Edison, NJ – A least one Jewish American resident has expressed anger over the date chosen for the school board referendum — Sept. 30 — which falls on Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, one of the religion’s holiest days.

“There’s no way a Jew will go out to vote on that day,” said resident Zachary Lieberman of Pheasant Run, who works for the Middlesex County election board and was called in to work on that day but has refused.

He suggested that the date be pushed to the following week. “It’s a slap in the face to every Jew who lives around here, and there are many in this area,” he said.

Superintendent of Schools John DiMuzio said that the date was picked by the state, and it’s not up to the district to change it.

“The only other time we could have done it is in December. The longer we wait, the longer it takes before we can do anything,” he said.

Schools in the district are closed Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 for what the school calendar calls “fall recess.”

DiMuzio said absentee ballots are available for people who cannot vote in person on Sept. 30.

But Lieberman did not think that too many people would avail themselves of the absentee ballots.

“It’s not like this is the presidential election. Who’s going to go get an absentee ballot for this?” he asked.

He said he was disappointed that a minority was being excluded from this election because the date falls on a major Jewish holiday.

“This school bond failed last time by only 368 votes. If 400 people don’t vote, this thing will sail through,” said Lieberman, who is against the bond issue.

Residents defeated the same bond issue — for $57.8 million — in April.

The bond issue, if approved, would finance construction of an 83,000-square-foot elementary school on the grounds of the Thomas Jefferson Middle School on Division Street at a cost of about $30 million.

The improvements to three elementary schools — Benjamin Franklin School on Woodbridge Avenue, Woodbrook School on Robin Road and James Madison School on New Dover Road — include new classrooms, a new gymnasium and the conversion of the multipurpose room to a cafeteria with a kitchen, and would cost about $28 million.

If passed, the bond proposal would cost the average homeowner an additional $65 in taxes. The hike would take effect in the 2009-2010 academic year. The district hopes to bring special-education students back from out-of-district placements, generating savings to offset the bond’s tax impact.

The school district has been trying to get a bond issue for school construction approved by voters for the past few years. It has failed to gain approval in the last six elections. Sept. 30 will be the seventh vote on the issue.

(Source: MyCentralJersey.com)