Behind the Bima

America's First Orthodox Jewish Female Mayor: Michele Weiss

Episode Summary

Michele Weiss, Mayor-Elect of University Heights, Ohio, joins Rabbi Efrem Goldberg for a thoughtful conversation about leadership, Jewish identity, and public responsibility in challenging times. From running for office as a Jewish woman to confronting antisemitism at the local level, this episode explores why courage in leadership often begins closest to home.

Episode Notes

In this episode of Behind the Bima, Rabbi Efrem Goldberg speaks with Michele Weiss, Mayor-Elect of University Heights, Ohio, about leadership, Jewish responsibility, and what it means to step forward at a moment when many feel pressure to step back.

This season of Behind the Bima is sponsored by Julie Charlestein & Darryl Benjamin in honor of their grandparents, Morton & Malvina Charlestein, and their children, Ruby and Maccabi Benjamin.

Michele shares her personal journey into public service, the challenges of running for office as a visibly Jewish candidate, and the realities of leading a community during a time of rising antisemitism and civic tension. The conversation explores how Jewish values shape leadership, the responsibility of local government, and why courage at the municipal level matters more than most people realize.

Together, they discuss:

• What motivated her to run — and what almost stopped her
• Leading with integrity in a polarized environment
• The role of Jewish identity in public service
• Antisemitism at the local level — and how leaders respond
• Why local leadership often carries the greatest moral weight
• Building trust across communities
• What this moment demands from Jewish leaders

This is a grounded, human conversation about responsibility, courage, and leadership where it matters most... close to home.