Renewing the law for Judea and Samaria [Jewish] residents to be treated as equal citizens for another five years is supposed to happen, but in this crazy coalition we have no idea if it will or wont. And the Opposition should be supporting the bill, as it is a consensus bill and they have supported it int he past and bills like these are generally supported by the Opposition, but they are making sounds of not supporting it so they can try to collapse the government. 

It seems that residents of Crown heights and parts of Flatbush discovered their polling station for today's elections to be located inside a church. Halacha normally prohibits Jews from entering a church. According to Kikar, the affected communities tried to get their polling station changed, but were unsuccessful.

Israelis have had enough of elections for a while, but today it is the turn of our friends in the USA... go vote! Exercise your democratic right and make your voice heard, no matter which candidate you support and no matter which state you are from.

MK Yaakov Margi (Shas) has proposed a law that would lower the voting age in national elections to 17 instead of the current 18.

In his proposal Margi explains that the need for lowering the voting age is due to the low voter turnout in the lats elections (which is not true). The youth in Israel have strong interest in politics and allowing their participation would improve the turnout rate.

The Machon Lademocratiya is not opposed to the law, though it did issue an opinion that points out that almost no other country has such a young voting age.

Margi has so far been able to draw wide support for his proposal
source: BHOL

Is this a smart move by Margi? In the long term it looks like something Shas might benefit from. With about 30% of students today in Haredi schools, and of those a significant majority are probably in Shas-affiliated schools, this seems to give Shas, and Haredim in general, an edge in any given election in the future, even though in the short term it might not help them any more than any other specific party.

Also, Haredi voters have higher turnouts than general population voters, so getting more Haredi voters into the system will also help the Haredi parties in general, even short-term.

What other reaosn would there be?

MKs from Yesh Atid, Yifat Kariv and Boaz Toporovski, have submitted a law proposal to lower the eligible age for voting for Knesset elections to 17.

Supposedly, according to a couple articles I read, they expect this law to bring them in some young voters after polls indicate waning interest among the general public in Yesh Atid, but that seems to be an assumption. This is being assumed because a number of parties, including Yesh Atid, have mentioned that they expect new elections in the near future...

In their explanation to the proposal they explain that 17 year-olds in Israel are mature and responsible - they can drive, they can go through testing for units in the IDF and more. Their involvement in society and politics is unavoidable. Young people today are fully aware of information about society and the State, sometimes even much more so than those older. They should also be able to choose their representation.

If these teens are so responsible at 17, why did the Knesset recently say they are not responsible enough to get married? If they can drive and read the news they should also be able to get married, by this logic! I am not against 17 year-olds voting, but why pick that age? Why not 16? why not leave it at 18?

I thought this message I received from the US Embassy was important enough to share for all the US citizens in Israel who might want to vote in upcoming elections..

Very interestingly, Kadima is finally taking a stand on something. This proposed law of allowing Israeli expats to vote absentee has upset Tzipi Livni and others in Kadima and has given them something to oppose the government on, despite their lack of any serious opposition until now.

Livni has been getting former generals to sign and speak out that they oppose allowing expats to vote, as only people who feel their future is in Israel should be allowed to. I am not sure why they went with generals as their tactic. It would seem more appropriate for them to have asked "men of spirit" - poets, academics, intellectuals, writers, artists, etc. to oppose this. This is not a security issue, rather more of a philosophical issue.

I have not heard Shaul Mofaz yet express an opinion on the matter, and I wonder why. I wonder if he is not saying anything because he is still looking to join the Likud. And now, according to news reports, activists in kadima have given Mofaz an ultimatum - that if he does not join the coalition by the end of February, they will en masse leave Kadima and join the Likud on their own.

I wonder if he is not speaking out on the expat law so as not to hurt his chances, by upsetting Bibi, of joining the Likud in the near future. While a Likudnik can speak out against Bibi's policy (like Benny Begin publicly opposed the expat law), it might be uncomfortable and inappropriate for someone from another party to oppose it and then to join the party.

Yesterday, in a Likud party meeting, PM Netanyahu announced that he is going to propose, as per his coalition agreement with Yisrael Beiteinu, a law that would allow expatriates, or any citizen outside of the country on election day, the right to vote in Israel elections. Netanyahu says the reason is that this would help Israeli expats to continue to feel connected, and eventually return, to Israel. (source: Ynet)

While lots of people from all sectors reside abroad, or travel for business and vacation, the people expected to benefit from this law the most are on the right-wing of the political map of Israel.

Once Israelis leave Israel, they are often disconnected more or less from the country. the people who stay connected the most, and interested in the elections and activity of Israel, are right-ringers and religious people.

This should give an even bigger boost to the right-wing and religious parties. Of course, that is the only reason Netanyahu would even agree to proposing such a law.

Haaretz is running a contest (with a prize!) asking you to vote for who you think the most influential person of the decade has been. They offer a large selection of public figures, and ask you to choose 5.

I don't understand why some of them are included in the list - a basketball player, for example. It was great that he made it to the NBA this year, but what does that have to do with being influential, let alone influential throughout the decade? there were also some other choices just as questionable for their inclusion...

The vote is for most influential people. Not most positive, most popular, etc.

Anyway, here are the 5 people I selected, and why I chose them:

1. Ahmadinejad - he has held the headlines now for 5 years running, with his nuclear project, and the post-election recent turmoil.
2. Ariel Sharon - despite his 4 years of coma, the first half of the decade was commanded mostly by Sharon. Taking the premiership, the disengagement, his leadership, his revamping his image, etc. His influence and his actions have extended well to the end of the decade despite his having been in a coma the past 4 years.
3. Jon Stewart - the funny man probably shouldn't be in the list, but he has gone from being simply a comedian with a fake news show to being an extremely influential anchor. He hosts and interviews world leaders and puts their opinions to the test.
   
4. Stanley Fischer - he has calmly navigated Israel through one of the worst global depressions ever, and has successfully minimized the depressions effects on Israel's economy.
   
5. Bernie Madoff - A choice I was unsure of, but chose him over Nasrallah. His Ponzi scheme scandal and 150 year conviction have had and will continue to have ramifications and influence on the financial markets for a long time.

Those are my choices. Go check out the Haaretz site and submit your choices... Just don't take my prize.

I just came back from voting. It looked pretty quiet. No booths, though when we finished and were leaving a couple booths were being set up, no big crowds, no signs, stickers and flyers, etc.

A little bonus was the I got to see my daughter's classroom, as my polling station was in her school. She took me in and showed me around....

The Shas booth was giving out mincha-maariv siddurs with a picture of Rav Ovadia Yosef on it. I decided not to vote for Shas because they only had Nusach Edut Mizrach siddurim and no ashkenaz ones... :-)

GO VOTE!!!

Personally, I have issues with Rav Aviner, and would not normally quote him... But this is something I generally agree with him on, and he explains it very nicely, so I offer this to you.

Rav Aviner has a series of halachic decisions he videos for the website Maale. In a recent question, the petitioner asked who the rabbonim would tell him to vote for.

Rav Aviner's answer is that you have to think and decide for yourself. the rabbonim don't know any better than anybody else. Every person is considered a dayan of sorts - he has to weigh his considerations and vote for whom he thinks is the right party. A dayan has to voice his opinion, and not change it because someone told him otherwise.

To see the whole video of the psak (just a few minutes), click here..

(source: Ynet)

I am from Chicago. That should mean that I am an expert at cheating at voting multiple times in an election.

Unfortunately that is not something I ever learned how to do.

I have a unique opportunity. It pretty much fell in my lap, but I have no idea how to use it.

My brother served in the Israeli army. he is not an Israeli citizen. he was a volunteer in the Macha"l program.

He is no longer in the army, nor in Israel. He finished his service, almost a year ago, and went back to the USA.

He used our address as his mailing address, because he was moving between apartments every couple of months, and figured his mail would be safer if it came to us. Most of his mail has been notices about job opportunities in security, bank stuff, and pretty boring stuff.

Until last week, that is. Last week he received a voting notice telling him where his polling booth is in the upcoming Bet Shemesh elections. It must be a mistake, because he is not an israeli citizen, unless there is some rule about former soldiers being allowed to vote. Regardless of whether or not it is a mistake, he is not in the country and therefore will not be actualizing his vote.

This presents a unique opportunity to vote twice in the upcoming elections. Once under my name, and once under his name. The only problem is I have no idea how to pose as him, considering I do not have any identification of his.

So, instead of my using his ticket to vote twice, I have decided to take advantage of this opportunity in a different way. I am offering to sell his voting ticket to the highest bidder. You have no comittment to vote for any specific person or party. Just leave your bid in the comments, even anonymously, and let me know how much you would be willing to pay for the ability to vote twice. Afterwards you can contact me by email to actualize the purchase!

NOTE: Being that it is illegal to partake in election fraud, and I have no interest in being arrested over this, I hereby present this disclaimer stating that the offer to sell his voting ticket was humurous in nature and is not a real offer. Though it is true that I received a voting notice for him in the mail.

--------------------------------------------referral post---------------------------------------------------

I enjoy exercising my right to vote. I vote at every election in which I am eligible to vote, and I even answer surveys whenever possible.

In 18 years in Israel, I have voted in three United States elections for president by absentee ballot. I believe in being part of the process.

The upcoming election seems to one in which every vote will probably count and make a difference. The race is very tight and the candidates are fighting for every vote. It does not really matter for whom you are going to vote, but you should definitely vote for whomever is your preferred candidate.

So, how do you vote? You can't just walk into a booth in your local library or school building and vote, like you did in the US. The process is not really all that difficult. You simply have to apply for an absentee ballot fro the state in which you last resided. Then, shortly before the day of voting, you will get a ballot in the mail which you fill in and mail back.

So how do you register? Thankfully, an organization has arisen whose goal is to make the application process really simple. All they want to do is to get more people to vote and exercise their democratic rights.

They are called Vote From Israel.

Vote From Israel is a non-partisan, nonprofit dedicated to getting Americans in Israel to Vote in the upcoming US elections for President.

To vote from overseas, you MUST be registered. If you aren’t registered, you can’t vote. Period.

Registration ends October 6, 2008 (in a week!!!). That means, especially with Rosh Hashana happening in the middle of this week, you really have to get moving and contact them right away!

So here is what you should do, in six easy steps:

1. Go to the website.
2. Enter your name.
3. Download the PDF form.
4. Print it out.
5. Fill it out and sign it.
6. And the most important part -It must be dropped off at one of the drop-off points around the country by October 6. The site has a list of all the drop off points. If it isn’t dropped off, you can’t vote!

I have already registered, not through Vote From Israel, but the old-fashioned way. But if you have not yet registered, take care of this right away, so you can be a part of the process. Every vote counts, and yours just might make a difference!

--------------------------------------------end of referral---------------------------------------------------

I have a number of points to make regarding the situation with President Katzav:

1. President Moshe Katzav must resign.

Saying the above does not mean I presume him to be guilty. He has the right and the responsibility to defend himself and prove his innocence. I hope that he did not do what he is accused of, simply because of the disgrace it would be if it is found out to be true. But if he is guilty, it will be proven in court with him having an opportunity to defend and he will then suffer the consequences.

Regardless of whether he is innocent or guilty he needs to resign from the presidency. He needs to and will concentrate the immediate future to defending himself in a court of law and in the court of the minds of the Israeli and world public. Being that he will be busy doing so, he should not be sitting in the seat of the Presidency. Israel needs a president who can dedicate his time and energies to the job. Moshe Katzav will not be able to do so.

That is aside from the disgrace this has brought to Israel and the presidency. For this, too, he should resign.

2. PM Olmert called on Katzav to resign. He declared in no uncertain terms, "In these circumstances there is no doubt in my heart that the president cannot continue to fulfill his role and must leave the President's Residence,".

Talk about calling the kettle black! The President has not yet been indicted. His situation is not that different from the one in which Olmert himself is found, other than the crimes under discussion and the stage of the investigation. Katzav's investigation is nearer the end with recommendations having been made, while Olmert's is only close to that point.

Olmert would do well to not stick his foot in his mouth and put himself in a precarious position later. When any of the investigations come to the point where they recommend he be indicted, will Olmert follow his own advice and resign? I would hope so but nothing indicates that he will. His style until now has been to publicly ignore all things going on in those regards and simply spin things to distract the people.

His bold statement yesterday will probably come back to bite him in the tush when his time comes and he refuses to step down.

3. The race to replace Katzav has (more) officially begun. The candidates are lining up. They include Shimon Peres, Collete Avital, Dalia Itzik, Reuven (Ruby) Rivlin and possibly Rabbi YM Lau.

My position on this is that the President needs to be elected by the people, not by the current system of the Members of Knesset voting. Voting open only to MK means they are subject to political pressures, coalition pressures, personal relationship pressures and the like and only we, the people, lose out because the limited number of voters do not have the courage to vote for the best candidate.

Another position I have on this is that the candidates need to be taken from the general public. People who have contributed to society in various realms. Not politicians, and for sure not currently active politicians.

This would mean the only candidate I would support in the above list of front runners would be Rabbi Lau. I think Rabbi Lau is a wonderful and inspiring person and he is deserving of the Presidency and would bring back honor to Israel if he filled the position. That being said, I would like to see more candidates from the general public - accomplished scientists, professors, mathematicians, men of spirit, etc. who would challenge Rabbi Lau for the spot. I do not know that Rabbi Lau is the best man for the job, but in the list of candidates above I consider him the only worthy one.

Another position I have on the elections for president is that the ballot remain secret. if we are already limiting the voting to 120 MKs who are subject to political pressures and other pressures, at least the voting should remain secret and closed ballot, so at least to keep the slightest vestige of honest voting and not one big political deal and maneuver shafting the rest of the country.
Which leads us to....

PM Olmert and the Kadima Party is going to be pushing perennial candidate Shimon Peres as its candidate for the presidency. Supporters for Shimon Peres are pushing to change the voting system to an open ballot. They fear that the only way Peres can win is by open ballot, where pressure will force a majority of the 120 voters to vote for him. They are probably right, which is the greatest example of why the voting must remain closed. Not to ensure Peres does not get elected. Rather, to ensure that the limited 120 voters get to vote for who they think is best, not just the candidate who can put the most pressure on them. If in a closed ballot they vote for Shimon, that is fine.

Of all Olmert's mistakes, this one might be his biggest. His pushing Peres as the candidate, if Peres wins, is definitely a major mistake. The president is an honorary position in Israel. The president is not meant to discuss or get involved in politics. He is meant o be dignified and develop relations around the world and represent Israel to the world.

Shimon Peres would be great at that. He is dignified. He is respected. He is probably more or less clean from the various criminal activities plaguing Israeli politicians nowadays. However, Shimon Peres is a man of action, not a man fitting for an honorary position. He would immediately make the presidency one from which he pushes whatever political agenda he has on his mind at the time.

Peres is famous for his backstabbing and political maneuvers, and he would use the presidency for the same goals he has used politics for until now. Why would a man like Peres want this position anyway? He cannot get involved in the peace process, his baby, and other national interests from the Presidents Mansion. It is not in the job description.
The only reason is because he wants it in order to further his goals and ideals. he wants to use the power of the presidency to push his agenda in the political sphere.

Ehud Olmert should beware of Shimon Peres and not be so eager to push him into the presidency. the first person to be back stabbed by Peres will be Olmert.

The Presidential elections. No, not the ones Avigdor Lieberman is trying to change the political system to. I am referring to the elections for the new President of Israel that will seemingly be taking place in the near future.

President Moshe Katsav is on the brink of suspending himself and possibly resigning his position. It looks like he will be served with an indictment in the near future and will have to resign. If he does not, he likely will be forcibly removed by a special session of the Knesset. Thsi will bring us to new presidential elections in the very near future.

I am in favor of changing the system. I would like to see presidential elections in which the public elects the prez, rather than the Knesset electing him. I would like to see politicians disqualified from the position (as long as the whole political system is not changed and stays in its current format with the prez being an apolitical position).

There have been calls recently, because elections are clearly coming, to change the format of the elections to an open ballot election. That means that when the voting takes place, everybosy has the ability to see who voted for whom.

When Moshe Katsav defeated Shimon Peres for the presidency in the last elections 7 years ago, they used a closed ballot system. Shimon Peres had assumed he would win because of promises people made to him to vote in his favor but was then surprised with defeat when the secret ballots were counted. People actually voted for the candidate they preferred rather the one they were pressured into supporting. Now the supporters of changing to open ballot are saying, "Look what the closed ballot system got us".

I am sorry, but the closed ballot system had nothing to do with whether or not Moshe Katsav raped his employees.

The closed ballot system allows people to vote according to who and what they really want to see sitting in the chair of the President, rather than according to all sorts of pressures exerted on him. Those pressures could be party affiliation, they could be personal (e.g. a candidate pulling favors), they could be emotional (e.g. someone feels bad saying no to Shimon Peres). In a closed ballto system, people could say what they want before the election and then vote for whomever they really prefer.

That si the way ti should be. Voting should not be influenced. The pre-election campaigning is enough opportunity to influence the voter. No need to actually watch the vote and then make people not vote for their preferred candidate.