June 3rd- A day of Obligations

I hope that everyone enjoyed their Lag B'Omer celebrations, no matter how you marked the occasion.  Maybe you ate a smore for me :-)

Coming up in the next few weeks is what the Omer count has been all about- Shavuot, the giving of the Torah at Mt. Sinai.  While I'll go further into some ideas about how to celebrate Shavuot, as well as some additional thoughts about how to make the 10 commandments relevant to you and your kids, there is another important thing happening literally the same day:  Primary Elections in California.

I'm not sure where you live, and since this isn't a political blog, I won't go into all the CA issues you might encounter on your election ballot.  This is only a reminder that in addition to our obligation of Shavuot that night, as Americans and as Jews we should participate in our electoral process. 

There are many halahic ideas and rhetoric about voting from a Jewish perspective, in fact there is an entire Wikipedia article on the 'Jewish View on political involvement'.

This year, however, the start of Shavuot falls on the same day as voting.  What's a working woman to do?  Legally speaking employers are required to give you two-hours of leave to accommodate voting if your schedule would not otherwise allow you to access the polls while they are open.  This seems great, but many of the polling spots around the region are open early and late- often from 7am-7pm. (till 8pm in Los Angeles County).  I know my office typically thinks that due to these late hours, any worker leaving at 5pm has more than enough time to vote.

You can still register to vote by mail  through May 27th, and this might be a great option for you.  That way you don't have to worry about getting ready for Shavuot and voting the same evening/day.

Since Shavuot candle-lighting doesn't start until 7:40ish (Redondo Beach location) I think I'll have enough time to pick-up EG from school, run over to vote and still make it back before candle lighting.

Not registered to vote?  You can still register and vote in the upcoming June election if you get your registration done/postmarked TODAY! 

Don't know where to vote?  Look it up here in LA County.

See you at the ballot box!