Montgomery County, Maryland
Rabbi Yitzchak taught that “A ruler is not to be appointed unless the community is consulted.”
— Babylonian Talmud Berachot 55a
Montgomery County needs leaders who will represent all of us, and who are accountable to the whole community. That’s why we vote, and why we take seriously Rabbi Yitzchak’s teaching that community input is essential for choosing who will lead our county.
And it’s why the JUFJ Campaign Fund was founded — to help elect leaders who will fight for our Jewish values, to advocate for issues that matter to the whole Montgomery County community, and to hold our representatives to the commitments they make.
We are proud to endorse Omar Lazo for Board of Education At-Large
Omar Lazo is a father to three Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) students, a small business owner, and an experienced leader in education administration, serving on the Board of Trustees of Montgomery College. He has a background in navigating large and complex budgets, and fixing MCPS’s ongoing budget issues is one of his top priorities as a board member. In addition to his personal and professional experience, Lazo is committed to making sure that kids of all races, abilities, and genders have the resources and support they need to be successful. And he understands that traditional school discipline disproportionately harms Black and brown students. Lazo has been endorsed by our trusted campaign partners including CASA in Action, Progressive Maryland, and the unions that represent MCPS employees, MCEA and SEIU Local 500.
His opponent, Brenda Diaz, is a danger to Montgomery County kids. Diaz ran for the Board of Education in 2024, and her platform is clear: she is opposed to full inclusion for LGBTQ+ students, she favors harsher school discipline policies that lead to Black students being treated as criminals, and she does not believe that vaccines are effective for public health. She is supported by the Montgomery County GOP, and is aligned with the platforms of Moms for Liberty and other right-wing groups.
This election is critical to deciding whether our Board of Education will include a right-wing activist or an experienced educational leader. We have worked for years to push the Board of Education to take a more active role in supporting all students; electing candidates who share our values is one piece of that ongoing work.
Congratulations to Will Jawando and Laurie-Anne Sayles!
We continue to support our endorsed candidates who won their primary elections, Will Jawando for County Executive and Laurie-Anne Sayles for County Council, At-Large. A big Yasher Koach/job well done to Fatmata Barrie, Debbie Spielberg, and Izola Shaw. We’re proud of their people-powered campaigns, even though they did not win their races for County Council. We have spent years working side by side with these incredible community leaders and we know that our partnership will continue, as will their work for the good of our community.
Will Jawando for County Executive
The JUFJ Campaign Fund is thrilled to join a powerful group of unions, educators, immigrant advocates, and civic leaders in endorsing Will Jawando for County Executive. We have worked side by side with Councilmember Jawando over the last 8 years to keep people in their homes, create safer schools, provide more accountability in police interactions, protect our immigrant neighbors, and make critical budget decisions that prioritize the most vulnerable community members. As County Executive, he is committed to growing the economy from the bottom up, investing in education, and expanding access to affordable housing.
Montgomery County voters have the opportunity to elect a progressive champion as our next County Executive, someone who understands that the way we dismantle antisemitism, racism, and other tools of oppression is by coming together across our differences and building relationships that can stand the test of time and of disagreements. When we build together, we can create things none of us could make alone.
Laurie-Anne Sayles for County Council, At-Large
The JUFJ Campaign Fund was proud to endorse Councilmember Laurie-Anne Sayles four years ago when she won her historic race for County Council At-Large. Councilmember Sayles has been a critical vote for our coalitions’ victories over the past four years, and we are proud to endorse her again in 2026. As the new chair of the Council’s Health and Human Services Committee, we have seen Councilmember Sayles listen closely to community concerns on each issue that comes before her and show her commitment to building a sustainable future for all residents, regardless of background or wealth.
Montgomery County Events
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Voting our Values: Montgomery County Board of Education
October 12 | 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm
There is a critical Montgomery County Board of Education race on the ballot this November, and the JUFJ Campaign Fund has proudly endorsed Omar Lazo in this race! Lazo is committed to making sure that kids of all races, abilities, and genders have the resources and support they need to be successful…
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Montgomery County Neighbor to Neighbor Nosh
October 13 | 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
One way that we can make an impact in local elections is to send emails to our friends and family sharing who we’re voting for and what the stakes of the races are. During the 2026 primary, our community sent over 1,000 of these neighbor-to-neighbor letters, and now it’s time to reach back out about…
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Montgomery County Board of Education Candidates Forum
October 14 | 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
The League of Women Voters of Montgomery County, Maryland is sponsoring a forum for District 3 and At-Large candidates for the Montgomery County Board of Elections at the Montgomery Community Television, Inc. studio in Rockville, Maryland. Members of the public are invited to participate in-person i…
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Voting our Values: Montgomery County Board of Education
October 15 | 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
There is a critical Montgomery County Board of Education race on the ballot this November, and the JUFJ Campaign Fund has proudly endorsed Omar Lazo in this race! Lazo is committed to making sure that kids of all races, abilities, and genders have the resources and support they need to be successful…
Montgomery County Staff
2022 Montgomery County Endorsement Team
Thank you to all the Campaign Fund Board Members, Montgomery County volunteers, and staff who contributed to the endorsement process, giving generously of their time and insights. Thank you also to our many partners who consulted with us throughout the process.
Debbie Amster
Robert Barkin
Linda Bergofsky
Riley Blaugrund
Karen Caplan
Nikki Cole
Michael English
David S. Fishback
Joseph Gelula
Rafi Glazer
Sherry Glazer
Jesse Glickstein
Melissa Goemann
Mara Greengrass
Lisa Hack
Bill Halpern
Steven Harvey
Brigid Howe
Deedee Jacobsohn
Stephanie Joseph
Jerry Kickenson
Anita Lampel
Robert Landau
Phyllis Lerner
Anna Levy
Laura Loeb
Michelle Mazurek
Jeff Reiser
Heidi Rhodes
Jeff Rubin
Amy Sanders
Jo Shifrin
Devorah Stavisky
Carol Stern
Bruce Turnbull
Laura Wallace
Naomi Weiss
Shelley Winkler
Mark Wolff
Eli Wykell
Fran Zamore
This message has been authorized and paid for by the JUFJ Campaign Fund, PO Box 41485, Washington, DC 20018. Michelle Sternthal, President. This message has not been authorized or approved by any candidate.