Obama, Romney camps working to woo Jewish vote this weekend

— The presidential candidates are far from South Florida, but their campaigns this weekend are all about one of the most coveted groups in this year's election: Jewish voters in Broward and Palm Beach counties.

In ways both large and small, President Barack Obama and Republican candidate Mitt Romney were playing for the Jewish vote.

The Obama campaign deployed a Jewish state legislator and three rabbis to Boca Raton on Friday to make the case that the president is a friend of Israel and that there's no reason for Jewish voters to abandon their decades-long allegiance to the Democratic Party.

Romney surrogate Rudy Giuliani, the former mayor of New York, appeared two miles away and two hours later and excoriated the president's policies and attitude toward Israel, charging that Obama has chipped away at the longstanding U.S.-Israel alliance.

Giuliani took on Obama's most prominent Jewish supporter in Florida, U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Weston, chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee. Referring to her by name, Giuliani dismissed her vouching that Obama is a "friend" to Israel. "That's a joke," he said.

Romney was in London for the opening of the Olympic Games. The Democratic campaign event in Boca and the president's official action at the White House were designed to pre-empt Romney's next big move, when he makes a large play for Jewish votes by traveling to Israel on Saturday. Romney will meet with the nation's leaders, raise campaign money and attempt to portray himself as a far better friend to Israel than Obama ever will be.

Republicans acknowledge Obama still commands significant support among Jewish voters. Nationally, a June Gallup poll found the president has 64 percent of the Jewish vote, compared to 29 percent for Romney.

Rabbi Kurt Stone of Tamarac, who teaches politics and international relations at Florida Atlantic and Florida International universities and leads the North Broward havurah, a Jewish fellowship and prayer group, said he doesn't think Jewish support for Obama is slipping. "Some people are saying it's a little bit softer," he said. "My feeling is that it is virtually the same as it was in 2008."

State Rep. Lori Berman, D-Delray Beach, said Obama has increased security spending, defended Israel at the United Nations and tightened sanctions against Iran. Under Obama, the "bond between Israel and the U.S. is stronger than ever."

While Democrats from Wasserman Schultz on down profess optimism — Berman said "support for President Obama is strong in South Florida" — the Obama camp is clearly concerned. It's made special efforts to reach out to Jewish voters, including personal attention from the top. In March, Vice President Joe Biden campaigned at Wynmoor Village, a heavily Jewish condominium community in Coconut Creek. Last week, campaigning at Century Village west of West Palm Beach, Obama proclaimed his unwavering support for Israel.

Giuliani's 12-minute indictment of Obama included the economy and the health care overhaul law commonly known as Obamacare. "I guarantee you that if we elect Mitt Romney, our economy next year will boom," he said.