Top Rabbi Rules on Voting Travel for Haredi Families Abroad
Translated & summarized from Kikar HaShabbat by baba
Rabbi Dov Lando, a prominent Lithuanian Haredi leader, ruled that husbands of Haredi families serving as emissaries in Rome, Italy, must return to Israel to vote in elections. Wives are permitted to stay behind if childcare arrangements cannot be made. The ruling addresses the logistical and financial difficulties faced by these families.
The story in 4 lines · by baba
- Rabbi Dov Lando ruled husbands must return to Israel to vote in elections.
- Wives may remain in Rome if childcare arrangements are impossible.
- The ruling concerns Haredi emissary families in Italy.
- Travel for voting presents significant financial and logistical challenges.
Rabbi Dov Lando, a leading figure in the Lithuanian Haredi community, has issued a ruling regarding the obligation of Haredi families living abroad to return to Israel to vote in elections. The decision came after three couples, who are emissaries in Rome, Italy, running a outreach center and school under the auspices of the late Rabbi A.Y. Steinman, posed a question about their voting responsibilities.
The couples explained the significant financial and logistical challenges of traveling to Israel for the election, noting that both spouses are involved in the outreach work and finding childcare would be difficult, necessitating travel with children at a high cost.
In his written response, Rabbi Lando ruled that the husbands are obligated to return to vote. However, he made an exception for the wives, stating they should remain in Italy to care for the children if no childcare solution can be found in their absence. "If it is clear that under no circumstances can arrangements be made for the children when the parents are absent, the men will travel alone to vote, and the women will remain there alone to care for the children," Rabbi Lando instructed.
