Esther Panitch

{{infobox officeholder

|name=Esther Panitch

|state_house=Georgia

|district=51st

|term_start=January 9, 2023

|term_end=

|preceded=Josh McLaurin

|succeeded=

|birth_name=Esther Dina Feuer

|birth_date={{birth date and age|1971|10|14}}

|birth_place=Miami, Florida, U.S.

|spouse=Roger Panitch

|children=3

|party=Democratic

|education=University of Miami

|residence=Sandy Springs, Georgia

}}

Esther Feuer Panitch (born October 14, 1971) is an American politician serving as a member of the Georgia House of Representatives in the state of Georgia. Elected in November 2022 election, Panitch took office in January 2023. She is the only Jewish member of the Georgia House of Representatives for the 157th Georgia General Assembly.

Political career

In February 2022, Panitch announced her campaign for the Georgia House of Representatives District 51 seat after Mike Wilensky, the only Jewish member of the Georgia General Assembly, announced that he would not seek re-election. The District 51 seat was open after being vacated by Josh McLaurin, who was running for the Georgia State Senate.{{cite web|last=Jaben |first=Jan |url=https://www.atlantajewishtimes.com/esther-panitch-and-betsy-kramer-seek-public-office/ |title=Esther Panitch and Betsy Kramer Seek Public Office |publisher=Atlanta Jewish Times |date=2022-02-11 |access-date=2023-02-06}}

After winning the Democratic primary, Panitch defeated Republican nominee Peter Korman in the November general election. Both Panitch and Korman are Jewish, ensuring that the 157th Georgia General Assembly would have at least one Jewish member.{{cite news |last1=Schechter |first1=Dave |title=Jewish Candidates Insist Jabs Are Not Personal |url=https://www.atlantajewishtimes.com/jewish-candidates-insist-jabs-are-not-personal/ |access-date=6 March 2023 |publisher=Atlanta Jewish Times |date=2022-07-13}}

In January 2023, Panitch invited Miriam Udel, a Yiddish professor at Emory University, to become the first female Orthodox rabbi to give the opening prayer at the Georgia House of Representatives, which she did on February 1, also making her the first female Orthodox rabbi to give an opening prayer at any state legislature.{{cite news |last1=Glass |first1=Alina |title=Udel makes history as first female orthodox rabbi to open prayer at state legislature |url=https://emorywheel.com/udel-makes-history-as-first-female-orthodox-rabbi-to-open-prayer-at-state-legislature/ |access-date=7 March 2023 |work=The Emory Wheel |date=2023-02-23}} After the Goyim Defense League distributed antisemitic fliers in February 2023 in suburban Atlanta, including at Panitch's home, she sponsored a bill that would adopt the IHRA definition of Antisemitism as Georgia law.{{cite news |last1=Amy |first1=Jeff |title=State lawmaker vows legislative action after antisemitic flyers hit Atlanta suburbs |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/state-lawmaker-vows-legislative-action-after-antisemitic-flyers-hit-atlanta-suburbs/ |access-date=7 March 2023 |publisher=The Times of Israel |date=2023-02-07}} In January 2024, Georgia governor Brian Kemp signed the bill into law, making Georgia the 11th state in the United States to adopt that definition of antisemitism. Before the signing ceremony, Panitch was sent an antisemitic postcard containing antisemitic slurs and a reference to "gassing the Jews."{{cite news |last1=Kprnbluh |first1=Jacob |title=Georgia's sole Jewish legislator targeted with antisemitic postcard prior to bill signing |url=https://forward.com/fast-forward/578352/esther-panitch-georgia-jewish-antisemitism/ |access-date=10 February 2024 |work=The Forward |date=2024-01-31}}

Personal life

Panitch was born in Miami, Florida and grew up in North Miami Beach. She earned her bachelor's degree from the University of Miami in 1992 and her Juris Doctor in 1995.{{cite news |last1=Schaffner |first1=John |title=Dunwoody attorney in forefront of Sneiderman case |url=https://www.appenmedia.com/dunwoody/archives/dunwoody-attorney-in-forefront-of-sneiderman-case/article_8c5adebf-6946-53e3-80ca-b9dc28a22f8c.html |access-date=6 March 2023 |publisher=Appen Media |date=2011-05-29}}

After law school, Panitch worked as an assistant public defender in Miami-Dade County from 1997 to 2002. She then opened her own law practice before moving to Atlanta, Georgia, in 2004. Before opening her own private law practice in Dunwoody in 2007, she worked at the Fulton County Conflict Defender's Office.

Panitch met her husband Roger in 1997 on a mission for the Jewish Federation. They have two sons and one daughter.

Electoral history

{{Election box begin no change|title=Georgia House of Representatives, District 51, 2022{{cite web |title=Esther Panitch |url=https://ballotpedia.org/Esther_Panitch |website=Ballotpedia |access-date=6 March 2023}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|candidate=Esther Panitch|party=Democratic Party (United States)|votes=12,754|percentage=55.8}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|candidate= Peter Korman|party=Republican Party (United States)|votes=10,106|percentage=44.2}}

{{Election box begin no change|title=Democratic primary, Georgia House of Representatives, District 51, 2022}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|candidate=Esther Panitch|party=Democratic Party (United States)|votes=2,069|percentage=53.3}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|candidate= Erendira Brumley|party=Democratic Party (United States)|votes=1,811

|percentage=46.7}}

References

Category:Living people

Category:1971 births

Category:Jewish American women in politics

Category:21st-century American women politicians

Category:Democratic Party members of the Georgia House of Representatives

Category:Politicians from Miami

Category:20th-century American Jews

Category:21st-century American Jews

Category:Jewish American state legislators in Georgia (U.S. state)

Category:Women state legislators in Georgia (U.S. state)

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