At a Meet the Candidates for Baltimore County Executive forum hosted by the Baltimore County Muslim Council in early April, moderator Sharif Silmi asked the five candidates participating in the panel, if elected, would they “commit to ending Baltimore County’s institutional and financial support for the Maryland Israel Development Center (MIDC), so long as its partners are materially complicit in the human rights abuses documented in Gaza.”
Of the five candidates in attendance, Democratic candidates Pat Young, Julian Jones and Nick Stewart raised their hands. Democratic candidate Izzy Patoka and Republican candidate Kimberley Stansbury did not.
As the race for Baltimore’s open county executive seat enters the homestretch, there are many issues on the top of voters’ minds. For the Jewish community in Baltimore, conversations often center around Israel, antisemitism and security.
Izzy Patoka
Izzy Patoka is one of three Baltimore County Council members running and the only one who identifies as Jewish.
“I represent the largest Jewish area in Baltimore County. My parents were both Holocaust survivors and … part of my identity is being the son of Holocaust survivors,” Patoka said in an interview with Baltimore Jewish Times. “I’m the only Jewish local elected official, and so it’s important to me to make sure that the things that are important to our community are addressed by local government.”
Patoka said that if elected, he will continue to grow his relationship with the Baltimore County Police Department.
“I make sure that we have heightened … police patrols in our area, in the Jewish areas, especially during the High Holidays and other holidays,” he said. “When something happens globally or in this country that [is] an attack on a Jewish institution or [a] Jewish community, I make sure that our police commander and Pikesville precincts are aware of it and that he modifies his patrol to make sure that the Jewish infrastructure, the synagogues, schools and other institutions have heightened patrols.”
Patoka added that, if elected, he would appoint an executive coordinator that would focus on working directly with faith-based institutions, including Jewish leadership within the Baltimore Jewish Council, synagogues and schools that would report directly to the county executive.
“I’ve always made sure that the things that are needed in our community are met,” he explained. “During COVID there were only masks and vaccines … [available] on Saturday and not on Sunday, so I ensured that our community had access by making sure that we provide … COVID tests and other things on Sunday at our libraries and at our schools.”
Mansoor Shams
While Patoka is the only Jewish candidate, he is not the only one with a connection to Pikesville. Democratic candidate Mansoor Shams told Baltimore Jewish Times that he lived in Pikesville for 12 years.
“My interaction and relationship with the Jewish community has been one of a neighbor,” said Shams, who is known as the “Muslim Marine,” according to The Baltimore Sun.
“My house … was almost sort of the pathway that connected a synagogue to … the Orthodox Jewish community,” he recalled. “In fact, I specifically opened that part up so people could easily get to their house of worship … which was an honor for me, at least as a man of faith to be able to help serve others getting to their house of worship.”
While Shams was not in attendance at the meet the candidates event in April, he has spoken publicly about his thoughts Israel’s actions in Gaza. In a May 2 Facebook post, Shams posted, “A question that’s come up numerous times: What’s my stance on Gaza — genocide or not? My answer is unequivocal: GENOCIDE!”
Shams said as someone of the Muslim faith, he has seen discrimination firsthand and plans to address the concerns of all communities “head on.” He added, if elected, he would strengthen connections between the Baltimore County Police Department, all houses of worship and the county executive’s office.
“It’s important that the Jewish community understand that I see them as part of the greater human family, and I see them as part of my family,” he said. “I see them as residents of this county, and I see an obligation and duty to make sure that every resident, including members of the Jewish community, feel safe and protected, and that they should not, for one second, think in their mind otherwise.”
The community engagement and outreach officer for the Department of Recreation and Parks is endorsed by Dr. Amit Golding, former president of Chevrei Tzedek Congregation.
Nick Stewart
Attorney Nick Stewart told Baltimore Jewish Times that his experience with the Jewish community is one of a fellow parent.
“I got to understand and learn more about some school system issues, including Jewish holidays, including Jewish security, and then, just Jewish culture, as well, through my school board experience,” he said. “I had the pleasure of working with the [Teachers Association of Baltimore County] president at the time, whose support I’m honored to have.”
Stewart pointed out that Baltimore County does not have a hate crime initiative, and said he plans to reestablish the grant writing office as county executive to be able to provide security grants to faith-based organizations.
He added that he also plans to establish security liaisons as a direct line of communication to the office of county executive and wants to establish anti-bias training for BCPS, including Holocaust training.
“That has been the problem in Baltimore County … we tend to do things one way without changing the fundamental premise or presupposition behind it,” Stewart explained. “We have an opportunity to do that in Baltimore County and to try to modernize and utilize best [practices].”
As for Maryland investments tied to Israel, Stewart said the issue involves more than just the MIDC, and as county executive, “to the extent that there are investments we are making that are connected to human rights violations, regardless of race, color, creed, or location, that we ought to be mindful of that and apply the same standard across the board.”
Stewart said he believes in Israel’s right to exist and defend itself, and it’s important to be mindful of the language used surrounding those conversations to avoid adding to the risk of hate in the county.
“I think what happened Oct. 7 is a tragedy and [should] not be repeated, and was certainly violative of basic human rights,” he noted. “I would also add when it comes to the way in which we kind of move forward here in Baltimore County, we have a duty to protect our neighbors.”
He added, “I think one can be patriotic and be a believer in the United States of America and be against Donald Trump as much as one can be a believer in the State of Israel and not be in favor of Benjamin Netanyahu.”
Julian Jones
Julian Jones expressed that his first priority is keeping everyone in Baltimore County safe by creating their own security grants and ensuring Baltimore County police have a presence at various events.
He added that he plans to work with schools and synagogues to find out what is best for them and make sure the county executive office is supportive.
“At a time where we have rising antisemitism in Baltimore County, having one of the highest levels of hate crimes in the state, at a time where we see the Trump administration pulling back on some of the security grants that we’ve come accustomed to, I think it’s incumbent upon us as a county to step up to fill in that void,” said Jones.
Jones is also a current council member and is running to create opportunities for job growth and supporting local businesses.
“I think it’s very clear that I’ve had a whole campaign predicated on us reaching out, trying to bring in as many businesses to Baltimore County as we can. I often talk about bringing in businesses not just from across the country but around the world,” he added. “That’s going to be my position, which is to do everything in my power to bring in additional businesses here to Baltimore County.”
Jones is endorsed by Sen. Angela Alsobrooks and Gov. Wes Moore.
Pat Young
Pat Young said he believes the county needs a comprehensive, proactive approach to tackling antisemitic incidents and religious hate crimes.
“I will absolutely commit to this as the county executive working with our police department, making sure that we have liaisons for the Jewish community and other faith groups that … have traditionally been threatened or have been subject to violence, so that we can make sure that folks feel safe exercising their First Amendment rights.”
Young, a current council member, also mentioned providing a security liaison to the office of the county executive to provide a connection between Jewish institutions, as well as other religious institutions, and the county executive.
“I think the initial thing for me is recognizing that Baltimore County doesn’t have hate or bias protocols … in a way that’s proactive,” Young explained. “I think the first step is engaging with our police department, [increasing] presence of officers, outreach to the community … not just simple paperwork for documentation.”
As for budgetary spending, Young said he thinks concerns are “case-by-case.”
“I’m open to increasing spending. I think the caveat is evaluating what we currently are doing from a policy standpoint [and] what we currently are spending,” he said. “Generally, county government, that I’m aware of, does not spend specifically on private security, but would be open to increasing budgetary allocations to making communities feel safe when a bias incident does occur.”
He added in the case of county investments in organizations with ties to Israel, decisions would be made based on community input.
“I haven’t been provided with any examples of the organization that would need to be subject to any review or changing our relationship with, so that being the case, I’m not aware of any opportunity or any need to review a relationship with a business organization we’re doing business with … but anybody from the Jewish community or anybody from the Muslim community that has concerns about an organization that they want to bring to our attention, I am an open door,” said Young.
Republican candidates Kimberley Stansbury and Patrick Dyer did not respond before press time.
