By COLlive reporter
The Board of Elections has come through for the Orthodox Jewish community, ahead of the upcoming Democratic Primary elections in New York.
A recent change to the polling site location in Brooklyn’s East Flatbush neighborhood was a cause of concern to the 50 Orthodox Jewish residents who live in the area, after the polling station which had originally been located at PS 235 was changed to 661 Linden Boulevard, inside of a Church.
Orthodox Jews are forbidden according to Halacha from entering houses of worship of other faiths, and so they reached out to community activist Yaacov Behrman for assistance.
Behrman immediately contacted Councilmember Chaim Deutsch, who is known for his efforts on behalf of the Jewish community, to inquire whether anything could be done for the area’s Jewish voters.
Deutsch conferred with the Board of Elections, and a solution was offered: a tent will be erected in front of the poll site, and voters will be permitted to vote outside the site via affidavit ballot, he informed.
Residents were grateful for the assistance, and said they are looking forward to “exercising our right to vote on election day,” one resident said.
Orthodox Jews are forbidden from entering houses of worship of other faiths, under Jewish law. Voting location PS 235 was relocated to a new location. I am told approximately 50 Jewish community members are unable to vote due to the location change. @BOENC pic.twitter.com/wRhWEnob7w
— Yaacov Behrman (@ChabadLubavitch) June 18, 2020
I have conferred w @BOENYC regarding this issue. A tent will be erected in front of this poll site on June 23 & voters will be permitted to vote outside the poll site via affidavit ballot.
If you are assigned to this poll site, I urge you to vote as early in the day as possible. https://t.co/PWUHhfAu5m
— Councilman Deutsch (@ChaimDeutsch) June 18, 2020
Thank you chaya mushka raichik for making it happen
Please show your support and thanks to Chaim with either a phone call text or bring him some token of appreciation as hakoras hatov
thank him by voting for him!!! tell everyone in CH to vote frum!
Decades ago, an election was to be held at
S. Marks religious school. It was not exactly
a place of worship. but they had images and
other figurines of Avodah Zorah. So, we were
allowed to vote their because those were covered
and/or concealed