Sitting on my couch and listening to NPR report election results (and cheering more than moaning – thank G-d) my hope for this country is increasing a tad. Maybe this will be real change. Maybe not.

What is Jewish about this post? What is Jewish about caring about elections?   Many things, in my opinion.

First, on voting – Jews have been prohibited from voting and participating in government in many of the countries in which we have lived. Voting is a privelege and, in America, Canada, Israel and other  countries it is a right.  I believe that voting is a right which all Americans (and etc) are obliged to take seriously.  This obligation is even heavier for Jews – for those who were never permitted to vote and for the principle of tikkun olam (the obligation to repair the world).

Tikkun olam appears throughout our texts – we must care about the world around us and we must  take part in making the world a better place.

Using the voices we have in the American government – voting, writing/talking to congressional personnel is our obligation and our right!