Jared Littmann has held many titles, and he’s been successful in all of them: city councilor, engineer, lawyer and business owner, as well as volunteer. However, as of last week, the proudly Jewish Annapolis resident can add another to the list: mayor-elect of Maryland’s capital city.
“Having served on the city council, I know how our government works. I have a lot of relationships with people, and as a community business owner, I’ve been engaged for the last two decades,” he said in a Baltimore Jewish Times interview a few days after his Nov. 4 election victory. “I’ve built a lot of trust and respect from other people and felt like I could serve the community in this way. This was a great opportunity to do it.”
It’s not easy being Jewish in the current political climate, and when the spotlight is on you, it’s even harder. Littmann, a Democrat, said he hasn’t experienced antisemitism to “his face,” but said he knows about antisemitic memes that have circulated about him and his campaign on Facebook, as well as questions leveled at him regarding the Israel-Hamas conflict.
“Some people are good in their intentions and are trying to be concerned about the Gazans that were victims of that war and expressed sentiments about Israel that they perhaps didn’t think of as antisemitic, but that I took as antisemitic,” Littmann said. “I was also asked about my opinions on Gaza and Israel only a couple of times while door-knocking, and I generally don’t look to have those conversations because it’s not something I could impact [as mayor].”
Littmann is as Annapolis as one can get: when he goes to services, it’s at the Naval Academy Synagogue. His business, K&B Ace Hardware (formerly K&B True Value), is a hub for activity for Annapolitans of all backgrounds. This dynamic has helped Littmann grow closer to the community since he and his wife bought the store from Littmann’s wife’s parents in 2007.
“Our store sees all of Annapolis. It’s a wonderful thing. People show up in their workout clothes and their project clothes, and it’s egalitarian in that sense,” he said. “Everybody has the same projects at their house, whether they’re unclogging a toilet, painting a house or fixing their garden. We all need a little help, and I love the fact that our hardware store is known as a problem solver.”
Littmann said that, while the previous administration under Mayor Gavin Buckley was known for its willingness to try new things, he thinks that during his four-year term he’ll focus on improving what Annapolis already has.
“People want to feel like residents come first,” he said. “Economic development is important to a city’s lifecycle, but [some residents] don’t feel like they were heard. I think people are looking for a reset of spending.”
In the midst of the federal government shutdown and with a potential recession looming, Littmann is ready to help navigate the city through tough times. Some of his leadership traits, he said, are rooted in Jewish values. He also cited President John F. Kennedy’s famous quote — “ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country” — but said he’s inspired by the ideals he learned as a young Jew.
“I think it’s a value shared by Jews of how you can serve the greater good. It’s a feeling that we all have abilities to make the community better. For some people, it’s serving on the PTA, and other people, it’s protesting. Those aren’t things I’ve done so strongly. I am more of a problem solver and fixer, so for me, getting involved in the hard work of either passing legislation, working with the City Council or working on a budget, and making sure people are heard and asked for input … is what I’m good at,” Littmann said.
Littmann’s campaign had the endorsement of another important figure in Annapolis politics, who also happens to have a Jewish background: Josh Cohen, mayor of the city from 2009-2013.
Littmann’s campaign office is right next to his own hardware store, and among scattered signs and buttons you can find the next mayor of Annapolis working hard at a job he doesn’t technically begin until Dec. 1. He is proud of his past work, excited for the future, and proud to be Jewish.
“It is absolutely part of my identity,” he said. “I’m always looking for ways to improve and do better.”
