Choice for some Jews: Religion or caucuses

Saturday Sabbath expected to exclude thousands

Thursday, Jan. 17, 2008 | 2 a.m.

And so they said, “Let there be a caucus.”

While Vegas unions duke it out over where the caucuses can be held, a second debate one of wringing hands rather than lawsuits has emerged over when they should be held.

Nevada’s Saturday morning caucuses will automatically exclude a certain portion of the valley’s Jews, Orthodox and Conservative believers who observe their sixth-day Sabbath by not working, or driving, or voting, for that matter.

The state political parties say their hands are tied, and it’s true. Las Vegas Jews get that. As Rabbi Felipe Goodman of Temple Beth Shalom put it: “Trying to move a caucus is like trying to move a brick wall. Impossible.” Only, impossibility doesn’t ease their upset.

Perhaps Goodman and his fellow faithful can take comfort in their company. Of the 14 other states that hold only caucuses for presidential nominations, three have forums that also fall on a Saturday: Nebraska, Washington and Wyoming. Of the 36 states that hold only primaries for presidential nominations, one has them on a Saturday: South Carolina.

Of course Nevada’s Jewish population in 2006 estimated at more than 70,000 exceeds the combined estimated Jewish populations of the other Saturday states by about 8,000 people. And other population estimates, though not confirmed, suggest that difference could be closer to 18,000.

It’s a problem of godly proportion. One that, like most matters of religion, has no easy solution. No solution at all, really. Just an angry leap of faith, because crossed fingers are the closest some will come to helping a caucus candidate win.

Rabbi Yitzchak Wyne, of temple Young Israel-Aish Las Vegas, has fielded a number of calls from his constituents, who are, by and large, Republican. They want him to do something, though they know he can’t, and are angry at themselves for not getting angrier earlier.

“The United States of America is the greatest country for the Jews ever,” he said. “And at the same time, this issue is icky.”

The caucuses, an opportunity for voters to express their preference for a presidential candidate, will begin at 9 a.m. for Republicans and 11:30 a.m. for Democrats at locations throughout the valley and should last at least an hour. This also poses a problem for Seventh-day Adventists, who observe a Saturday Sabbath but are free to work and to drive. The scheduling would mean missing morning services, not violating any doctrine, but a Seventh-day Adventist pastor contacted by the Sun said his congregants weren’t planning to caucus anyway.

Asked about the subject, Zachary Moyle, executive director of the Nevada Republican Party, said what most do: No day is perfect.

“There is not any day of the week where we are not going to disenfranchise someone,” he said. “We held it on a day we felt we could best maximize turnout.”

It’s impossible to know how many Jews will be barred from participating in the caucuses, though the number certainly reaches into the thousands, Wyne said. There are several Orthodox synagogues in Vegas, and thousands of Jews of other branches who also observe a strict Sabbath.

Presumably, they were in the same predicament in 2004, when Nevada’s Democrats also held Saturday presidential caucuses. Republicans held theirs on a Tuesday, though Bush’s nomination was unchallenged. Calls to the state Democratic Party were not returned Tuesday morning.

So, in the spirit of the political season, some Jews are organizing, lobbying the more relaxed of their faith to attend the caucuses at any cost. Members of the Reconstructionist Valley Outreach Synagogue are “mobilizing those who are able to go out,” Rabbi Yocheved Mintz said, so that “those who can will be there.”

Discussion: 11 comments so far…

By scribe

1/17/08 at 10:01 a.m.

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This is rather shallow reportage of a serious subject.

"Saturday Caucusing," is disrespectful to Jews irregardless of which stream of Judaism one adheres to.

Obviously, the powers that be, were too busy pandering to specific groups to concern themselves with the tenets of respect when these dates were originally scheduled.

It appears as socially acceptable to disenfranchise Jews from this flawed process, as it is to undermine the premise of one man, one vote.

For future reference Ms. Goldman, Jews do not "cross their fingers," as that connotes making the sign of the cross. I find your choice of wordage offensive.
By danman5515

1/17/08 at 4:29 p.m.

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For those Jews who do indeed plan on caucasing this saturday, I encourage you to research Dr. Ron Paul (www.ronpaul2008.com). He's a man with consistent views and his voting record proves it. They call him Dr. No, because he votes against anything that violates the Constitution. He is a defender of personal liberty and individual freedom, as were the founding fathers. In addition, the man has sound economic principles (he espouses the same principles taught by my economics professors) and has published several novels on foreign policy.

-Dan Goldman (no relation to the author)
By tomdc

1/17/08 at 4:36 p.m.

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Saturday is just as religious to Muslims as Jews, maybe more so, and there are many more Muslims than Jews in the USA, and yet you don't seem to notice.

The term "anti-semetic" means anti-arab, not anti-Jewish. Congratulations on defining yourself.
By CaptJack

1/17/08 at 6:02 p.m.

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Good story Ms. Goldman. You're taking some heat from folks who are attempting to be adept, but fail miserably.

First to scribe... While you're right, crossing the fingers was once a quick and easy way to cross yourself when a witch entered your path, nowadays, it's a sign of good luck -- a wish.

Despite the fact that you don't cross your fingers, the vast majority of the non-Christian public don't think, "I'm using the sign of the cross." when crossing their fingers. Perhaps you need to relax...

As for Tom... "Anti-semitic" MENT anti-Arab, but no longer. It means "a person who discriminates against or is prejudiced or hostile toward Jews" according to Webster’s.

Congratulations on not being able to look up a word.
By revbobdobbs

1/17/08 at 7:34 p.m.

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Why don't you just put up an eruv and be done with it? Hell, I'm a goyum and even I know that trick.
By tomdc

1/17/08 at 8:59 p.m.

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Anti- means against
Semite- means Arab

most Jews today are anti-semites
By lemonde

1/17/08 at 9:50 p.m.

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Um, the Muslim "Sabbath" is on Friday, not Saturday. There are more than twice as many Jews in America as there are Muslims. And though Arabs are certainly Semites, Semite does not mean Arab. I am impressed that you got "anti" right, though.

I have no idea what any of this has to do with anything, of course. This was a pretty basic article - some Nevada Jews are disturbed that the caucus will take place on a day when religious Jews can't participate. What this has to do with anti-Semitism or the relative population of various religious can only be understood in your highly trained mind, But considering you seem to feel this relevant, I thought I'd assist.
By McRumi

1/18/08 at 1:32 a.m.

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Where were you last March when the rules were established? Whine, whine, whine! Do something to change from caucus to primary. DO anything constructive, but stop the whining. Always the victim! Oy.
By mytwocents

1/18/08 at 6:12 a.m.

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According to Merriam-Webster the definition of Semite is: 1 a: a member of any of a number of peoples of ancient southwestern Asia including the Akkadians, Phoenicians, Hebrews, and Arabs b: a descendant of these peoples.

So Jews and Arabs are both semites.

What is stopping the Democrats and Republicans from dealing with this by creating a special extra Caucus time of after sunset to accomdate Saturday religious observance?
By CaptJack

1/18/08 at 2:15 p.m.

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And now look up the word antisemite in Webster’s... I'm not arguing what a Semite is, I'm arguing common, modern day usage of antisemite.
By DCvisitor

1/19/08 at 10:40 p.m.

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I'm missing the problem here. If the caucus only lasts an hour, is there a reason it can't be held Saturday evening? Everyone can vote then.

Since there *is* a solution, to set this up so as to exclude an entire religious/ethnic group is inexcusable. I know Jews don't like complaining, for fear they will come under fire for it, but that's not doing a favor to either the Jewish community or the democracy we lived in. Jews contribute fully to this country, we should be free to vote at all stages of this process.

The inanity of the other thread here, that began with not knowing when the Muslim Sabbath was, is astounding. "Semitic" is a word referring to a large racial category that includes both Jews (whose origins are in the Middle East) and Arabs. The negative form has come to be used specifically in reference to Jews, but even in its original usage, it was never simply a synonym for "Arab", any more than "dog" is a synonym for "chihuaha."

The assumption here that everything in our world has revolve around Arabs, even language, really gets tiring. Common sense before politics, please.