We Care — It’s Part of Our Spiritual DNA

No matter how you voted, it was great to finally see Americans voting! I grew up in Canada and couldn’t wait to turn 18, so I too could vote. It was surprising to me when I moved to the U.S. how few people actually did. In some recent years, it was barely over half of those eligible.

If you follow the politics in Israel (so fun!), there have been three– yes three– national elections in just over a year. I asked my husband what percentage of the eligible voters in Israel voted in election #3 this year, and he said likely less than the first two because people were sick of the whole thing. But in fact, the voter turnout the third time was even higher– over 71%! The average turnout since the establishment of the State of Israel is over 75%.

This last contentious election in the U.S. apparently brought out the highest eligible turnout since the year 1900– just over 66%. It would be interesting to know what percentage of American Jews who were eligible to vote actually did. I would bet that it is well above the national average.

As we have discussed here before– Jews have opinions, Jews drive movements, Jews care. It’s part of our spiritual DNA– we can run from it, but we can’t hide. It’s simply, and for me gratefully, who we are.

Let’s use it for good.