The Forward, a Jewish newspaper based in New York, has a story on Democrats sidelining former Prez Jimmy Carter at their recently concluded convention. Dems and the Obama campaign didn’t want to alienate Jewish voters, who have been vexed by Carter’s accusations that Israel is practicing apartheid against Palestinians.

Despite the tradition of giving former presidents speech time at conventions, Carter was not asked to address delegates.

“You can’t give him a podium, because people will draw the conclusion” that the Democratic Party supports Carter’s views on the Middle East, said Rep. Jerrold Nadler of New York. “I wouldn’t let him within 100 miles of the convention center, because it would be used by an unscrupulous Republican Party that doesn’t care about the truth in character assassination against our candidate.”

In other Jewish news, The Forward also reports that Michelle Obama has a rabbi in her family. So now Obama’s extended family includes Christians, Jews, Muslims, atheists and a sister who says she’s philosophically Buddhist. Any Hindu Obamas out there? Sikh Robinsons?