Local Shiloh Elections

Photo by Miriam Feyga Bunimovich

Last night we held our annual local Shiloh Elections for the new members of the "town council."  The Town Council aka Mazkirut has five members who each serve two year terms. There are annual elections so that two or three are elected annually, and there are the remaining two or three continuing. This way "half" of the members are new and half continue. Considering how many projects and issues they have to deal with, it is important that not all members of the Town Council are new to the "job." Also, you should know that that are all volunteers. My committee and I are volunteers, too.

Photo by Miriam Feyga Bunimovich

We need four people on the Election Committee, at least three during the voting and four during the counting. This year all of the members were experienced from previous elections, which made it so much easier.

One of my favorite things about being on the election committee is that I get to see lots of neighbors and good friends. I also have the opportunity to meet neighbors for the first time or to celebrate their first time voting. Shiloh is now a large community with hundreds of families of all ages and backgrounds. I'm now one of the old fogies, oldtimers. There are very few activities in which I can meet the youngsters, especially since most neighbors are not only younger than I am, but they don't live in my neighborhood.

Obviously I no longer have children in school, so I don't get to meet the teachers and other parents at meetings. There are also quite a few synagogues in different neighborhoods, and we no longer have periodic Shabbat classes for all the women. Anyway, even when we did, only a small percentage of the women attended.

Serving on the Election Committee is the only community activity I contribute to. I used to be involved with all sorts of committees when they were totally volunteer. Now there are paid coordinators to handle events and bringing new families and helping them. I don't volunteer to help those getting paid. But the Election Committee is a completely voluntary position. The office staff helps us, and the committee has a very short shelf life of just a few weeks each year. I am usually asked to serve on it, because I know the procedures and really enjoy it.

Gd willing, I'll be asked to be on the Election Committee next year, too.

PS I really don't care about the results, and sometimes none of the candidates I've voted for even won. That is what democracy is all about, accepting results. To me, following the laws and fair voting are most important.