "Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee." Wildstein replied "Got it" one minute later. When New York appointees at the Port Authority, who had not been notified that the lanes would be closed, reopened the lanes, Wildstein told Kelly that the Port Authority's chair, also an appointee of Christie,

15688-552: The largest producers of American kosher products and now based in New Jersey , and the oldest continuously published Jewish newspaper in the United States, and second-oldest continuous published in the world, The American Israelite , established in 1854 and still extant in Cincinnati. By 1880 there were approximately 250,000 Jews in the United States, many of them being the educated, and largely secular, German Jews, although

15836-538: The late 19th and early 20th centuries abandoned a racial definition of Jewishness in favor of one that embraced ethnicity. The key to understanding this transition from a racial self-definition to a cultural or ethnic one can be found in the Menorah Journal between 1915 and 1925. During this time contributors to the Menorah promoted a cultural , rather than a racial, religious, or other views of Jewishness as

15984-447: The lease expired in August 2007 but continued to operate it until the next leasee took over. The Authority had operated the other heliports in Manhattan but gave up leases for all of them over the years. The Port Authority manages every crossing between New York City and New Jersey, which include the George Washington Bridge , the Lincoln Tunnel , and the Holland Tunnel , which all connect Manhattan and Northern New Jersey, as well as

16132-414: The members of the agency's Board of Commissioners and retain the right to veto the actions of the commissioners from their own state. Each governor appoints six members to the Board of Commissioners , who are subject to state senate confirmation and serve overlapping six-year terms without pay. An executive director is appointed by the board of commissioners to deal with day-to-day operations and to execute

16280-651: The memorial ready for the 10th anniversary. A former attorney for the PANYNJ who worked on 9/11 related issues is now on the federal bench, Angel Kelley . The Fort Lee lane closure scandal was a US political scandal that concerns New Jersey Governor Chris Christie 's staff and his Port Authority political appointees conspiring to create a traffic jam in Fort Lee, New Jersey as political retribution, and their attempts to cover up these actions and suppress internal and public disclosures. Dedicated toll lanes for one of

16428-755: The mid-20th century, there were American Jews who were among the most active participants in the Civil Rights Movement and feminist movements. A number of American Jews have also been active figures in the struggle for gay rights in America . Joachim Prinz , president of the American Jewish Congress , stated the following when he spoke from the podium at the Lincoln Memorial during the famous March on Washington on August 28, 1963: "As Jews we bring to this great demonstration, in which thousands of us proudly participate,

16576-659: The most liberal programs of the New Deal . They continued as a major element of the New Deal Coalition , giving special support to the Civil Rights Movement . By the mid-1960s, however, the Black Power movement caused a growing separation between blacks and Jews, though both groups remained solidly in the Democratic camp. While earlier Jewish immigrants from Germany tended to be politically conservative ,

16724-546: The number of American Jews at 6.4 million, or approximately 2.1% of the total population. This figure is significantly higher than the previous large scale survey estimate, conducted by the 2000–2001 National Jewish Population estimates, which estimated 5.2 million Jews. A 2007 study released by the Steinhardt Social Research Institute (SSRI) at Brandeis University presents evidence to suggest that both these figures may be underestimations with

16872-488: The other 3 are Republicans. All 10 Jewish Senators are Democrats. Additionally, 6 members of President Joe Biden 's cabinet are Jewish ( Secretary of State Antony Blinken , Attorney General Merrick Garland , DNI Avril Haines , White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain , Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas , and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen ). Members of the American Jewish community have included prominent participants in civil rights movements. In

17020-404: The post- World War II period, the Port Authority expanded its operations to include airports, and marine terminals , with projects including Newark Liberty International Airport and Port Newark-Elizabeth Marine Terminals . Meanwhile, the city-owned La Guardia Field was nearing capacity in 1939 and needed expensive upgrades and expansion. At the time, airports were operated as loss leaders , and

17168-482: The project raised ire from the owner of the Empire State Building , which would lose its title of tallest building in the world. Other critics objected to the idea of this much "subsidized" office space going on the open market, competing with the private sector. Others questioned the cost of the project, which in 1966 had risen to $ 575   million. Final negotiations between The City of New York and

17316-409: The project was canceled in March 2023 after several years of delays. The Port Authority is also planning to redevelop the entirety of John F. Kennedy International Airport, replacing four existing terminals with two new terminals at a cost of $ 11   billion. Roadway access, as well as train capacity on the AirTrain JFK , would be expanded. Under the plan, the first gates would open in 2023, and

17464-595: The pseudonym "Wally Edge", after the former New Jersey Republican governor and US senator Walter Edge . The site published news, political commentary, and rumors based on anonymous tips from government officials and political operatives. Wildstein's true identity as the blog's author was only revealed in 2010 when he was appointed by the Christie administration to work at Port Authority. Several journalists credit Wildstein with having helped launch their careers while they worked at PolitickerNJ.com, including Politico reporter Alex Isenstadt; Boston Globe reporter James Pindell,

17612-428: The public interest. The Harbor Development Commission, a joint advisory board set-up in 1917, recommended that a bi-state authority be established to oversee efficient economic development of the port district. The Port of New York Authority was established on April 30, 1921, through an interstate compact between the states of New Jersey and New York . This was the first such agency in the United States, created under

17760-866: The region, including the Teleport business park on Staten Island , Bathgate Industrial Park in the Bronx , the Industrial Park at Elizabeth, the Essex County Resource Recovery Facility , Newark Legal Center , Queens West in Long Island City , and the South Waterfront in Hoboken . However, by April 2015, the agency was considering divesting itself of the properties to raise revenue and return to

17908-416: The repercussions and controversy surrounding these actions continue to be under investigation by the Port Authority, federal prosecutors, and a New Jersey legislature committee. The Port Authority's chairman, David Samson , who was appointed by Governor Christie, resigned on March 28, 2014, amid allegations of his involvement in the scandal and other controversies. In April 2018, Caren Turner resigned from

18056-541: The revenues it makes from its rents, tolls, fees, and facilities. Meetings of the Board of Commissioners are public. Members of the public may address the Board at these meetings, subject to a prior registration process via email. Public records of the Port Authority may be requested via the Office of the Secretary according to an internal Freedom of Information policy which is intended to be consistent with and similar to

18204-462: The same circles in high school. You know, I was the class president and athlete. I don't know what David was doing during that period of time." Christie and Wildstein were both members of the school's baseball team; Christie was a catcher, Wildstein was the team's statistician. In an interview published in 2014, the team's coach recalled that Wildstein was "a very quiet, unassuming, brilliant kid" with "a brilliant mind for numbers and figures" although not

18352-536: The same day, William E. "Bill" Baroni (then the deputy executive directory of the Port Authority) and Bridget Anne Kelly (then deputy chief of staff to Governor Chris Christie) were indicted on nine counts each in connection with the scandal. Kelly denied any responsibility for the Bridgegate scandal—saying "I am not guilty for the crimes for which I've been accused"—and said: "David Wildstein

18500-551: The same period, great numbers of Ashkenazic Jews also arrived from Galicia , at that time the most impoverished region of the Austro-Hungarian Empire with a heavy Jewish urban population, driven out mainly by economic reasons. Many Jews also emigrated from Romania . Over 2,000,000 Jews landed between the late 19th century and 1924 when the Immigration Act of 1924 restricted immigration. Most settled in

18648-477: The same town or village. American Jewish writers of the time urged assimilation and integration into the wider American culture , and Jews quickly became part of American life. Approximately 500,000 American Jews (or half of all Jewish males between 18 and 50) fought in World War II , and after the war younger families joined the new trend of suburbanization . There, Jews became increasingly assimilated and demonstrated rising intermarriage . The suburbs facilitated

18796-459: The state Freedom of Information policies of both New York and New Jersey. Members of the Board of Commissioners are typically business titans and political power brokers who maintain close relationships with their respective governors. On February 3, 2011, former New Jersey Attorney General David Samson was named the new chairman of the Port Authority by New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. Gov. Christie announced Samson's resignation in March 2016,

18944-619: The systematic mass murder of the Jews in Nazi-occupied countries became publicly known with the liberation of the Nazi concentration camps and extermination camps . The founding of the modern State of Israel in 1948 and recognition thereof by the American government (following objections by American isolationists) was an indication of both its intrinsic support and its response to learning

19092-505: The terminals would be reorganized. The redevelopment is expected to cost $ 7.6   billion in total. Construction started in 2016, and the first part of the new terminal opened in 2021, with completion in 2026. As part of the reconstruction, the AirTrain LGA people mover system was to have been built between the airport and Willets Point, Queens . The AirTrain was supposed to start construction in 2020 and be completed by 2022, but

19240-618: The time, rail lines terminated on the New Jersey side of the harbor, while ocean shipping was centered on Manhattan and Brooklyn. Freight had to be shipped across the Hudson River in barges. In 1916, New Jersey launched a lawsuit against New York over issues of rail freight, with the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) issuing an order that the two states work together, subordinating their own interests to

19388-482: The wave of Jews from Eastern Europe starting in the early 1880s were generally more liberal or left-wing and became the political majority. Many came to America with experience in the socialist, anarchist and communist movements as well as the Labor Bund , emanating from Eastern Europe. Many Jews rose to leadership positions in the early 20th century American labor movement and helped to found unions that played

19536-545: The world after the Tel Aviv metropolitan area in Israel. Several other major cities have large Jewish communities, including Los Angeles , Miami Baltimore , Boston , Chicago , San Francisco and Philadelphia . In many metropolitan areas, the majority of Jewish families live in suburban areas. The Greater Phoenix area was home to about 83,000 Jews in 2002, and has been rapidly growing. The greatest Jewish population on

19684-503: The world's Jews and the New York City metropolitan area itself contains around a quarter of all Jews living in the United States. According to a study published by demographers and sociologists Ira M. Sheskin and Arnold Dashefsky in the American Jewish Yearbook, the distribution of the Jewish population in 2020 was as follows: The New York City metropolitan area is the second-largest Jewish population center in

19832-478: The year before, absent from the ceremonies. In 1986, the Port Authority sold rights to the World Trade Center name for $ 10 to an organization run by an outgoing executive, Guy F. Tozzoli . He in turn made millions of dollars selling the use of the name in up to 28 different states. After the 1993 World Trade Center bombing , the Port Authority was sued by survivors of the attack for negligence in not making security upgrades to known flaws that could have prevented

19980-496: The years. The Jewish community in America has gone from being part of the lower class of society, with numerous employments barred to them, to being a group with a high concentrations in members of the academia and a per capita income higher than the average in the United States. Scholars debate whether the historical experience of Jews in the United States has been such a unique experience as to validate American exceptionalism . Korelitz (1996) shows how American Jews during

20128-412: Was "helping us to retaliate." In an email exchange about fallout over the lane closures between Wildstein and Christie's campaign chief and closest political confidante, Bill Stepien , Wildstein wrote, "It will be a tough November for this little Serbian," apparently referring to Fort Lee's Democratic mayor, Mark Sokolich (who is actually of Croatian , not Serbian , ancestry). Called to testify before

20276-602: Was a passenger. Her case was referred to New Jersey's Ethics Commission. In May 2024, the Authority transferred ownership of the Brooklyn Port Authority Marine Terminal & Red Hook Container Terminal to the City of New York in exchange for ownership of the Howland Hook Marine Terminal on Staten Island. The Port Authority is jointly controlled by the governors of New York and New Jersey , who appoint

20424-524: Was elected as the House Minority Whip , the first Jewish Republican to be selected for the position. In 2011, he became the first Jewish House Majority Leader . He served as Majority Leader until 2014, when he resigned shortly after his loss in the Republican primary election for his House seat. In 2013, Pew found that 70% of American Jews identified with or leaned toward the Democratic Party , with just 22% identifying with or leaning toward

20572-522: Was involved. Justice Elena Kagan wrote, in the court's opinion: “For no reason other than political payback, Baroni and Kelly used deception to reduce Fort Lee’s access lanes to the George Washington Bridge—and thereby jeopardized the safety of the town’s residents. But not every corrupt act by state or local officials is a federal crime. Because the scheme here did not aim to obtain money or property, Baroni and Kelly could not have violated

20720-414: Was later portrayed in the 2006 Oliver Stone film World Trade Center . Future Executive Director Christopher O. Ward was at the World Trade Center on 9/11, and is a survivor of the attack. Ward was Chief of External Affairs & Director of Port Development under Neil Levin at the time. As the executive director from 2008 to 2011, he is credited with turning around Ground Zero construction and having

20868-525: Was opened in 1927, with some planning and construction pre-dating the Port Authority. With the rise in automobile traffic, there was demand for more Hudson River crossings. Using its ability to issue bonds and collect revenue, the Port Authority has built and managed major infrastructure projects. Early projects included bridges across the Arthur Kill , which separates Staten Island from New Jersey. The Goethals Bridge , named after chief engineer of

21016-471: Was originally scheduled for August 2015, but it was delayed until after the trial of Baroni and Kelly, who had pleaded not guilty. According to the Bergen County Record , "Federal prosecutors routinely postpone sentencing of government cooperators who have pleaded guilty until after the trial for which they are a potential witness so that the extent of their cooperation may be considered by

21164-570: Was published in the local newspaper. They later issued a joint statement describing the episode as a misunderstanding. After graduating from high school, Wildstein attended college in Washington, D.C., working on a presidential campaign and as a political consultant while a student. He served as executive director of the New Jersey Legislature's Legislative Caucus on Israel to deal with Jewish-related foreign policy, according to

21312-492: Was sentenced to 2 years in prison and Kelly to 18 months, with both maintaining their innocence and stating their intention to appeal. Wildstein, who had been facing a potential of 21 to 27 months in federal prison, was sentenced to three years of probation on July 12, 2017. Baroni and Kelly later appealed their convictions to the US Supreme Court, which unanimously overturned their conviction of fraud since no money

21460-529: Was the only Jewish American who was newly elected to the 112th Congress; he had been the Mayor of Providence . The number declined when Jane Harman , Anthony Weiner , and Gabby Giffords resigned during the 112th Congress. As of January 2014 , there were five openly gay men serving in Congress, and two are Jewish: Jared Polis of Colorado and David Cicilline of Rhode Island. In November 2008, Cantor

21608-418: Was the only solution to the persecution and the genocide which were then occurring across Europe. One important development was the sudden conversion of many American Jewish leaders to Zionism late in the war. The Holocaust was largely ignored by American media as it was happening. Reporters and editors largely did not believe the stories of atrocities which were coming out of Europe. The Holocaust had

21756-439: Was very outspoken on some issues, including his opposition to low-income housing in Livingston, which he said was wasting the county government's money. After placing poorly in a primary election, he vowed to stay out of local politics in the future. He began working as a top executive in the family's Georgia-based textile manufacturing business, Apache Mills, one of the country's largest floor mat manufacturers. Wildstein worked at

21904-492: Was well established 'uptown', the more numerous Jews who migrated from Eastern Europe faced tension 'downtown' with Irish and German Catholic neighbors, especially the Irish Catholics who controlled Democratic Party politics at the time . Jews successfully established themselves in the garment trades and in the needle unions in New York. By the 1930s they were a major political factor in New York, with strong support for

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