‘Matchless champion of the Jewish people’: Israeli, US officials mourn Joe Lieberman
Allies and opponents pay tribute to the former Connecticut senator, whose career in public service blazed a path for religious Jews in American politics
Israeli officials joined their US counterparts in paying tribute to longtime US senator and first Jewish vice presidential nominee Joseph Lieberman, who passed away on Wednesday at the age of 82.
Lieberman was an “exemplary public servant, an American patriot and a matchless champion of the Jewish people and the Jewish state,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement.
“In my very first meeting with him decades ago, I was struck by his integrity, decency and civic courage,” Netanyahu added. “He had a deep moral sense and common sense and was fearless in the defense of truth. He was also an extraordinarily kind and loyal personal friend.”
Eulogizing the former senator, President Isaac Herzog said he was a “dear friend” and that he had “relied frequently on his wise council.”
“Joe was a great statesman, a true patriot, and a steadfast friend to the people of Israel. His legacy will be one of dedication to duty, and devotion to his country, his faith, his people, and his family,” Herzog added.
Likud lawmaker and former ambassador to the UN Danny Danon said in a statement that Lieberman “will be remembered as the trailblazing first Orthodox Jewish senator, embodying a commitment to truth and a deep passion for Zionism.”
In one of his last interviews released just last week, Lieberman heavily criticized US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer for the speech he gave on the Senate floor calling for early elections in Israel.
Calling the speech “outrageous,” Lieberman accused Schumer of “crossing a diplomatic red line,” and dismissed the speech as “a case of a high elected official in the US taking advantage of a friend.”
In spite of the public disagreement with his former colleague, Schumer said on Wednesday evening that he was “devastated” to hear of Lieberman’s passing.
“My heart is with his beloved wife Hadassah and his family, and I am praying for all who knew and loved him,” wrote Schumer.
Also setting disagreements to the side, former US president Barack Obama said that while he didn’t “always see eye-to-eye” with the Connecticut senator, he had an “extraordinary career in public service.”
Even when the politics were difficult, Lieberman “stuck to his principles because he knew it was the right thing to do,” Obama added.
Former US vice president Al Gore, who picked Lieberman as his running mate in the 2000 presidential elections, eulogized him as a “man of deep integrity who dedicated his life to serving his country.”
I am profoundly saddened by the loss of Joe Lieberman. First and foremost, he was a man of devout faith and dedication to his family. My heart goes out to Hadassah, Hana, Matt, Rebecca, Ethan, his sisters, and all those grieving his loss.
Joe was a man of deep integrity who…
— Al Gore (@algore) March 28, 2024
Gore’s opponent and the winner of the 2000 elections, former president George W. Bush, said that “in both loss and victory, Joe Lieberman was always a gentleman.”
As an observant Jew, Lieberman was seen by many as a trailblazer for American Jews.
Throughout his long career, Lieberman “set the standard for observant Jews to serve our nation in a principled and dignified manner,” former US ambassador to Israel David Friedman said.
The impact of Lieberman’s dedication to both his career and his Judaism stretched beyond the political realm.
“When I began pursuing my collegiate and professional basketball dreams knowing that I wouldn’t play on the Jewish Sabbath, I looked up to Senator Joe Lieberman as a mentor,” wrote American Jewish basketball player Tamir Goodman.
RIP Senator @JoeLieberman
When I began pursuing my collegiate and professional basketball dreams knowing that I wouldn't play on the Jewish Sabbath, I looked up to Senator Joe Lieberman as a mentor knowing that he was a Sabbath observant senator.
I will miss him very much ???? pic.twitter.com/9j9XAV3o64— Tamir Goodman (@TamirGoodman) March 28, 2024
