Shabbat Shalom!
This week, tens of thousands of Israelis living abroad traveled home to vote. Most Israeli citizens overseas cannot vote from abroad, so participating meant making the trip: buying tickets, taking time away from work, rearranging family schedules, and crossing oceans to have a say in their country’s future.
We’ve been thinking a lot about that effort and, of course, about Rabbi Cohen and Raina voting in their first Israeli election as citizens. (Mazel Tov!) Voting, having a voice in the future of a country you love, is a privilege that carries real responsibility. Expressing that connection through the simple, concrete act of casting a ballot is both powerful and hopeful.
We know how much emotion an election can bring. We bring our hopes, our worries, our convictions, and sometimes quite a bit of frustration. But making that journey says something hopeful on its own: I care about what happens here. I believe there is a future worth investing in. And I am willing to do my part.
To us, that is a beautiful expression of putting faith into action.
In Jewish life, we are asked, again and again, to connect what we believe with what we do. Our prayers give us words for the world we hope to see. Our actions give those words somewhere to go, a way for our hope to become realized and impactful. We pray for healing, and then we call a friend who is having a hard time. We give thanks for the food on our tables, and we help make sure someone else has enough to eat. We pray for peace, and then we face the much harder task of actually making peace with a real person who has gotten under our skin.
That last one can take a little extra practice.
As we approach our own midterm elections this coming week, we know that many of us are both weary and wary. Following the news can be exhausting. It can be difficult to have a political conversation without worrying about where it might lead. It can be tempting to decide that our one small contribution by ballot cannot possibly make much difference.
Rabbi Tarfon, one of our greatest ancient sages, offers a teaching that speaks directly to that feeling: “It is not your duty to finish the work, but neither are you at liberty to neglect it” (Pirkei Avot 2:16).
Rabbi Tarfon’s pragmatism is a gift. He understands that the work is bigger than any one of us. We will not fix everything—even if we wanted to, we simply can’t. We may put in considerable effort and still be disappointed, forced to begin again. And yet, such challenges do not absolve us from our obligation to participate. We still have a part to play.
There is hope in this obligation. It helps us remember that we are part of something together—that there are others working alongside us, and others who carry the work forward after our time is done. Hope grows through participation. When we show up, we meet other people who care like we do. We discover that we have something to contribute, individually and collectively, and the future begins to feel less like something happening to us and more like something we can help shape.
Casting a ballot is one way to begin. So are learning about the candidates and the issues, listening carefully, and considering how our choices affect people whose circumstances differ from our own. Our Jewish commitments belong in this process: our concern for human dignity, our responsibility to our neighbors, our pursuit of justice, and our care for those who are vulnerable. Thoughtful people may differ about how best to put those commitments into practice. We can take these differences seriously and still remember that the person across from us is, like us, created in the image of God.
That responsibility remains there the morning after the election. Whatever the results, there will be neighbors to care for, relationships to build and nurture, and work that needs our attention.
This Shabbat, we are finding hope in the people willing to make the journey. The ones crossing an ocean. The ones making time on a busy day. The ones voting for the first time, and the ones who have voted for decades and keep showing up. Each one is making room for the possibility that their participation matters.
If you have already voted, thank you for taking part. If you have not, make a plan. Bring your questions, your convictions, and your hopes for the people who will inherit the choices we make today.
May this Shabbat give us a little breathing room, renewed strength, and enough hope to take the next step.
Shabbat Shalom,
Cantor Moses and Rabbi Klein
PS: In case you’re looking for reading other than nervously scrolling through election results, check out this article, entitled “How to Feel Hopeful when Everything is Falling Apart” – it’s got some great, concrete suggestions.
PPS: If you are looking for a thoughtful commentary on Israeli elections, check out this article, entitled “The People of Israel Have Spoken. But What Did They Say?” by Rabbi Josh Weinberg, Executive Director of the Association of Reform Zionists of America (ARZA). If you like what Rabbi Weinberg has to say, consider signing up for his weekly updates – we’ve found his insights to be quite nuanced and meaningful.
PPPS: Some words to take with you to the polls on Tuesday – give this a read before casting your vote and put this prayer directly into action!
