Recently a discussion has come up about taking selfies in the voting booth. In New Jersey the practice is illegal. The conversation brings up the whole issue of voter privacy and reminded me of an incident in my childhood.

I remember fondly going with my mother to vote as a young child. My mother, the consummate teacher, told me what to expect and explained everything to me. We walked into the booth and she showed me how to shift the lever to close the curtain. Then we talked about the names on the ballot and she told me that when we were done, we’d move the lever again to open the curtain … and I demonstrated how we would do that and promptly opened the curtain (before Mommy had a chance to vote).

My mother didn’t get a vote that year, but she did teach me a valuable lesson; the importance of the curtain and the importance of privacy in our voting.

Privacy and modesty are deeply rooted Jewish values. Everything has a place and that place should be respected.

This year conversations about the election have become louder and more public. As we teach our children about the importance of democracy and the blessings of being able to vote, let’s also remember to teach them about the curtain. Each person’s vote is a personal and private choice and need not be shared publicly with others.

Geula Zamist

Caldwell