GRAVESEND — ONE MUST BE REGISTERED TO VOTE IN ORDER TO ATTEND HIGH HOLIDAY SERVICES THIS YEAR at Congregation Shaare Zion. The Orthodox synagogue, one of the nation’s largest Sephardic congregations, is requiring proof of voter registration to reserve High Holiday seats, reports the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, which in turn referenced a letter to congregants that was reprinted in Yeshiva World.
A nearby synagogue, Magen David Yeshivah, had also recently implemented a policy requiring its members to be registered voters in order to attend Days of Awe services. The synagogues see this year’s municipal election on Nov. 4 to pose an “existential threat,” given that mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani has criticized Israel’s policies, particularly toward Gaza, which some of his critics describe as anti-semitic — even though prominent Jews like City Comptroller Brad Lander support him. Additionally, more than 50 Syrian-Jewish rabbis have recently stated that voting and civic duty constitute a “mitzvah.”
The comments below the Yeshiva World article were mixed: Some praised the move to make registering to vote a prerequisite to attend services. One commenter stated an unwillingness to vote for Cuomo. Another wrote that such a mandate is illegal if it constitutes pressure to vote for or against someone.
✰✰✰
