Haaretz: ‘Competence and Experience’: U.S. Jewish Groups Thrilled by Biden’s Cabinet Picks

By Danielle Ziri

Halie Soifer, executive director of the Jewish Democratic Council of America, said that more than the cabinet picks being Jewish, their “experience and competence is really what is most important.”

She cited the example of President Donald Trump’s senior policy adviser, Stephen Miller – who is largely seen as the architect of the outgoing administration’s immigration policy of family separation at the southern border – as a sign that being Jewish isn’t in and of itself the important factor. “Stephen Miller is Jewish and he has been an ally of white nationalists, so the religion one is born into is not an indicator that they necessarily share our values,” she said.

“We’re just thrilled that these are competent, experienced, values-driven leaders, and that the entirety of the cabinet so far and all of the nominees really represent the diversity that is our strength,” Soifer told Haaretz. “They look like America.”

She added: “That’s a stark contrast from the chaos and inexperience that we’ve seen in the past four years.”