I Voted. Did You? Some Non-Political Election Day Reflections

Believe me I did.  I even asked a friend who was working at the polling station to take my picture.  But somehow no picture was taken.  I should have checked it.  But I took this picture of them.

We had elections in the school.  Our school has grown in the thirty-one years of its existence.  On September 1, 1981, a total of eighteen children in the First, Second and Third Grades began studying in empty prefabricated cement homes huts our new neighborhood "up the hill" in Shiloh.  In those days boys and girls studied all subjects together.  All of the classes were considered "undersized" and we parents had to subsidize the school budget to help pay teachers' salaries.  Today the school is in the middle of Shiloh, near the supermarket, green grocers, library, clothing store, mikvah, preschools and more.  It's a maze of buildings.  Actually there are two schools, one for boys and another for girls.  Each school has classes from First to Eight Grades and usually more than one class per grade per school.

All day I have been receiving phone calls and SMS text messages reminding me to vote.

Many immigrants and Israelis who have spent time abroad where there's a "Sunday" are saying that they're enjoying the day off.  If only we had "Sundays" they keep repeating.  Well, I hate to break it to you, but not everybody is off today.  No, I'm not referring to those employed by the government to supervise polling stations.  Today stores and restaurants are open, even though government workers including teachers and all sorts of other workers have a day of paid vacation.

There was a time when we had more true leisure.  When I was young, there were very few stores allowed to be open in New York on a Sunday.  And stores closed early every evening.  People rested more. Television wasn't 24/7.  In Israel, stores and businesses were closed on Shabbat, even if nobody was a "Sabbath observer."  It was a family day.  And stores were closed early afternoon from 1-4 or just 2-4 to give people time to get home for a nice meal and a rest.  And then they closed again by 7pm at the very latest.

Today's leisure isn't real leisure; it's not relaxing.  It's run, run, run... rush, rush, rush...

Yes, I voted today. I voted for the party and politicians I think are the best for the State of Israel, all of its citizens and residents.  I did what I can do.  I pray that those elected will do what's really best for our country.