Election Day, Tuesday, November 5 will soon be upon us. Finally.
In both ancient times and modern times, Jewish teachings speak to the importance of voting.
In Jeremiah (29, 4 – 7) during the exile in Babylon, the prophet wrote, we are to engage deeply in the communities in which we find ourselves. More recently Modecai Kaplan wrote that the worth of a civilization depends not only upon the ideals and values it professes, but upon its ability to energize them.
Participating in elections certainly falls into the category of energizing ideals and values as well as engaging in our communities.
We are all being bombarded by TV commercials, robo calls, lawn signs, mailings, and politicians shaking hands on the Sunday morning line at the bagel store. I am confident that most of us are aware of who is running and for which elective positions.
But my reason for writing is that there are important propositions to consider. The key thing to remember is that to find the propositions you need to flip the ballot over, something that is easy to miss. All of the propositions are on the back of the ballot.
I offer a quick nonpartisan review of the propositions. In NY State there is only one statewide proposition, Proposition One, also called the Equal Rights Amendment, as it amends the NY State constitution. It is inappropriate for me to suggest how you should vote, in this forum. There are many sources of information on this proposition and you can always look at the nonpartisan League of Women Voters website https://lwvny.org/nys-equal-rights-amendment/ for information about this proposition.
Also if you live in the five boroughs of NY City, you will find on the back of your ballot, propositions two through six. These propositions all amend the NY City Council charter on everything from the size and shape of your garbage pail to who to reach out to get a permit to film a movie in NYC. It is beyond the space constraints to go into any detail on these propositions, but there is plenty of information on the internet such as the New York City Council website https://council.nyc.gov/2024-ballot-proposals/ .
If anyone needs a ride to the ballot box on Tuesday, November 5 in the area of the Synagogue, let me know ( ). Also, Deluxe Transportation in Port Washington usually provides free rides to polling places for seniors and the disabled.
So my points are simply that it is a Jewish value to vote and that includes the propositions for which you need to flip to the back page of your ballot.
Bob Schwartz
