Orthodox Jew in New Hampshire Legislature

Jew that Refuses to Shake Hands with Women is Elected to Legislature Thanks to Women's Club Votes
By JULIE MASIS

Special to The Manchester NH Union Leader

Windham – A young man who does not shake hands with women was recently elected to the New Hampshire state Legislature, and the support of several members of the Salem Women's Club was instrumental in his victory at the polls.

"My faith out of respect for women does not allow contact between unrelated men and women," said Rep. Jason Bedrick, 23, R-Windham. He said he explains this on a daily basis to female colleagues who reach out their hands to him.

Usually, that's the end of the conversation, he says, but sometimes, when he senses the woman isn't convinced, he adds: "If every man in the world were to keep his hands to himself, would it be a better world for women or a worse world for women?"

Bedrick is the first Orthodox Jew to be elected in New Hampshire, a state that is home to fewer than 10 Orthodox Jewish families and where Jewish people account for 1 percent of the population.

Rep. Jason Bedrick brought his own lunch to Tuesday’s legislative session because kosher food is not available in Concord.

Orthodox Jews strictly observe the Sabbath, refraining from all work from Friday evening to Saturday evening, and keep Jewish dietary laws. Orthodox men also will not touch a woman's hand unless the woman is a family member, considering the act of touch between opposite sexes as something holy.

Black-bearded, Bedrick never takes off his yarmulke and usually politely declines whenever a fellow legislator asks him whether he'd like to grab a bite to eat, since most New Hampshire restaurants do not carry kosher food.

Taking oaths is also forbidden. As a result, during Wednesday's swearing-in ceremony in Concord, Bedrick will substitute the words "I affirm" for "I swear."

Almost 4,500 Windham and Salem voters put their support behind Bedrick on election day, even though he missed several campaign events because they took place during the Sabbath. In the end, every ballot counted because he beat his opponent by six votes after a recount. He said he believes the support he received from the Salem Women's Club really made a difference.

Barbara Elliot, co-president of the club, and several of her female friends voted for Bedrick after he wrote them an e-mail explaining why he does not shake hands with women.

"After they read this, my girlfriends understood it was not because he did not like women. It was because of his religion. They changed their mind and they voted for him," Elliot said, adding she would be proud to have Bedrick as a son. "I definitely got him his five votes there."

Jason Bedrick attended Babson College, majoring in business administration.
He studied Torah in yeshiva Hadar Hatorah in Crown Heights, Brooklyn.
Bedrick works as a salesman part time, and intends to enroll in law school. He also serves as gabbai of the Wellesley Weston Chabad-Lubavitch synagogue, in Wellesley, Massachusetts.