Rabbis For Obama Launch Election Campaign For Jewish Vote

Rabbis For Obama Targets Jewish Vote
US President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama watch as Susan Retik (2nd L) and her daughter Molly (L) light a Menorah on the second night of Hanukkah during a Hanukkah reception in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, December 2, 2010. The Menorah, loaned from Congregation Beth Israel in New Orleans, was discovered after Hurricane Katrina by cleanup crews covered in mold, filth and sewage. Retik's husband David was killed in the September 11, 2001 attacks. AFP PHOTO / Saul LOEB (Photo credit should read SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images)
US President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama watch as Susan Retik (2nd L) and her daughter Molly (L) light a Menorah on the second night of Hanukkah during a Hanukkah reception in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, December 2, 2010. The Menorah, loaned from Congregation Beth Israel in New Orleans, was discovered after Hurricane Katrina by cleanup crews covered in mold, filth and sewage. Retik's husband David was killed in the September 11, 2001 attacks. AFP PHOTO / Saul LOEB (Photo credit should read SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images)

Obama's election campaigned launched Rabbis For Obama with a group of 613 Rabbis pledging their support from around the country, over twice the number of Rabbis who joined the Obama campaign in 2008.

According to the website, Rabbis For Obama believe that the President has been an 'advocate for issues important to the Jewish community.'

"The endorsement of President Obama by the Rabbis "speaks volumes about the President’s deep commitment to the security of the state of Israel and his dedication to a policy agenda that represents the values of the overwhelming majority of the American Jewish community," claims Ira Forman, Jewish Outreach Director for the campaign.

The question of Obama's support for Israel is a point of contention in some Jewish circles; and a recent poll shows that more Israeli Jews believe that Romney is more concerned with Israeli's interests than Obama by a 2:1 ratio.

Still, the Rabbis have a good chance of helping Obama secure the Jewish vote. In 2008, Obama received close to 80% of the Jewish vote compared with McCain's 21%. A Gallup poll in late July gave Obama a 68% to 25% lead over Romney.

At this point there are no similar groups such as Priests, Reverends, Gurus or Imams for Obama and no corresponding group Rabbis For Romney.

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