A group of Jewish District of Columbia residents gathered at the city’s municipal building on Wednesday for a scheduled meeting with Janeese Lewis George, a D.C. councilmember and one of the leading candidates in this year’s mayoral race, but she never showed, two people who were in the meeting told Jewish Insider. 

A staff member for Lewis George told attendees at the start of the meeting that she was having a busy morning, and they should begin the conversation without her. At the end of the meeting, when Lewis George still had not arrived, the staff member apologized that she was unable to attend. 

Lewis George’s attendance had been confirmed a day earlier by her staff. 

Ben Rosenfeld, Lewis George’s communications director, told JI on Wednesday that the meeting “was scheduled before the Council hearing calendar was revised,” and Lewis George had to attend a hearing “addressing drastic cuts to paid family and medical leave, which was scheduled for the same time.” 

In her place, Lewis George “was represented by senior legislative and office staff to meet with Ward 4 constituents and JCRC [Jewish Community Relations Council] leadership,” said Rosenfeld. “Councilmember Lewis George appreciates the opportunity to hear JCRC’s core priorities and shares these concerns in the upcoming budget process, including preserving the Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund and ensuring houses of worship are supported amid a deeply concerning rise in antisemitism and hate.”

The meeting took place against the backdrop of a heated mayoral campaign, in which Lewis George has faced criticism from some in the Jewish community for her rhetoric around Israel and antisemitism. 

She told members of the local Democratic Socialists of America chapter, of which she is a member, that she would not attend events that promote Zionism. In the DSA questionnaire, she criticized the JCRC of Greater Washington, a local advocacy group, for its approach to antisemitism, and ultimately earned the DSA’s endorsement. 

“I was offended by her last minute no show. This was her chance to meet with Ward 4 residents to discuss issues affecting them and their families, and she was the only councilmember to not show up for her scheduled meeting,” one of the meeting attendees told JI. 

The Wednesday meeting was part of JCRC’s annual D.C. Advocacy Day, which included meetings between Jewish Washingtonians and their councilmembers. The meetings were focused on local issues, like the city’s nonprofit security grant program and funding for early childhood educators. The two meeting attendees who spoke with JI said the meeting with Lewis George’s staff was generally positive and did not touch on the mayoral campaign controversies.  

Jewish community leaders also met with Phil Mendelson, the council chair, and Councilmembers Brooke Pinto, Brianne Nadeau, Christina Henderson, Charles Allen and Doni Crawford.

Ward 4, which Lewis George represents, is home to several major Jewish institutions, including Sinai Temple, Ohev Sholom Congregation and the Milton Gottesman Jewish Day School, each of which had staff members at the meeting.

Greater Washington JCRC CEO Ron Halber called the meeting with Lewis George’s staff “thoughtful and productive,” and said he did not fault her for missing the meeting. 

“We meet regularly with policymakers and their teams throughout the year. We know that there are many demands on their time and we understand completely when unanticipated scheduling changes come up,” said Halber. “We deeply appreciate their commitment to our policy priorities and look forward to continuing our shared work together.” 

In February, Halber called the DSA endorsement questionnaire an “antisemitic manifesto” but has not specifically weighed in on Lewis George’s past comments about Zionism. 

Lewis George met privately last month with a group of Washington rabbis, where she apologized for her answers in the DSA questionnaire, a sentiment she has not shared publicly. Her chief competitor in the race, former Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie, has criticized Lewis George for her comments in the questionnaire.

This story was updated on April 23 to add comment from Greater Washington JCRC CEO Ron Halber.