Pittsfield Election Concerns Over Jewish Holiday Quashed
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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Any concerns over the scheduling the city's preliminary on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, were put to rest on Thursday.
In a statement sent to the media and others, Mayor Daniel Bianchi said it had come to his attention that the Tuesday, Sept. 22, date fell on the Jewish holiday. He forwarded a very brief letter sent to City Clerk Linda Tyer respectfully asking if the date could be changed, calling it "an unfortunate oversight."
Tyer responded by sending the cover letter submitted to the City Council on Jan. 5, 2105, with the order setting the date that outlined her conversations with Rabbi Josh Breindel of Temple Anshe Amunim on rescheduling the regular third Tuesday election date so it didn't conflict with Rosh Hashanah on Sept. 15.
Rabbi David Weiner of Congregation Knesset Israel, also weighed in on the email conversation assuring Bianchi that the matter had been dealt with long ago to everyone's satisfaction and thanking him for his attention to the matter.
Tyer had reached out when the checking the election dates, he wrote. "Both of us got the impression that she was trying to be diligent in scheduling the primary around the Jewish holidays."
Unfortunately, September and early October had several holidays falling on Tuesdays. It was decided to leave the preliminary on Sept. 22 since the Yom Kippur begins on sundown and continues through Wednesday evening.
The timing "would not prevent even the most observant Jewish resident" from voting by 6 p.m., Weiner wrote. "It was wonderful to receive such sensitive, proactive phone calls from a representative of our city government."
In her letter to the council in January, Tyer noted that Sept. 22 "is a regular work day and observances won't begin until sundown."
The council passed the order and the mayor signed it on Jan. 15.
Both Bianchi and Tyer will be on the preliminary ballot for mayor, along with Craig Gaetani and Donna M. Walto.
Tags: election 2015, preliminary election,
