Brooklyn – Councilman David G. Greenfield called on yeshiva administrators across New York to register yeshiva parents to vote at the same time that they register their children for yeshiva. Councilman Greenfield sent a letter to administrators today stressing that yeshivas are facing tremendous economic challenges at a time when state and local governments are grappling with multi-billion dollar deficits. His letter explained that political engagement across the entire Jewish community is crucial to increasing access and resources for yeshivas during these difficult financial times.
“We all agree that helping yeshivas is of the utmost importance,” said Councilman Greenfield in his letter. “Sadly, that is not reflected in the voter registration of yeshiva parents. In some yeshivas as many as half of yeshiva parents are not even registered to vote. Simply put, this sends a message to my colleagues in government that yeshiva parents don’t care about yeshivas.”
Councilman Greenfield went on to explain that the best way to combat that false perception and have government focus on the needs of yeshivas is to increase voter registration and participation in the political process. “If every yeshiva asks every yeshiva parent to register we can literally register tens of thousands of new voters,” noted Councilman Greenfield in his letter. “That achdus will send an unmistakable message to all elected officials.”
To help facilitate this large-scale registration effort, Councilman Greenfield is partnering with TEACH-NYS, a leading educational advocacy organization committed to bringing resources back to private schools. Yosef Kanofsky, Director of Government Programs at TEACH-NYS explained, “Having worked with Councilman Greenfield in his previous capacity as a leading education advocate, I know how important the issue of education is to him. This is a terrific idea and an exciting opportunity for yeshivas to increase their engagement with every level of government in order to advance the priorities of our yeshiva community,” said Kanofsky.
Councilman Greenfield is requesting that yeshiva administrators add a question to their registration form, simply asking if parents are registered to vote. If the parents are not registered to vote, they will be encouraged to return the voter registration forms attached to their yeshiva enrollment forms. Via this simple method, thousands of yeshiva parents can register to vote.
“In these difficult financial times, yeshivas can not afford to have unregistered parents sitting on the sidelines,” Greenfield concluded.
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8 Responses
FINNALY SOME ONE WOKE UP!!! im trying for almost 2 years now to register people in ramapo & get out to vote BUT people are scared that their going to be called to jury duty which is 1 BIG MISTAKE why? cause they dont take the people from that list but from all kind of goverment agencys INCLUDING DMV so you people go register your self!!!!
Greenfield is so right! If tens of thousands of voter registrations would be processed trough yeshivos, politicians would think twice before discriminating against yeshiva kids.
Many won’t register because they don’t want to be called to jury duty. Although I’ve heard denials, the voter lists are used to obtain names for jury duty.
I saw one person who registered with a small error on the address and get jury duty notices with that error.
Until they really stop using voter registration lists maybe more people will register.
The belief that a strong voter turnout will make an effect is not true. In recent Boro Park elections, we had a record number of voter turnout, and the mayor still reneged on his promises regarding issues important to many in our community. The fact remains that most politicians once elected server their own interests first.
Problem is let’s say the registration drive works, how do you get people to actually go and vote.
Registering and not voting can probably be more harmful. THat would show how many people are able to vote and how many actually care to vote.
to ichbin,
May be, just may be, going on a jury would be a good thing for our community. Unfortunately, very often, if a frum looking person gets into the system, they really throw a book at him. While a Jew assaulter would often not even be charged with a hate crime. Our justice system would be much less unjust if we had more frum(not the self-hating chilul crowd though) people serving on juries.
How we actually vote is important; but not as important as voting/registering en masse. The idea is to show the politicians that we have the numbers and the unity to vote against them. Obviously, it is only a hishtadlus, and as such is not always guaranteed to work.
It’s a great idea to get people to register to vote, and then to actually vote. But I hope Greenfield/ Teach NYS get there act together this time. I received a mailing from them shortly before the 2008 elections. I forgot the exact wording but it was headed something to the effect of “you are not registered to vote” and then explained why it’s important to vote.
Problem was, I am registered to vote, and have voted in almost every election since I moved to the NY area in 2000. (In fact my friend and I always go down together with a bunch of our kids so that all the poll watchers see frum Jews voting!) I got very nervous about the mailing, especially as the news at that point was filled with all sorts of voter fraud/ manipulation issues, and I wondered if somehow I was “unregistered”! It took me quite a bit of time and a few phone calls to determine that there was no problem. I still don’t know how my name got on their list. . .
ichbin — As far as the jury duty issue goes, yes they do use voting records — as well as many other types of records. So the fact your friend’s name came from voter registration lists doesn’t change the fact that your name can also come from DMV lists, etc. I personally was a registered voter in the NY area since 2000, and was never called for jury duty, and my sister who lives in the same general area and is not a registered voter was called twice!!!