To say that democracy is nearly as old as Judaism is not an exaggeration. The story of Moses I told on Monday portrayed Deuteronomy’s first democratic leanings. As Reform Jews, our engagement in politics goes part and parcel with our spiritual lives and the innovative expressions of Jewish life that engage American Jews. We are committed to crafting a world that reflects Jewish values as we understand them. This was the vision that led to the creation of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism and inspired Reform Jewish leaders in California to organize ourselves to create our own statewide counterpart.
As our state and nation look towards our most vital and regular expression of democracy, it is incumbent upon us all to express our will through our votes. We also invite you to encourage voting across the nation by supporting these or other organizations of your choice that seek greater participation in our elections. All are distinctly and importantly non-partisan.
The American Legion’s Voter Engagement Project
Election day, November 3, 2020, will be an extremely important opportunity for all of us to use our vote to influence the future of our city, state, and country. Of course, it’s a national election, but there will also be a significant number of measures on the ballot that will offer some transformational initiatives for our state. It is vital that all of us are registered and that each of us exercises our democratic obligation to vote. If you are not registered, you can do so by clicking here. If there is a young person turning 18 before election day in your household, encourage them to register in time to vote; they are stakeholders in our collective future as well.
Also: If you have not yet filled out the 2020 Census, another important way of strengthening our democracy, you can do that here.
— Rabbi Ron Stern