Subscribe to Print Edition | Thu., November 13, 2008 Cheshvan 15, 5769 | | Israel Time: 02:35 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Haaretz Toolbar Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Car Rental Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate U.S. election Travel Week's End Anglo File

Sorry, no voting in Russian in Sderot By Avirama Golan Tags: Ahlama Peretz  Very early yesterday morning only the very young and enthusiastic campaign workers were out on the streets of Sderot. N., a demobilized soldier who was looking for a little extra income, heard from his friends that the campaigns were paying workers for passing out flyers near the polling places. At eight in the morning he showed up at the headquarters of Ahlama Peretz and waited with a few of his friends for their assignment. Then out came her husband, Amir Peretz. Dear friends, he said, here we don't pay. Whoever wants to help is welcome. N. hesitated, said thank you and went off to the next campaign headquarters. I actually respect Amir for his principles, said N., and admitted that he had voted for Ahlama, but you have to make a living, don't you? In the morning it looked like voter turnout would not be particularly high. The voters came in one by one,and the streets were filled mostly with cars covered with signs and flags and their drivers honked loudly and called out cries of encouragement to each other. In the afternoon things changed totally. Next to the Chabad House polling station in one of the older neighborhoods of the city, the street was completely packed and long lines of voters were waiting outside. Advertisement Inside the polling station there was an argument between the officials. One elderly woman went behind the curtain to vote and came out worried. Why are there no ballots in Russian, she asked? Her son, who voted before her and had already gone out to smoke a cigarette and talk to his friends outside was called to help out. I will go in with my mother, he suggested. The official responsible for the polling place refused. You can explain to her outside, show her the letters on the ballot, but you cannot go inside the voting booth with her, he said. She can't read Hebrew letters, the son begged. But the official was adamant; only the disabled who need help physically to vote can be accompanied. The son mumbled a complaint and started to explain to his mother, showing her the posters at the entrance. His mother went back in, came back out, and finally once more went back and with a sigh gave in her two ballot envelopes. Anything goes in Sderot, left-wingers voting for Shas candidate Oren Malka for the council "because he is a good guy." Right-wingers voted for the leftist Ahlama "since we know her." Old religious men went back and forth between Ahlama and someone who "wore a skullcap." Either way, as time went by the atmosphere became more and more lively and interesting and filled with expectations. Bookmark to del.icio.us   A ringing endorsement Jimmy Carter says Obama will waste no time in pursuing Middle East peace. Peres' olive branch Israel's president says the Arab peace plan is an opening for progress.

Read & React Nasrallah: Israeli hands that attack Lebanon will be severed Responses: 115 Mortars and rockets hit Negev, after deadly IDF raid near Gaza Responses: 102 Carlo Strenger: Why Barack Obama's win is 'good' for the Jews Responses: 72 Carter: Obama will waste no time pursuing Middle East peace Responses: 73 Amir Oren: A Netanyahu win will put us on collision course with Obama Responses: 64 More Headlines 23:10 Peres: Arab peace plan - a serious opening for real progress 23:16 Mortars and rockets hit Negev, after deadly IDF raid near Gaza 22:17 Israel to allow limited amount of fuel and aid into Gaza on Thurs. 23:19 Syria: IAF to blame for uranium traces at suspected nukes site 22:23 Carter: Obama will waste no time pursuing Middle East peace 21:19 Olmert decries 'deliberate and insufferable' discrimination of Arabs 20:07 High Court orders Beit El to stop building on private Arab land 23:26 Iran says it test fired new surface-to-surface missile capable of hitting Israel 03:24 Footage emerges of Obama poking fun at 'foul-mouthed' Rahm Emanuel 17:13 Netanyahu: For sake of peace, Israel must aid Palestinian economy 14:11 IDF soldier jailed for yawning during Rabin memorial service 01:24 Who's your mayor? A look at the results of the '08 mayoral races 21:41 Report: Egypt, Israel failed to respect basic asylum procedures 20:59 Berlin student damage Holocaust exhibit during rally against school system 21:09 Three Czech youth suspected of attacking Jewish man in Prague Previous Editions Select Day 12 nov 11 nov 10 nov 09 nov 07 nov 06 nov 05 nov 04 nov 03 nov 02 nov 31 oct 30 oct

Special Offers Advertisement Living in Israel Studying in English Click & Meet our students from all around the world Dan Boutique Jerusalem New Dan Hotel in Jerusalem Young, Fun & Distinctively Dan Book Now Online! Fattal Hotel Chain Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel. Car rental in Israel Shlomo Sixt Receive $15.00 from our low rates. Dial 013 for your long-distance calls and get all your money back US CITIZENS Vote for real change. Request your ballot today! Eldan Rent a Car Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations Jewish Singles Personal Ads Find the love of your life on JDate.com Israel's Premier Real Estate Website www. israel-property.com Hebrew Summer courses From $39.95 Junkyard Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt

Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |

Real Estate in Israel | Travel to Israel with Haaretz | Hotels Israel | Restaurants Israel | Tourist attractions Israel | Shops Israel

birthright Israel | Search engine marketing

Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.

© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved