Michele Weiss has made history as the first female Orthodox Jewish mayor in the United States, winning decisively as a Republican in a heavily Democratic Cleveland suburb after building a reputation for fiscal responsibility and bipartisan cooperation over 15 years on the city council.
Weiss, a mother and grandmother who has lived in University Heights for 28 years, will take office in January after rising from volunteer work with the League of Women Voters to vice mayor, championing environmental sustainability and municipal infrastructure along the way.
Mayor-elect Michele Weiss
In an interview in the ynet Studio, Weiss said she felt humbled by the historic nature of her victory but emphasized that making history was not her primary motivation.
"I didn't when I started this, it wasn't to be the first Orthodox woman mayor, but it's a special opportunity," she said. "I'm very humbled."
Mayoral run influenced by timing and goals
Weiss said the timing of her mayoral run was influenced by her family situation, noting that serving in elected office with younger children would have been extremely difficult and time-consuming.
She identified healing divisions in the community as her top priority, criticizing the current administration for pitting Democrats against Republicans in what is supposed to be a nonpartisan city.
"I want to get that feel back, that united feel back," Weiss said. "We have a lot of infrastructure pieces that need to come to fruition, but getting the neighborhood to continue to be a close-knit community is number one."
Building bridges with constituents
Weiss attributed her success in winning as a Republican in a Democratic stronghold to relationship-building and treating constituents as individuals rather than party members.
"One of my strengths is relationship building and over the last number of years, people know that I deal with them as a person. I don't care what party you're from, we're all in this together in our city," she said. "This is not an ego thing. This is for the city."
Addressing antisemitism in the US
As an Orthodox Jewish mayor taking office during a time of rising antisemitism in America, Weiss emphasized her commitment to ensuring safety and inclusion for all residents in the diverse community.
University Heights is home to 17 ethnicities living in just 1.8 square miles, she noted. The city benefits from the Cleveland Jewish Community Federation's comprehensive security service, which assists local safety forces in addition to protecting schools and Jewish agencies.
"Keeping that relationship with our police chief and the federation security services is paramount, but also just protecting all of our residents," Weiss said. "Diversity is huge in University Heights and we have been targeted just like everyone unfortunately in the United States right now."
She expressed confidence in the police chief's commitment to backing the Jewish community while maintaining that all residents deserve protection.
Message to Jewish women
Asked about the significance of her groundbreaking role, Weiss said she hopes to encourage other Orthodox Jewish women to consider public service.
"I think there's always a hesitancy for Jewish women, especially Orthodox Jewish women, to get involved in politics. And it doesn't have to be like that," she said. "You can keep your morals and your values and your integrity and still serve."
Weiss connected her decision to pursue public office to her religious values. "One of the beautiful things of our religion is that we were put on this earth to make a difference. And that's really kind of the motto that I live by," she said.
Her victory represents a milestone not only for Orthodox Jewish women in politics but also for cross-party coalition-building at a time of intense political polarization in the United States. Weiss's ability to win decisively in a heavily Democratic area while maintaining her Republican affiliation demonstrates the potential for bipartisan appeal when focused on local issues and community relationships.
University Heights, a small suburb with a population of approximately 13,000, has long been known for its diversity and strong sense of community. Weiss will face the challenge of maintaining that cohesion while addressing infrastructure needs and navigating the broader political tensions that have affected communities nationwide.