B"H

To the Honorable Ted Kulongoski,

Being brought up in a Chassidic home and educational system much emphasis was placed on stories of Chassidic masters and righteous people.

Along with those stories we often heard of kings and princes who went out among the people to live and experience their lives to have a better understanding of the subjects they were ruling over.

In the education and upbringing of a future king it was incumbent upon him to spend months and maybe years among different types and classes of citizens in the kingdom to get a true feeling and understanding of the people, of their wants and needs and aspirations.

At times the king would go out amongst the people just to hear what was being said about his reign. This was sometimes done in judgment, but often this was done to see how they can improve the job they do as king.

Likewise, the Talmud tells us that a successful leader had to be independently wealthy to give him full independence so he wouldn't be beholden to anyone, not their ministers or their subjects.

It is this paradox of understanding the poor and living among the rich, of being sensitive to those in need while experiencing plenty that brought a person to the highest level of leadership. 

Governor Kulongoski, your gesture last week of buying and living on the $42.00 worth of food that you and your wife, Mary, would be eligible for if you had to apply for food stamps, demonstrated that you have that special quality of being knowledgeable and sensitive to the poor and needy when you go back to the governor's mansion and the privileges extended to you by the state of Oregon.

It is this understanding that gives you the ability to lead and govern an entire state.

May I be as bold as to suggest that this understanding of the plain folk will not only suit you well in your present role of leadership, but will serve you well perhaps in a greater position - as a leader of this country.

Respectfully,

Shea Hecht

Rabbi Shea Hecht
824 Eastern Parkway
Brooklyn, NY 11213