By COLlive reporter
On Tuesday, November 3, American citizens will be going to the polling stations in their area to cast their votes in the 2020 Presidential election.
Excluding some residents of the Brooklyn neighborhoods of Crown Heights and East Flatbush.
The reason is that the polling site is located inside the “God’s Battalion Church” at 661 Linden Boulevard, barring members of the local Jewish community from stepping foot inside – even briefly.
Jewish law (mentioned by the Rambam in his commentary on Mishnah Avodah Zarah Chapter One) forbids a Jew from entering a house of idol worship, which is what a church is considered.
During the last election, when the polling booth was inside the same church, officials notified the Jewish community that a tent would be set up outside of the building. That didn’t end up happening when voters showed up at the location.
The cancelation of the tent was due to legal reasons, the Board of Elections told COLlive.
“It is illegal to have two poll sites for the same group of voters so we were unable to secure a tent outside of the current poll site,” said Valerie Vazquez, Director of Communications at Board of Elections in the City of New York.
Asked what are the alternative ways that Jewish residents can vote in the upcoming election, Vazquez said residents can vote by absentee ballots (apply online via vote.nyc) up until October 27.
Another option is to vote via religious scruples ballot (apply in person up to and including election day at the Brooklyn office 345 Adams Street, 4 Fl Brooklyn, NY 11201).
As for the future, Vazquez told COLlive.com on Thursday: “We have a scheduled meeting with leaders in the community to discuss how we can find a better accommodation moving forward.”
Crown Heights community activist Yaacov Behrman, who has been lobbying this issue, confirmed that the meeting is scheduled in the hope to resolve the conflict.
Clarification by Rabbi Eli Cohen of the CHJCC:
Early Voting is any day next week, October 24 to November 1.
Most of Crown Heights will have early voting at either Brooklyn Museum or St. Johns Rec Center – a city-owned facility (not a church).
To check your early voting location go to https://findmypollsite.vote.nyc/
On Election Day, November 3rd, voting is at your local polling place only (most locations are in public schools).
To check your voting location go to https://findmypollsite.vote.nyc/
Election interference
Misleading article. Most of the Jewish community options are not in a church. Find your site for early and election day voting here:
https://findmypollsite.vote.nyc
Thank you Eli Cohen at the Jewish community council for the info. Call them if you have questions.
The absentee ballot came back and was invalid!
Please find a better solution
Same thing here. absentee ballot came back as disqualified (because of incorrect voting location).
Sue them and quick. They knew this from last time and therefore it’s deliberate
This is voter suppression. There’s no point in having a meeting, when all they need to do is find an alternative to a Church. Unless they’re trying to delay.
Jcc? Rabbonim? Anybody?
Is there a hetter for voting in a church?
It’s pikuach nefesh.
Yaakov behrman is hoping this will be resolved for the future?! Maybe time to call the feds for help instead?
U can’t go in a church full stop. What planet are you from?
You must speak to others with respect. FULL STOP.
Let that sink in.
Rav Moshe Feinstein says you are allowed to vote in a church, especially if you don’t need to go into the actual prayer portion of it.
So yes, there is a heter. Consult your own Rabbi, of course, but the idea that it can’t possibly ever be allowed for any reason is – not true.
it’s not always as clear-cut as you’re making it out to be, especially if not going into the actual sanctuary. See here: https://www.kof-k.org/articles/040308030457W-34%20Contemporary%20Avodah%20Zara%20Issues.pdf
People can ask their LOR.
The options given above are not as convenient as going in person this week. We are voting in the Brooklyn Museum this Monday.
That is hard for people who can’t take off work during open voting hours.
If Biden wins you won’t have work left to go to. He is pro shut down. Think about it and figure something out. Too much at stake this time around.
some people work real jobs and arent able to take off.
Employers, by law, are required to allow you to take off a few hours to vote.
early voting is open on sunday
Some days are as early as 7 am and as late as 8pm.
Now New York has the option for early voting
For Crown Heights it’s at the Brooklyn Museum all week – check for specific hours
Not sure if same location for E Flatbush
As long as your a resident in brooklyn you can go to the Brooklyn public library at GAP and vote early till November 1st.
Just check the website votenyc.gov if I’m not mistaken.
You can vote early starting this sunday
Straight up looking to suppress the Jewish vote. Would they dare do this to Muslims?
Was a competent Rav consulted?
Is it in their chapel or is it in the basement? If it’s only in a side room or basement, if I’m not mistaken, it’s 100% permissible according to Rav Moshe Feinstein in his igros Moshe
If newyork majority are liberals??
Yes Yes Yes! Many past liberals and blacks are voting Trump after the riots and abolish the police movement that the Dems promoted. They see how little the Dems have done for them after so many years in power. Our every vote can literally make the difference. Go out and vote!
To: is there a point in voting?
Not sure about everyone voting dem anymore. Used to be true. But now the decent people I meet and talk to (Drs, taxi drivers, neighbors, store workers…) are all quietly seething at the extreme liberal insanity we got to witness and enjoy. They don’t like the huge surge in shootings, lawlessness and crime. They will be voting Trump.
This is true voter suppression. ANd a foretaste if America in general if the wrong party wins. Thanks
“It is illegal to have two poll sites for the same group of voters so we were unable to secure a tent outside of the current poll site,”
So move it to only the tent or to a different location altogether. They had plenty of time to move it since this issue was brought up. Instead, they chose to ignore it.
Please look into filing a lawsuit, don’t complain about politics if you don’t go out and vote
I have heard of Hetterim if you don’t need to go into the main prayer section.
A Rabbi should rule it so that all runs smooth.
A Lubavitcher Rav already paskened not to go in. Are you saying he should change his psak?
I asked a Lubavitch rov who told me that being that its most probably rented out for the day(s) due to Separation of Church & State, therefore we can go vote.
What happened to the separation of Church and State? It makes no sense that something like this is legal. One could argue its a way for the Church to try recruiting “non believers”
The athiest and agnostic associations have been fighting this for years
this whole thing is puire bs its plain & simple a federal violation it is purposely designed to exclude many of the Jewish community residents couldn’t secure a tent? that i s pure bs & they know it renting a tent is a simple as a phone call. If crown heights can get huge tents set up in a day anyone can The company assembles & disassembles. Its that they don’t want to & they know that Ch leadership[ is for most purposes weak &non existent. The city etc should be dragged into federal court & forced to provide an… Read more »
How is it that there is no taking charge on this, same thing happened last time.
It is a matter of Pikuach Nefesh, and you should go and vote in person! That’s exactly what I would do!