Letter: I-90 Bridge Toll Would Hurt Eastside Jewish Life

Growing up Jewish on Mercer Island, I often heard from others that it was a center of Jewish life in the Puget Sound area. I didn’t necessarily believe them but when I moved back to the Pacific Northwest in 1994 to get married and raise a family, I knew being part of a Jewish community was very important to me. There are two conservative synagogues in the Puget Sound area – one in Seattle and one on Mercer Island. There are two Jewish Community Centers (JCC) in the Puget Sound area – one in Seattle and one on Mercer Island. There are two large chain grocery stores with fresh Kosher meat in the Puget Sound area – one in Seattle and one on Mercer Island (and there is a second under development also on Mercer Island).  

Like so many others, I chose to live on the Eastside (in Bellevue along the I-90 corridor) specifically in order to have easy access to the center of Jewish life that exists on Mercer Island.  Over the past 10 years, I have commuted to Mercer Island at least ten times a week to get my children to and from childcare at the JCC.  I have commuted to Mercer Island at least eight times a week to get my children to and from Hebrew School at Herzl-Ner Tamid Conservative Congregation (HNT).  I have commuted to Mercer Island at least an additional six times a week to attend services at HNT, work out at the JCC, and buy Kosher food at the Albertsons on Mercer Island.  Tolling I-90 could make being an active member of the Eastside Jewish Community cost prohibitive.  It is incumbent upon the WSDOT to not restrict access to religious life.

Thank you,

Ilyse Wagner

Bellevue