Describe an ethical dilemma that you faced and how it was resolved.

At the start of the Lebanon-Israel war this summer, the Legislative Director in our office presented for my approval a statement regarding the conflict in our boss, Congressman Higgins’ name to be entered into the Congressional Record in the House of Representatives. The statement was one-sided and unbalanced, reflecting unequivocal support for Israel. It mirrored an email I had received earlier in the day from a pro-Israel lobbying group, and was also similar to the thoughts of an influential pro-Israel supporter and donor to my boss. I faced the difficult dilemma of either submitting the words as they stood, without acknowledging the people suffering on the other side of the conflict, or balancing out the statement to reflect empathy for both parties, while risking the alienation of our crucial pro-Israel donors.

The dilemma was further complicated because of my own Orthodox Jewish background. Members of my community expect and assume that my actions and words regarding Israel will be in line with their political views, and before an important Israel-related vote in the House, I am bombarded by phone calls from people in my community who are concerned about what my boss will say or how he will vote. This makes what needs to be an intellectual, thoughtful, and impartial decision fraught with personal pressure. My struggle is to stay above the fray and outside forces that descend while maintaining my position and standing in the Orthodox Jewish world, which is of utmost importance to me.

I decided to rework the Israel-Lebanon statement, much to the consternation of my colleague. The final product was a balancing act, acknowledging shared suffering and empathizing with both sides. Despite my community and their issues, I maintained a line of impartiality and decided to do the judicious thing for my boss and for our constituency. Forging this honest approach was necessary and right but not easy. The actions of other people to try and influence what I did—whether through money or threat of personal standing—were very real and will always be at the forefront of my political career. I plan to continue pursuing the impartial, objective stance I have forged for myself, while acknowledging that I may not ingratiate myself to every competing influence. As my professional reach grows, I will continue to rely on my ethical instincts and moral compass, as this will certainly not be my last challenge.