By Rachel Gross
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 2. Nine local Jewish candidates shared their thoughts about Judaism and the upcoming election with the TJP. Other local Jewish candidates are, Marty Lowy, Larry Mitchell, and George White.
Larry Praeger
Candidate for justice of the 5th District Court of Appeals Place 2; www.praegerforjustice.com
How does being Jewish influence your role on the bench?
I have a good understanding of our constitution and I can appreciate the separation of church and state issues and have an appreciation of how the constitution was written the way it was for the first amendment. I have an appreciation for the need of fairness and trails.
How do Jewish values or ethics play a role in your decisions?
Need to be based on the law but a great portion of our law is based on Jewish values, fairness, charity, things of that nature. I take that with me each day.
Why are you passionate about the law?
In my legal career, I’ve been a state prosecutor, and I have an appreciation for the need of fair trails. Only someone who has represented individuals like I have can get an appreciation of our system of trials. I have experienced it from all different sides: criminal and civil cases. Fairness of trials is a big issue to me, and that’s partly why I’m running.
What do you want TJP readers to know about you?
I want readers to know that I understand issues facing all people. I have a desire to make sure our government and trials are conducted fairly and without bias and prejudice. I’ve never run for anything before and I believe people should vote for me because I’m fair.
Judge Mark Greenberg 
Running for re-election of County Court at Law 5; www.judgegreenberg.com
How does being Jewish influence your role on the bench?
I grew up in Galveston. Both my father and mother were first generation Americans and my grandparents immigrated from Eastern Europe. When I think of my own family and the Jewish community of my youth, I think of good people, with a strong work ethic, who valued family, education and community…Those are values that I try to bring to my courtroom each day.
How do Jewish values or ethics play a role in your decisions?
One of my favorite Bible verses comes from the prophet Micah who taught us to “do justice and to love goodness, and to walk modestly with your God.” Justice, goodness, modesty—I believe that is a good formula for a civil justice system.
What do you want to share with TJP readers?
I hope to create an atmosphere in my courtroom that is conducive to zealous advocacy while maintaining the dignity of the judicial process. To achieve that, I must be a skilled listener (listening is a skill that improves with use) who is patient and knowledgeable about the law, so that regardless of whether parties win or lose, they feel they had their day in court and that my ruling was informed, impartial, and based on the evidence and controlling law.
Bruce Kaye
Candidate for Justice of the Peace, Precinct 3, Place 3; http://www.dallasdemocrats.org/content/bruce-kaye
How does being Jewish influence your role on the bench?
Justices of the Peace can marry people, especially for interfaith couples where one side doesn’t want to convert. They may have difficulty finding people to marry them and I can bridge the gap for those people. I will have great respect for people who enter the courtroom.
What Jewish values or ethics play a part in your verdicts?
I’ve been a lawyer for 17 years and do litigation, criminal, civil and entertainment law. Our whole legal system is built on the Judeo- Christian value system where you are given a code and follow it, where you can rule on the law.
Why are you passionate about the law?
In elementary school, I always defended kids if they did something wrong. I have a passion for getting to the truth and for those who are in situations where they need a mouthpiece to speak for them.
What do you want to share with TJP readers?
People need to vote and shouldn’t complain about things and not do anything about it. Voting is the only way to affect change and I want to do that on a local level. I want to make all schools in the area use the court for mock trial and other ways to get kids over to see how system works.
Judge Jeff Rosenfield
Running for re-election of the Dallas Country Criminal Court of Appeals 2; www.judgerosenfield.com
How does being Jewish influence your role on the bench?
I believe in God’s laws and try to follow them as best I can. I try to strictly follow the Ten Commandments and think about them as I live my life. Part of my life is being a judge, so God’s laws are always on my mind.
What Jewish values or ethics play a part in your verdicts or decisions?
Treating all people fairly, humanely, compassionately yet firm and definitely impartial. Trying to be patient with all those involved in the system.
Why are you passionate about the law?
The law has always been interesting to me. It is elastic and always evolving. It is challenging and since I am a competitive person, it satisfies my desire to be challenged or competitive.
What do you want to share with TJP readers?
It is a great privilege and honor to serve all the citizens of Dallas county. I take my job seriously and work hard at making this court fair, impartial, efficient, professional and non-intimidating. We have had four years of success in this court and I ask for your vote to allow me to continue to serve you in this capacity.
Judge Carl Ginsberg
Running for re-election for the 193rd District Court; www.ginsbergforjudge.com
How does being Jewish influence your role on the bench?
Part of being a judge is making decisions, which, though they adhere to the law, may be unpopular according to the politics of the day. As a Jew, I can identify with doing the right thing, though it may not always be popular with large segments of the community.
What Jewish values or ethics play a part in your verdicts?
Tzedek Tzedek Tirdoff (Justice, Justice Shall you pursue – Deut 16:20)
Why are you passionate about the law?
My first legal job after school was to clerk for an Appellate Justice, who had a sign on her door, which read, “Justice, Equality, Freedom – without lawyers, these are just words.” Without passionate, committed lawyers protecting our democratic values, there would be little to separate us from a police state or a plutocracy.
What do you want to share with TJP readers?
In a participatory democracy, everyone must contribute in some way to the administration of government, which, for most people, means, at least, voting and serving on juries. Therefore, please vote this November 2, and please answer your jury summons when you receive it.
Judge Emily G. Tobolowsky
Running for re-election of the 298th Civil District Court Dallas County; www.judgetobolowsky.com
How does being Jewish influence your role on the bench?
Being Jewish has instilled in me a strong sense of justice and fairness. I try to be mindful that every case, large or small, is important to the parties involved, and I endeavor to treat all who appear before me with dignity and respect.
What Jewish values or ethics play a part in your verdicts?
While verdicts are technically reached by a jury as opposed to a judge, when I render judgments, I am likely to be as compassionate and ethical as I can while applying the law to the facts.
Why are you passionate about the law?
Because it is, at its core, Jewish. I consider being a lawyer and judge a vehicle for bringing more goodness into the world.
What do you want to share with TJP voters?
I would like readers to know that I strive on a daily basis to be the best judge I know how to be, and that I ask for their votes because I work hard, I have 30 years of experience in the law, and because I am fair.
John Goren
Candidate for County Court at Law No. 3; www.johngoren.com
How does being Jewish influence your role on the bench?
It would be my duty to follow the law regardless of my personal opinion. Nevertheless, I would anticipate that, as with any judge because we are human beings, my upbringing, culture and experiences naturally would affect how I would view matters in subtle ways.
What Jewish values or ethics play a part in your verdicts or decisions?
My values are those transmitted to me by my Jewish parents and grandparents as well as those absorbed through my long membership at Temple Emanu-El. While all judges are tasked with applying the law to the facts at hand, I undoubtedly look at the matters through my own Jewish lens. A surprising amount of the law in our country emanates from the Bible, and many rules for how judges should conduct themselves are as relevant today as they were in Biblical times.
What do you want to share with TJP readers?
My desire to serve as a judge emanates from my family’s strong tradition of community service. My father, Jack Goren, was president of the Dallas Chapter of the AJC and a national vice president of the AJC as well as president of several other organizations. My mother, Leah Goren, was the first director of the Dallas Ballet. This tradition has led me to be active in my community. I am a past Director of the AJC Dallas Chapter and former member of the Worship Committee of Temple Emanu-El.
Bonnie Lee Goldstein
Candidate for justice, Place 4 of the 5th District Court of Appeals; www.bonnielessforjustice.com
How does being Jewish influence your role on the bench?
Being Jewish is an integral part of how I grew up. I was fortunate to experience many types of religions and being exposed to both Judaism and Christianity in non-threatening ways, and it helped shaped me in being accepting and tolerant.
How do Jewish values or ethics play a role in your decisions?
It’s how I approach both being an attorney and a judge. I look at things honestly and impartially. Judaism has a strong ethic when it approaches how you view the legal system, the courts, fairness and impartiality.
What do you want to share with TJP readers?
This has been the most amazing, rewarding and challenging experience. I’ve been a practicing lawyer for 20 years and haven’t been outside my comfort zone for about 15. I have been able to go places and meet people I may not have otherwise met, from all walks of life and religions.The exposure I’ve had makes me qualified to sit as a justice because I have the civil and criminal background. That will help me be an appellate justice because I have had exposure and experience in many facets on the law. I believe I can utilize all of that. I chose the right career and the path is now taking me in this direction.
State Senator Florence Shapiro
Running for re-election of District 8; http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/senate/members/dist8/dist8.htm
Every elected official brings his or her life’s experience with them to their office and mine is no different. I find my Jewish values and history play a part in all my decisions. Integrity and hard work are a hallmark of my value system.
I am most passionate about our children and their future. All children deserve to be safe and to be educated and I have worked toward this end my entire political career.
My years of service as a volunteer lead me into the sphere of politics many years ago and I believe I am a public servant today still as a volunteer.