Rabbi Blog

Dear QJC Family,

As I have mentioned in shul over the past couple of weeks, there are a couple of relevant political processes taking place right now that are important for our community. I would like to take this opportunity to remind you of them and provide the appropriate resources to take action.

1) Political Party Registration – it is well known that Rabbi Moshe Feinstein zt”l believed there to be an obligation to register to vote and participate in the democratic process, based on the principle of hakarat ha-tov for the liberties our country affords us. Given the political landscape of our community, the best way to assert influence is through participating in Democratic primaries. Since a Democrat is almost certain to become borough president, and for that matter, a Democrat in the presidential election is most likely to win electoral votes in New York, it is at the primary level where it may ultimately be determined who wins. Voting in primaries is, therefore, extremely important.
I must stress that it is not my place to endorse a particular party or candidate. However, participating in the political process is of great value, and we should ensure that our voice is heard in the most effective way possible. We must speak up on issues that concern the Jewish community, and while I do not endorse any particular party or candidate, I encourage everyone to vote for whoever you feel will best represent your personal and/or our communal interests. Likewise, in the general election, your party registration does not affect who you vote for – a registered Democrat can vote for a Republican, and vice versa; likewise, one who is registered with a party can vote for an independent. But registering with a party gives one the opportunity to have a say in who appears in the general election, which can be very important. It is for this reason I signed on to a rabbinic letter that urged participation in this process that appeared in shul and in the Queens Jewish Link. The deadline to switch affiliations is on February 14, 2020. To register, please see https://voterreg.dmv.ny.gov/MotorVoter/. Please be in touch if you encounter issues or if you have questions.


2) Voting in the World Zionist Congress – over $1 billion gets allocated every five years at the World Zionist Congress for a variety of purposes related to Israel and World Jewry. A strong Orthodox presence is crucial in order to ensure that there is funding for shlichim to educate our communities, for students to be able to go to Israel to learn Torah, to fight antisemitism and BDS in America, and physical security for our communities as well. To vote, please visit https://voteoic.org/.
May our tefillot and efforts in all endeavors be of success.



Warmly,

Rabbi Judah Kerbel