Dalya Attar

Attar was born fourth of six children to an Iranian-Jewish father and a Moroccan-Jewish mother.{{cite web |title=Jew of the Week: Dalya Attar |url=https://www.jewoftheweek.net/2020/05/05/jew-of-the-week-dalya-attar/ |website=Jew of the Week |access-date=September 7, 2022 |date=May 5, 2020 |quote=Dalya Attar (b. 1990) was born in Baltimore to a religious Sephardic family of Iranian and Moroccan heritage.}} She was raised as a Sephardi Orthodox Jew in Baltimore,{{cite web |url=https://jewishinsider.com/2020/03/the-sephardi-democrat-serving-as-marylands-first-orthodox-legislator/ |title=The Sephardi Democrat serving as Maryland's first Orthodox legislator |website=Jewish Insider |access-date=2020-03-21 |first=Gabby |last=Deutch |date=March 9, 2020}} where she attended the Bais Yaakov School for Girls.{{cite news |last1=Conte |first1=Carolyn |url=https://www.jewishtimes.com/you-should-know-dalya-attar/ |title=You Should Know ... Dalya Attar |work=Baltimore Jewish Times |date=March 26, 2020}} Attar later graduated from the University of Baltimore, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice in 2011, and the University of Maryland, Baltimore, where she earned her Juris Doctor degree in 2014.{{cite news |last1=Arnold |first1=Peter |url=https://jmoreliving.com/2017/06/09/jmore-exclusive-orthodox-lawyer-runs-for-house-of-delegates/ |title=Jmore Exclusive: Orthodox Lawyer Runs for House of Delegates |work=JMore |date=June 9, 2017}}

While attending the University of Baltimore, Attar worked as a paralegal for Greenspan, Hitzel & Schrader until 2015, when she became a trial attorney for the firm.{{cite web |title=Dalya Attar, Maryland State Delegate |url=https://msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdmanual/06hse/html/msa18037.html |website=Maryland Manual On-Line |publisher=Maryland State Archives |access-date=October 9, 2023 |date=February 5, 2023}} In the same year, she also began working as an assistant state's attorney in the Baltimore State's Attorney office, prosecuting narcotics and firearms cases.{{cite web |url=https://www.aish.com/ci/s/The-Highest-Ranking-Elected-Orthodox-Jewish-Woman-in-US-History.html |title=The Highest-Ranking Elected Orthodox Jewish Woman politician in U.S. History |website=Aish HaTorah |access-date=2020-03-12 |date=January 4, 2020 |author=Rabbi Shraga Simmons |author-link=Shraga Simmons}}

Attar developed an interest in criminal justice while in middle school, and became interested in politics in high school. She has cited Joe Lieberman, Sarah Schenirer, and Karen Chaya Friedman as her role models.

On June 9, 2017, Attar announced that she would run for the Maryland House of Delegates in District 41.{{cite news |last1=Johnson |first1=Hannah |title=Assistant State's Attorney Dalya Attar Launches Campaign for District 41 Delegate |url=https://www.jewishtimes.com/assistant-states-attorney-dalya-attar-launches-campaign-for-district-41-delegate/ |access-date=October 9, 2023 |work=Baltimore Jewish Times |date=June 9, 2017}} During the Democratic primary, she ran on a platform of spurring development, improving schools, and reforming the juvenile justice system.{{cite news |last1=Broadwater |first1=Luke |title='A learning experience': 60 new Maryland lawmakers head to Annapolis, ready to tackle big issues |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/politics/bs-md-new-lawmakers-20181205-story.html |access-date=October 9, 2023 |work=The Baltimore Sun |date=December 5, 2018}} Attar won the Democratic primary in June 2018, defeating incumbents Angela Gibson and Bilal Ali.{{cite news |last1=Kurtz |first1=Josh |title=Maryland Primary: Winners and Losers |url=https://www.marylandmatters.org/2018/06/28/maryland-primary-winners-and-losers/ |access-date=October 9, 2023 |work=Maryland Matters |date=June 28, 2018}}

Attar was sworn into the Maryland House of Delegates on January 9, 2019. She is the first Orthodox Jew elected to the Maryland General Assembly and the highest-ranking Orthodox Jewish woman in American history. Attar served on the Environment and Transportation Committee from 2019 to 2020, afterwards serving as a member of the Ways and Means Committee until 2025.

File:DECADE and HOME Act Senate,Education,Energy, and Environment Committee (54367058064).jpg

In January 2025, after state senator Jill P. Carter resigned following her nomination to the Maryland State Board of Contract Appeals, Attar applied to fill the remainder of Carter's term in the Maryland Senate.{{cite news |last1=Brown |first1=Danielle J. |last2=Sears |first2=Bryan P. |last3=Kurtz |first3=Josh |title=More legislative seats to fill, more money raised, more excitement over the budget, more notes |url=https://marylandmatters.org/2025/01/20/more-legislative-seats-to-fill-more-money-raised-more-excitement-over-the-budget-more-notes/ |access-date=January 20, 2025 |work=Maryland Matters |date=January 20, 2025}} The Baltimore City Democratic Central Committee voted 5–3 to nominate Attar to the seat later that month.{{cite news |last1=Wood |first1=Pamela |title=Baltimore Democrats nominate Del. Dalya Attar to the state Senate |url=https://www.thebaltimorebanner.com/maryland/dalya-attar-maryland-senate-vacancy-XGHIGIA6QJGEXPZQ37LROCM25U/ |access-date=January 21, 2025 |work=The Baltimore Banner |date=January 21, 2025 |language=en}} She was appointed to the seat by Governor Wes Moore and sworn in on January 24, 2025, and is the youngest member of the Maryland Senate as of 2025.{{cite news |last1=Wood |first1=Pamela |title=Senate honors former colleague Elfreth |url=https://www.thebaltimorebanner.com/politics-power/state-government/maryland-general-assembly-news-live-blog-P4GBVKK4ERHX3JE3CNKRFCCIJA/?__vfz=medium%3Dcomment_share#vf-a9a6c0aa-058b-47da-a9c4-c2e80e171ff6 |access-date=January 30, 2025 |work=The Baltimore Banner |date=January 27, 2025 |language=en}}

In March 2019, Attar voted against a bill that would allow school resource officers to carry guns in Baltimore schools.{{cite news |last1=Broadwater |first1=Luke |title=Baltimore delegates vote to kill state House bill allowing school police officers to carry guns inside schools |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/politics/bs-md-ci-school-police-20190316-story.html |access-date=October 9, 2023 |work=The Baltimore Sun |date=March 16, 2019}} She also supported a bill that would allow Johns Hopkins University to have its own private police force.{{cite news |last1=Broadwater |first1=Luke |title=Baltimore legislative delegation approves Hopkins police force after Cummings 'begs' for help to stop killings |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/politics/bs-md-hopkins-cummings-20190312-story.html |access-date=October 9, 2023 |work=The Baltimore Sun |date=March 12, 2019}} During the 2020 legislative session, Attar introduced a bill that would require incarceration for violent offenders with open warrants. She also supported a bill that would ban driver's license suspensions over unpaid parking tickets.{{cite news |last1=Broadwater |first1=Luke |title=Brian Frosh, lawmakers push for legislation to block Maryland from suspending driver's licenses over unpaid tickets |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/politics/bs-md-pol-frosh-licenses-20200115-3myiq4dwxzd3hji6ya4tpyrsrq-story.html |access-date=October 9, 2023 |work=The Baltimore Sun |date=January 15, 2020}} In January 2025, Attar proposed expanding access to "Grade A schools" to address juvenile crime in Maryland.

Attar supports improving public schools and providing publicly-funded scholarships for private schools.

During the 2024 legislative session, after Zainab Chaudry, the director of the state Council on American–Islamic Relations (CAIR) chapter, was temporarily suspended from the state Commission on Hate Crime Response and Prevention for making Facebook posts comparing Israel to Nazi Germany and calling attendees of the March for Israel "genocide sympathizers", Attar introduced legislation to remove Chaudry from the commission and replace her with "two members of the Muslim community".{{cite news |last1=Deutch |first1=Gabby |title=Baltimore lawmaker seeks to remove CAIR from Md. hate crimes commission |url=https://jewishinsider.com/2024/01/cair-maryland-hate-crime-crimes-commission-dalya-attar/ |access-date=January 4, 2024 |work=Jewish Insider |date=January 4, 2024}}{{cite news |last1=Gaskill |first1=Hannah |title=Legislation seeks to remove Maryland hate crimes commission member following Israel-Hamas war remarks |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/2024/02/20/legislation-seeks-to-remove-maryland-hate-crimes-commission-member-following-israel-hamas-war-remarks/ |access-date=February 20, 2024 |work=The Baltimore Sun |date=February 20, 2024}} The bill was amended to remove representatives from organizations including CAIR from the hate crimes commission by requiring members to be advocates for protected classes under Maryland's hate crime laws.{{cite news |last1=Hogan |first1=Jack |title=MD lawmakers pave way for removal of Muslim activist from hate crimes panel |url=https://thedailyrecord.com/2024/04/15/md-lawmakers-paved-way-for-removal-of-chaudry-from-hate-crimes-panel/ |access-date=April 18, 2024 |work=The Daily Record |date=April 15, 2024}}

Attar supports using an independent redistricting commission to draw Maryland's legislative districts.{{cite news |last1=Ingram |first1=Susan C. |title=Primary Clout |url=https://www.jewishtimes.com/primary-clout/ |access-date=October 9, 2023 |work=Baltimore Jewish Times |date=June 13, 2018}}

During the 2020 legislative session, Attar introduced a bill that would prevent husbands from having a civil divorce unless they granted their wife a gett.

In 2022, Attar voted against a bill that would expand the types of medical professionals who can perform abortions in the state, and voted to sustain Governor Larry Hogan's veto on the bill.{{cite news |last1=Kurtz |first1=Josh |title=Maryland After Roe Is Extinguished: 'It's Going to Be a Different World' |url=https://www.marylandmatters.org/2022/06/24/maryland-after-roe-is-extinguished-its-going-to-be-a-different-world/ |access-date=October 9, 2023 |work=Maryland Matters |date=June 24, 2022}}

During the 2023 legislative session, Attar introduced legislation to move Maryland's 2024 primary date from April 23—the first day of Passover, which prevents Orthodox Jewish voters from participating in elections—to May 14.{{cite news |last1=Pitts |first1=Jonathan M. |title=Bill introduced to change Maryland 2024 primary to avoid Passover |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/bs-md-passover-date-change-20230227-kvq224qlkbcffmihkcbbo2lem4-story.html |access-date=October 9, 2023 |work=The Baltimore Sun |date=February 28, 2023}}{{cite news |last1=Pitts |first1=Jonathan M. |title=Bill to change 2024 primary date amended to avoid clash with another holiday: Ramadan |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/bs-md-primary-date-change-to-avoid-ramadan-20230309-v56hr3sxavhzzez3rl36pyblby-story.html |access-date=October 9, 2023 |work=The Baltimore Sun |date=March 9, 2023}} The bill's contents were added to another bill, which passed and was signed by Governor Wes Moore.{{cite news |last1=Bush |first1=Matt |title=The Maryland General Assembly has approved changes to the 2024 election that are a reflection of changing voter habits |url=https://www.wypr.org/wypr-news/2023-04-21/the-maryland-general-assembly-has-approved-changes-to-the-2024-election-that-are-a-reflection-of-changing-voter-habits |access-date=October 9, 2023 |work=WYPR |date=April 21, 2023}}

In January 2025, Attar expressed doubts with proposals to increase income taxes on millionaires to address the state's $3 billion budget deficit, suggesting that they could just leave the state to avoid paying higher taxes.{{cite news |last1=Karpovich |first1=Todd |title=Dalya Attar appointed to fill Baltimore’s state Senate vacancy |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/2025/01/22/dalya-attar-baltimore-senate/ |access-date=January 22, 2025 |work=The Baltimore Sun |date=January 22, 2025}} She also expressed support for cutting state funding for state universities, calling it her "first choice" in choosing how to address the deficit.{{cite news |last1=Shen |first1=Fern |title=Upset in northwest's 41st District places Dalya Attar over Malcolm Ruff as area's prospective state senator |url=https://www.baltimorebrew.com/2025/01/22/upset-in-northwests-41st-district-places-dayla-attar-over-malcolm-ruff-as-areas-next-state-senator/ |access-date=January 22, 2025 |work=Baltimore Brew |date=January 22, 2025 |language=en-us}}

During the 2022 legislative session, Attar supported a bill that would require the Maryland Department of Transportation to seek federal approval for the Red Line.{{cite news |last1=DePuyt |first1=Bruce |title=Baltimore Lawmakers Seek to Tee Up Red Line Revival for Next Governor |url=https://www.marylandmatters.org/2022/02/23/baltimore-lawmakers-seek-to-tee-up-red-line-revival-for-next-governor/ |access-date=October 9, 2023 |work=Maryland Matters |date=February 23, 2022}}

Attar is married to Asaf Mehrzadi, a longtime family friend. Together, they have two children. Her brother is Jay Attar, a developer in Baltimore County.{{cite news |last1=Kobell |first1=Rona |title=Choate House was a national historic landmark. A Baltimore County developer bulldozed it. |url=https://www.thebaltimorebanner.com/article/choate-house-was-a-national-historic-landmark-a-baltimore-county-developer-bulldozed-it-ZZHOH4B3YJA5PLCAPKGWDQRNKE/ |access-date=April 2, 2025 |work=The Baltimore Banner |date=April 2, 2025 |language=en}}

{{Election box begin no change

| title = Maryland House of Delegates District 41 Democratic primary election, 2018{{cite web

| title = Official 2018 Gubernatorial Primary Election results for House of Delegates

| work = Maryland State Board of Elections

| url = https://elections.maryland.gov/elections/2018/results/primary/gen_results_2018_1_01641.html

| date = July 31, 2018}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Samuel I. Rosenberg (incumbent)

|votes = 7,795

|percentage = 17.2

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Dalya Attar

|votes = 7,773

|percentage = 17.1

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Tony Bridges

|votes = 5,476

|percentage = 12.1

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Angela Gibson (incumbent)

|votes = 5,308

|percentage = 11.7

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Bilal Ali (incumbent)

|votes = 5,194

|percentage = 11.4

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Richard Bruno

|votes = 2,996

|percentage = 6.6

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Tessa Hill-Aston

|votes = 2,862

|percentage = 6.3

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Sean Stinnett

|votes = 2,806

|percentage = 6.2

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Joyce J. Smith

|votes = 2,291

|percentage = 5.0

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = George E. Mitchell

|votes = 2,101

|percentage = 4.6

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Walter J. Horton

|votes = 773

|percentage = 1.7

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin no change

| title = Maryland House of Delegates District 41 election, 2018{{cite web

| title = Official 2018 Gubernatorial General Election results for House of Delegates

| work = Maryland State Board of Elections

| url = https://elections.maryland.gov/elections/2018/results/general/gen_results_2018_2_01641.html

| date = December 11, 2018}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Dalya Attar

|votes = 26,605

|percentage = 31.3

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Samuel I. Rosenberg (incumbent)

|votes = 26,333

|percentage = 31.0

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Tony Bridges

|votes = 26,194

|percentage = 30.9

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|party = Green Party (United States)

|candidate = Drew A. Pate

|votes = 5,350

|percentage = 6.3

}}

{{Election box write-in with party link no change

|votes = 409

|percentage = 0.5

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin no change

| title = Maryland House of Delegates District 41 election, 2022{{cite web

| title = Official 2022 Gubernatorial General Election results for House of Delegates

| work = Maryland State Board of Elections

| url = https://elections.maryland.gov/elections/2022/general_results/gen_results_2022_7_60.html

| date = December 7, 2022}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Dalya Attar (incumbent)

|votes = 26,438

|percentage = 32.5

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Samuel I. Rosenberg (incumbent)

|votes = 25,557

|percentage = 31.4

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Tony Bridges (incumbent)

|votes = 24,782

|percentage = 30.5

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Scott Graham

|votes = 4,240

|percentage = 5.2

}}

{{Election box write-in with party link no change

|votes = 272

|percentage = 0.3

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{reflist}}

{{cite web |title=Members - Delegate Dalya Attar |url=https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/members/details/attar01 |website=mgaleg.maryland.gov |publisher=Maryland General Assembly |access-date=January 4, 2024 |date=January 4, 2024}}

{{Maryland State Senators}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Attar, Dalya}}

Category:1990 births

Category:20th-century American Sephardic Jews

Category:21st-century American Sephardic Jews

Category:21st-century American women politicians

Category:American feminists

Category:American Mizrahi Jews

Category:American people of Iranian-Jewish descent

Category:American people of Moroccan-Jewish descent

Category:American politicians of Iranian descent

Category:American politicians of Moroccan descent

Category:Jewish American state legislators in Maryland

Category:Jewish American women in politics

Category:Living people

Category:Democratic Party members of the Maryland House of Delegates

Category:Mizrahi feminists

Category:University of Baltimore alumni

Category:University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law alumni

Category:Women state legislators in Maryland

Category:21st-century members of the Maryland General Assembly

Category:Democratic Party Maryland state senators