(New York Jewish Week) — With victories in Tuesday’s Democratic primaries by Rep. Jerry Nadler and attorney Dan Goldman, the obituaries for New York City’s “Last Remaining Jewish Congressman” may have turned out to be premature.

Jewish representation in the New York delegation to the House of Representatives is still a fraction of what it was even two decades ago. National outlets noted the dearth of “Jewish seats,” and Nadler made identity politics part of his campaign, telling voters that New York without a Jewish member of Congress would be “unthinkable for a city that is home to more Jewish people than anywhere in the world outside Israel.”

But political observers told the New York Jewish Week that a Jewish candidate representing Jewish interests may no longer be important in a changing city — and especially to a diverse Jewish community that might not even agree on what those Jewish interests are.

“Just because somebody is Jewish does not mean that they are aligned with our values and priorities,” said Matt Nosanchuk, the president of New York Jewish Agenda, a progressive group that does not endorse candidates. “There are certainly many differences between NYJA’s values and those of the current Republican nominee for governor.”

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