Australia’s Jewish population is breathing a sigh of relief with the news that the national elections have been scheduled for September 7, which will avoid a conflict with the holiday Yom Kippur.
In January, then-Prime Minister Julia Gillard set the vote for September 17, which would have forced strict Jews to choose between obeying national law obliging all citizens to vote, and religious law banning almost all civil activities on Yom Kippur.
Day one of the campaign saw Labor leader Kevin Rudd promising extra help for jobs and more money for schools, and a $178 million assistance package for the country’s struggling car industry.
Read more at Ynet News.
{Matzav.com}
Is the 7th not 10 days before yom kippur ……. Rosh Hashana?
What is the choice? Hasn’t anyone heard of postal voting! If truth be known the Election would’ve been better had it been on Yom Kippur. As we know, almost all non observant Jews keep Yom Kippur and would have had to put in a postal vote and not broken Yom Tov on Shabbos. Now as it turns out the new Election has been set for a Shabbos where definite chilul Shabbos will occur.
September 7 is Shabbat September 17 is Tuesday a day before erev sukkot Yom Kippur is on Saturday September 14
Its still shabbos
I would think the ballots close late enough that it’s possible to vote after Shabbat. On the other hand if it’s Yom Kippur, it’s a kindness to allow people to have something to drink and to eat, as opposed to having to go to the polls and getting in (a long) line.