The recent Democratic primary elections underscore the critical importance of our Jewish community showing up at the voting booths. The danger is no longer theoretical—we are witnessing the rise of a candidate who is a declared antisemite, openly supports the BDS movement, calls to globalize the intifada, and threatens the very legitimacy of the State of Israel. His agenda doesn’t stop there: he has called to defund the police, a move that would turn New York City into a lawless zone resembling the Wild West.
His divisive and inflammatory statements include proposals to over-tax white communities based on their race and arrest Benjamin Netanyahu when visiting NYC. This isn't just dangerous politics—it’s a direct threat to the safety, stability, and values of our city and our people.
And yet, despite all this, much of our community did not show up to vote. That reality raises a painful and urgent question: if this is not enough to move us into action—what is? When the threat is real and close, silence and passivity are not options.
Of course, some may argue that many didn’t believe this extremist candidate could actually get elected, while others were registered as Republicans and therefore unable to vote in the Democratic primary. But the truth is, these are weak excuses. When faced with a real and immediate threat to our community on so many levels, each person had the responsibility to find a solution. Personally, when I went to vote, I simply changed my party affiliation at the polling site from Republican to Democrat—because that's what the situation demanded.
What’s most alarming, however, is that many didn’t even try. Instead, they chose to enjoy the start of summer in the mountains or in Deal,others stayed in their air conditioned homes and offices, ignoring the urgency of the moment. By doing so, we jeopardized our safety, our livelihood, and our communal voice.
Think about it: would you lounge by a pool in the mountains if there was even a 1% chance of danger to you or your family? All the more so when the threat is not just possible—but likely. This is a wake-up call. We cannot afford to sit out the next one.
The High Cost of Staying passive
The root of this passiveness lies in plain laziness. While we may be highly active and passionate in many areas of life, when it comes to voting, we often fall short. This laziness numbs our sense of urgency and puts us to sleep—exactly as Shlomo HaMelech says: "Lazi
When the Jewish people are alert, united, and focused, no one can stand in our way. We see this clearly in real time with the unity and strength displayed in Israel during times of crisis. But when we slumber, we are left vulnerable—and suffer defeat.
Shlomo HaMelech adds another powerful message: "I passed by the field of a lazy man, and by the vineyard of a man lacking heart, and behold—it was all overgrown with thorns, nettles covered its surface, and its stone wall was broken down" (Mishlei 24:30–31).
Orchot Tzaddikim (ch. 16) explains that a lazy man's field doesn’t just fail to produce crops because the lazy doesn’t work it—it ends up growing harmful things like thorns and weeds. And even if he manages to plant something good, his laziness causes him to lose it. Why? Because the stone wall that protects the field is broken, and he’s too lazy to fix it. As a result, animals and thieves come in and take whatever grew.
Shlomo highlights this point by saying, “and the stone wall was broken down”. Even though the wall was strong, it still collapsed—because the lazy person didn’t bother repairing it in time. His failure to act on time caused something strong and secure to fall apart.
To connect this to our discussion: when we are lazy and fail to rise to the challenge, we put our homes, communities, and businesses at risk. This is especially troubling because voting is not a difficult task. It takes little effort—yet has major impact.
The Ben Ish Chai writes that before putting on a tallit, one should have certain intentions. He adds that if a person doesn’t have them, Hashem is in a fight with him, because the task is so easy that there’s no excuse not to do it. When someone faces a truly difficult challenge, we can understand if he struggles. But when it comes to something as simple as showing up at a voting booth and potentially saving the day—there’s no excuse for staying home.
Bitachon vs. Laziness
One might argue that everything is in Hashem’s hands anyway, and that true bitachon (trust in Hashem) means remaining passive. However, this idea is clearly refuted by Rav Eliyahu Dessler. He warns: “One must be careful not to confuse laziness with bitachon. Some people fail to act out of laziness and claim it’s bitachon. But know this—someone who avoids doing his part because of laziness will lose out, because only genuine bitachon brings Hashem
We can explain how to test whether a person is being guided by real trust or by laziness: look at how he behaves in other areas of life. For example, does he go to work each day or stay home and expect Hashem to provide for him? If he gets up and goes to work, clearly he understands the need for hishtadlut—effort. And if so, how can he justify not going to vote, which takes far less effort and can have enormous impact? If you act when your own livelihood is on the line, you must also act when the safety and future of your family andcommunity are at stake.
Final Warning
The next election is our moment. Let this be the wake-up call. We cannot afford to repeat the mistakes of the primaries. Laziness is not trust. Inaction is not faith. Standing by while others decide our future is dangerous—especially when the candidate in question openly supports BDS, violence against Jews, shrinking law enforcement, and questions Israel's legitimacy.
The Jewish population in New York City is nearly one million—far more than what's needed to decide the outcome of an election, if people show up and vote. This means that if our community unites and uses its voice at the ballot box, we have the power to shape the future leadership and policies of the city. The numbers are there—what’s needed is participation.
If we value our homes, businesses, and most importantly, our Jewish community—we must vote. The cost of staying home this time could be far worse than any inconvenience. The future depends on our participation.
This article was written in cooperation with Shuva Israel