Democrat Barack Obama explained the roots of his unusual name, listed some of his Jewish friends and voiced support for Israel on Thursday during a synagogue visit designed to shore up Jewish support for his US presidential bid.
Obama, an Illinois senator and the front-runner for his party's White House nomination, has battled concerns among some Jewish Americans about his race, religion and views on Israel.
Obama addressed those issues in a nearly two-hour meeting with Democrats and Republicans at a Jewish temple in Florida, a state that will be key to winning November's general election.
"There is not a single trace of me ever being anything more than a friend of Israel and a friend of the Jewish people," Obama said, telling the crowd not to believe fliers and e-mails that suggested otherwise.
"Judge me by what I say and what I've done. Don't judge me because I've got a funny name. Don't judge me because I'm African-American."
Critics have raised doubts about Obama's commitment to the Jewish state and have floated rumours that he was a Muslim.
Obama, who is a Christian, said as president he would bring "an unshakable commitment" to maintaining the American-Israeli bond, a mainstay of US Middle East policy.
"If you get one of these e-mails that says I'm a Muslim: not true," he told the crowd.
The questions from the B'Nai Torah Congregation touched on Obama's policy proposals and his personal life. When asked about his name, Obama said it had the same roots as a similar Jewish one and meant "one who's blessed".
One questioner asked the Illinois senator to name close friends who were Jewish and pro-Israel.
"I hesitate to start listing them out," Obama said, cautioning against a stereotype that having acquaintances in a minority group meant you did not behave in a prejudiced way.
