Jaynie Levinson — Connecting Jewish Young Adults
An Interview with Councilman P.G. Sittenfeld
Sammy: There were 36 people from 24 countries worldwide under the age of 40 who convened in Israel recently for a diplomatic seminar in Israel amid the country’s conflict against Hamas militants in the Gaza strip. What are some factors that drive young leaders to passionately get involved with such an important cause?
P.G.: One of the high-level Israeli security officials our group spoke with told us “If you don’t tend to the Middle East, it comes back to bite you in tender places.” I think those of us on the diplomatic trip, myself included, are motivated by two primary goals: First, we want to make sure that as a thriving, vibrant, democratic state, Israel is well positioned to defend itself. Second, we want there to be greater stability and less volatility for the whole region, so that all people who seek safety, access to education, and the ability to provide for their family can have the basic opportunity to pursue a meaningful life. In short, my motivating passion is to shape for the better what kind of world we live in, and help it be a world not of terror, but instead one of opportunity.
S: Did this experience hit a chord with you in particular, given your Jewish heritage?
P.G.: It’s impossible to be in Israel and not think about what the country means to the Jewish people, and how we are all tied to this history. Visiting the Western Wall; experiencing the innovation coming out of Technion University; feeling the vibrancy on the streets of Tel Aviv – all of this forged a deeper bond for me with this incredible country.
S: What was your biggest takeaway from this experience?
P.G.: As much as the trip made me think about Israel and the Middle East, it also made me think about America and our role in the world. I believe we have a responsibility to continue to lead in the world; to use our unique position to help more people achieve more freedom, greater economic empowerment, and fewer violations of their human rights. Because if we abdicate this responsibility, who will fill that vacuum?
S: What would you advise other young professionals and those interested in Human Rights Activism and international affairs to do to get more involved?
P.G.: The first thing is to simply stay informed. Read newspapers and magazines with good coverage of foreign affairs. Second, engage with a community that’s engaged in these issues. Put yourself in venues where you can learn from your peers, and also surround yourself with thoughtful people whose views are not the same as your own. Lastly – as with any cause you genuinely care about – put your time, resources, energy, and advocacy where your heart is. And here’s one more possibility for a smaller pool of people: if you feel called to do so, even consider a career with the State Department, or in International Security/Intelligence, or with an NGO that works on these issues. The need for good people in these fields has never been more urgent.
S: Were there any bits of wisdom you gathered from your meetings with leaders from the Israeli Military, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Supreme Court, as well as Israeli business leaders, that local residents can use to empower themselves and our community?
P.G.: The situation in the Middle East is about as complicated, challenging and intractable as any situation in the world. Most of the high-level Israeli government officials we met with said as much. I think the wisdom we can apply to our daily lives is that we can’t let complicated, challenging situations leave us feeling paralyzed or give us an excuse to remain on the sidelines. After careful study and thoughtful consideration, we must still live lives of purposeful action.
About P.G. Sittenfeld:
PG Sittenfeld is a proud native Cincinnatian, a current Cincinnati City Councilman, and the City’s top vote-getter. P.G. is the Chair of Council’s Education & Entrepreneurship Committee.
PG became the youngest person ever elected to Cincinnati City Council in his first run for public office in 2011, finishing 2nd out of 23 candidates in an at-large field race. PG won re-election to his city-wide seat in 2013, earning a higher percentage of the vote and winning by a larger margin than any candidate in Cincinnati City Council history. Earlier this year, NBC’s Chuck Todd named PG one of four “Rising Stars” in Ohio politics.
PG graduated from Princeton University magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, and was awarded a Marshall Scholarship for graduate study at Oxford University.
Following his studies, PG returned to Cincinnati to become the Assistant Director of the Community Learning Center Institute, helping guide a $1 billion school facilities master plan. In this role, PG turned Cincinnati schools — otherwise unused in the afternoons and evenings – into neighborhood hubs offering health, educational, and recreational opportunities for students, families and the surrounding community. This work has received numerous national awards and recognition for its impact combating poverty, revitalizing neighborhoods, and accelerating student achievement.
PG is an active community volunteer, including serving as a board member of the Jewish Community Relations Council and Freestore Foodbank; he hosts the weekly current affairs radio show “Talk of the Town with P.G. Sittenfeld”; and has written for The New York Times, Time Magazine, and The Huffington Post. Connect with him on Twitter at @PGSittenfeld or Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pg.sittenfeld
