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"Literally from the moment I was born, I was profoundly influenced by Jewish people and the Jewish community," says Cuomo, who will speak Thursday, May 15 at San Francisco's Congregation Emanu-El in a benefit lecture for the Jewish Community Center of San Francisco.

"I have been steeped in the Jewish community for years and years and years — long before I was in politics and even now that I am out of politics."

After 12 years at the helm of the nation's second most populous state, Cuomo may be out of politics. But the affable and good-natured Democratic icon is as engaged as ever in the American political scene as an orator, commentator and author. His latest book, "Reason to Believe," published in 1995 and updated and rereleased in 1996, describes the challenges facing the country, as well as ideas for meeting them.

While his childhood memories evoke an America in which immigrants helped one another, in a telephone interview Cuomo says that today his greatest concern is that this country "does not see itself as a family. It sees itself more as 260 million disassociated individuals. That denies it strength, cohesiveness and recognition of our interconnectedness and interdependence."

A stalwart liberal and seemingly one of the last unapologetic New Deal Democrats around, Cuomo still sees a place for government in helping the disassociated. He stresses that education remains one of the best investments for taxpayer money and warns that inattention to neighborhoods that offer "all temptation and very little promise" only breeds trouble.

While a steadfast believer in personal responsibility and strong work ethics, he calls the day welfare reform legislation was signed into law "sad."

"Sad because I know of what it threatens with respect to children and sad because of what it implies about where the nation's political power is," he says. "The obvious judgment made by the president and other Democrats…is that it's what the people wanted. That's the saddest commentary of all."

Cuomo laments what he sees as poll-driven politics that keeps politicians attuned more to polls than their own consciences or the voices of constituents.

Whereas Cuomo once would have told distressed citizens to bring their grievances to the politicians who represent them, "I would amend my statement today," he says. "Don't tell your leaders. Tell the pollsters. I say that more in sadness than in sarcasm."

Also of great concern to Cuomo is the link between money and politics, a subject that evokes an immediate and staunch response from the former governor.

"Money is too important in politics today," he says. "It is true that a very good candidate can lose to a weak candidate if the very good candidate doesn't have much money and the weak candidate does. That's not a good situation for a democracy."

After serving as New York's secretary of state and as lieutenant governor, Cuomo was elected New York's 52nd governor in 1982 and won re-election in both 1986 and 1990.

Since leaving public office, he has returned to practice law as a partner in the Manhattan firm Willkie, Farr and Gallagher. Though his years in public life have not made his work in the private sector impossible, he admits his past has made him more open to scrutiny by colleagues and judges.

"It arouses the competitive fire, especially in Republicans," says Cuomo, who, when asked his age, will only say, "I play basketball." The record, incidentally, shows Cuomo's age to be 64.

And while he tends to be cagey on the subject of any future political pursuits, the man who many expected to run for president in 1992 says no, he has not ruled out a return to politics.

"I like public service," he says. "If I could find a place where I think I could make a difference, then I'd probably consider it."