CURRENT ISSUES FOR OUR IRAC COMMUNITY

AND YOU SHALL CHOOSE EQUALITY!

This past Shabbat, we read the story of Noah, in which all of humanity is weighed in the balance and found wanting. They receive no instruction or opportunity to reform before their fate is sealed.
 
Yet just weeks ago, we read Moses' farewell address in Deuteronomy, in which he lays before the Israelites two paths as they prepare to enter the Promised Land. One path leads to death and destruction. The other leads to life and blessing.
 
Unlike the people of Noah's generation, who were not afforded a choice, the Israelites are called upon to reflect and to take responsibility. Moses presents them with a stark moral choice and urges: And you shall choose life.
 
On Tuesday, October 27, Israelis face this momentous choice once again as we go to the polls to elect a new Knesset that will form a new government.

In recent Israeli history, it is extraordinarily rare for a Knesset to complete its full term. The last time one accomplished this feat was in 1988. As Israel's government is created through a majority coalition of Knesset factions, governments can fall and be replaced without triggering a general election. In fact, the last time a government served a full electoral term was in 1973, making this election an even rarer occasion.
 
In the days following the terrible disaster of October 7, no one believed that the government responsible for the gravest failure since the establishment of the State of Israel would remain in power until the next scheduled election. Everyone was certain that elections would be held early. But despite its numerous failures, the government remained in power.
 
Now, at long last, Israelis have an opportunity to change the direction of the country. On October 27, some 7.33 million eligible Israeli voters will have the opportunity to make their voices heard. Yet the outcome is far from certain.
 
On one hand, no poll since October 7 has given the bloc supporting the current government anything close to a majority of 61 seats in the 120-member Knesset. On the other hand, the bloc opposing the government includes Arab parties that some opposition leaders have declared they will not include in a future coalition. So even if the current government loses its majority, it is unclear whether an alternative coalition can be formed.
 
Much depends on voter turnout. In the last election, turnout was approximately 70%. A party must receive at least 3.25% of the votes to enter the Knesset. The more people vote, the more votes a party needs to cross that threshold. In a close election, whether a party crosses it can change the balance of power between the blocs. This is why voting matters so much.

So what are we doing ahead of the elections?
 
First, we are calling on everyone to exercise their right to vote under the slogan: Voting is our civic mitzvah. At one of the most critical moments in our country's history, we have an opportunity to influence its future. We must use it.
 
And we are expressing this imperative in a Jewish voice. We have distributed posters and stickers with the slogan, and you shall choose equality, echoing Moses' charge to choose life.

This coming Shabbat, we will read Parashat Lech-Lecha, in which Abraham is first called to leave all he knows and go forth to a foreign place where God will make his descendants into a great nation that will be a source of blessing to all the families of the earth. We will use this moment to encourage people to embrace their duty to go out and vote. Just as Abraham answered the call to leave the familiar behind and take responsibility for an unknown and challenging future, we must emulate his acceptance of responsibility and go to the polls. We do not know what the election results will be, but we know that the future depends on us. 
 
Second, to ensure that the elections are fair, we are helping recruit election observers who will be stationed at polling places to help prevent fraud and attempts to manipulate the results. Democracy depends not only on people casting their votes, but also importantly on the confidence that everyone will be allowed to vote without intimidation and that every vote will be counted fairly.
 
Young people will play a particularly significant role in this election, including the 640,000 Israelis who will be voting for the first time.

There is a lot of discussion about the drift of young Israelis to the right, but a study by the Accord Institute shows that more young people aged 22 to 34 vote for opposition parties than for coalition parties. Yet they are not as present on social media.

To help young people understand what is at stake, we are collaborating with social media influencers. We have published videos and an interactive game showing that these elections are not only about the character of our country and its founding values, they will also affect our everyday lives.
 
Will you be able to get on a bus wearing a short-sleeved shirt? Will you be able to sit in a café in Jerusalem on Shabbat without having stones thrown at you? Will you be able to use public transportation to visit family and friends on Shabbat? Will you be able to marry as you wish? Will LGBTQ+ people feel protected?

A banner calling on voters to choose equality at the HUC campus

I will spend the first half of Election Day at a polling station in Jerusalem, serving as an election observer to protect our democracy. Throughout the entire day, we will work through social media to encourage everyone to vote.
 
We do not know what the election results will be. But we know what we are working for.
 
Regardless of who forms the next government, we will continue raising a Jewish voice for a country that cares for all its citizens, regardless of religion, race, or gender. A country committed to justice and equality, to compassion and respect for every human being.
 
This is the Israel we will continue to fight for—before Election Day, on Election Day, and every day afterward. A country that chooses equality, that chooses democracy, that chooses life.
 
Sincerely,
Orly Erez-Likhovski