The Bible doesn’t know from democracy, but it does predict Jews would live among different people in different places with different customs. So the prophet Jeremiah directs the people to “… seek the welfare of the city to which I have exiled you and pray to God on its behalf, for in its prosperity you shall prosper” (Jer. 29:7). Jeremiah knows the Jewish people’s fortunes are tied to the surrounding culture. This verse is the source for the prayer for the government found in Jewish prayer books around the world. Jews have always accepted responsibility for contributing to the civic welfare of the larger community and recognize the subsequent benefit to the Jewish community.
This coming Tuesday, November 5, 2024, is election day. Eligible voters will cast ballots for candidates for local, state, and national offices and will weigh in on initiatives, propositions, and referenda affecting their communities. The act of voting is a tangible (even if confidential) expression of opinion about the direction American society should take. For Jews, it is an opportunity to enact Jeremiah’s admonition, elevating civic responsibility to sacred ritual.
This election season has been like no other, not the least of which has been the increased estrangement of political factions, one from the other, and the related reduction in genuine political discourse. Heilicher students will celebrate election day with a simulation highlighting the role of free elections in a democratic society and the importance of knowledge in casting a vote. It will recognize that disagreement will always exist and remember that Jewish thought teaches: Machloket l’sheim shamayim (A controversy for the sake of heaven) has enduring value (Pirkei Avot 5:17).