Date of school vote conflicts with a Jewish holiday

Rochelle Marshall of Monroe was “stunned” and “absolutely appalled” when she received information in the mail on Saturday, May 8, about the upcoming Monroe-Woodbury school vote.

She was surprised to learn that the vote was scheduled for May 18, a day when she expected to be at her Conservative Jewish temple. It looked like she might have to miss the school vote for the first time since 1963.

May 18 is the second day of Shavuot, a major Jewish holiday that marks the grain harvest and commemorates the time God spoke to Moses and gave him the Ten Commandments. The holiday ends one hour after the 8:13 p.m. sunset. By then the polls will have closed.

The Jewish Federation of Greater Orange County alerted its members to the conflict in an email sent the afternoon of May 11.

’A traditional understanding of Jewish law’

Rabbi Rachel Rubinestein, executive director of the Federation, said in an interview that the holiday is observed by those with “a traditional understanding of Jewish law” – all Orthodox Jews and some Conservatives. She and her husband, Rabbi Marcus Rubenstein of Temple Sinai in Middletown, will not vote in person on that day.

The Kiryas Joel School District rescheduled its vote for May 11, joining four districts in Long Island and two in Rockland County.

After a pandemic year in which all school district voting was conducted by absentee ballot, this year’s election is returning to normal with in-person polling. The state adopted a law for this year only that permits absentee ballot applications by people who fear that they might have been exposed to COVID-19, a loose interpretation of previous guidelines.

In-person absentee ballot

The Jewish Federation suggested that voters who were interested in casting an absentee ballot could select “temporary illness or physical disability” as the reason for their application.

It added: “Please note that the state does not provide an option for absentee voting due to religious observations.”

The deadline for requesting a ballot through the mail has passed, but districts may permit voters to personally request and deliver to district offices an absentee ballot before the election. In Monroe-Woodbury, for instance, the deadline for turning in absentee ballot by voter in person or designee is 4 p.m. Monday.

The Federation advises voters to contact district clerks for instructions. It provides a list of the officials. https://files.constantcontact.com/e4d83d5d601/915f1446-ac09-46d0-9dad-763517cf134a.pdf

Marshall said she explained her dilemma to the Monroe-Woodbury clerk, picked up and submitted her ballot to district offices in Central Valley.