November 23, 2014
Originally Published in The Jewish Press
Now that we are past Election Day, I think the clearest message to come out of the elections is “Just Show Up.”
For the past three years, the New Jersey team of OU Advocacy– the public policy arm of the Orthodox Union–has reached out to the New Jersey Jewish community to stress the importance of voting. Having a strong community presence at the polls shows our elected officials we care about the issues that affect us. It gives voice to our message about the importance of Jewish education, tuition relief for our families, and other concerns.
When it comes to voting, it’s not hard to make a statement in New Jersey. Only 35 percent of New Jerseyans showed up at the polls this year – and that was more than last year. Imagine if our community came out in force and everyone voted. That would send a clear message to our elected officials that they should pay attention to our needs.