U.S. Jews in Israel wooed for votes

JERUSALEM — Hundreds of ultra-Orthodox Jewish Americans who have lived in Israel for decades without casting a U.S. ballot say they are planning to vote in November’s presidential election.

Their newfound enthusiasm is the fruit of a first voting drive among the strictly devout, or Haredi, community in Israel, and local Republicans are delighted.

After the 2000 presidential election was decided by a few hundred Floridians, Republicans and Democrats are working harder than ever for the votes of about 7 million Americans living abroad. Israel’s 250,000 Americans — many of them holding dual Israeli citizenship — make up the third-largest collection of such expatriates outside of North America, and a large proportion of them are ultra-Orthodox.

During Israeli general elections, they dutifully follow the edicts of influential rabbis to show up at the ballot box. But few have broken the community’s daily routine of prayerful devotion and study to participate in American elections.

The person who set out to change that is Mordechai Adler, a garrulous hardware importer who says he’s never set foot inside a voting booth in the United States.

Having moved to Israel at 18, he never bothered to register for fear of waiting in long lines at the consular section of U.S. diplomatic missions in Israel.

But four months ago, while registering his children as citizens at the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv, Mr. Adler stumbled on the instructions to register for an absentee ballot. After realizing that the paperwork could be completed without leaving his home, Mr. Adler recognized the potential for a voting drive.

“Here in Israel, elections are taken seriously by the Orthodox community. Massive turnout is important,” he said.

As he embarked on the campaign, Mr. Adler sought assistance from the U.S. Embassy as well as the Israeli chapters of the Democratic and Republican parties.

Kory Bardash, chairman of the Israeli chapter of Republicans Abroad, immediately saw an opportunity.

Although American Jews historically have voted for the Democrats in overwhelming numbers, Orthodox Jews are more likely to vote for Republicans because of the party’s socially conservative platform and support for privately funded religious schools, Mr. Bardash said.

President Bush’s unwavering backing of Israel’s aggressive war against Palestinian militancy is expected to boost his standing among Jewish voters who make Israel their top issue.

“We couldn’t be happier,” said Mr. Bardash, who has provided booklets on how to register and vote. “The people-of-faith vote goes with the Republican ticket.”

He noted that the Orthodox community’s large families make the registration effort especially lucrative. One woman from Ohio reached in the drive signed up 14 family members from the same state.

However, he acknowledged that a large percentage of the ultra-Orthodox votes will be cast in New York, a Democratic stronghold that Mr. Kerry is expected to win.

Story Continues →