election 2008

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first-time voters

Jewish teens ready to make their voices heard.

Jacob Diskin

Zach Hyman

Eryn Fox

Miriam Barth

Choosing Sides
While students are often thought of as liberal,
in this election both the Republican and Dem-
ocratic candidates are being supported by lo-
cal Jewish teens. Some argue U.S. Sen.McCain,
R-Ariz., has more experience, while others,
like Alissa Graff, 16, a junior at Berkley High
Daniel Elkus
School, believe that Sen. Obama is "the person
who can bring the best change we need for this country."
One factor almost every Jewish teenager considers is Israel.
"I identify as a Jewish American, so I'm as concerned with
Israel as I am America," Eryn Fox said.
Miriam Barth, 17, of Oak Park and an Akiva senior, said she
"hopes that both candidates will follow through with the prom-
ises they've made regarding Israel because Israel is so vital to
us both as Americans and as Jewish people."
While it may be difficult for teenagers to make their voices
heard in this election, Jewish students from a variety of schools
in Metro Detroit have vowed to stand up for what they be-
lieve in. Though the candidates they support may differ, their
feelings about the importance of promoting the election and
speaking up for Israel do not.
In the end, they agree, the most important thing for a Jewish
teen to do is become involved. As Jacob Diskin says, "Every
day, people risk their lives to
protect United States' free-
doms. Those freedoms cannot
be taken for granted."

by Adina Applebaum and Yossi Lichterman

"Old enough to vote, old enough to die" was the slogan

used by proponents of the passing of the 26th Amend-

ment that lowered the voting age from 21 to 18. But,

37 years later, a majority of young Americans don't ex-

ercise their most basic constitutional right. Only 47 per-

cent of voters between the ages of 18 and 24 voted in

the last presidential election. However, this time things

are going to be different. Many young people, including

a handful of local 18-year-olds voting in their first elec-

tion, are determined to change the trend.

Hannah Posen

Daniel Chudnow Sam Appel

Regardless of who's elected, Daniel Chudnow of

West Bloomfield is incredibly excited to cast his first

Young supporters of both candidates will be head-

ballot for president, albeit an absentee one because

ing to the polls on Nov. 4 to vote. Dylan Schaefer of

he will be studying at Bar-Ilan University in Ramat Gan,

Farmington Hills, a freshman at Columbia College in

Israel.

Chicago, plans to vote for Sen. John McCain. Dylan, a

"I'm excited to vote," he said. "I'm voting absen-

self-proclaimed liberal Democrat, says he is voting Re-

tee and I'm a little disappointed because I'm not going

publican because he is unhappy with Sen.

Barack Obama and the way the Democrats

handled their primary elections.

"I wasn't planning to vote this way," he

to the polls." Despite his

"I'm ready to have
my voice heard."

— Hannah Posen

said. "I'm mad that I have to vote for a Re-

publican, but I can't vote for the Democrats

discontent with not being

able to participate on Elec-

tion Day, Daniel appreci-

ates the ability to vote be-

cause, he says, "We live

this year."

in a democratic country and it's our right to participate

An avid supporter of Sen. Obama, Sam Appel of

in a system where we have a say in things."

Huntington Woods, a freshman at Michigan State Uni-

This election is critical for the immediate and long-

versity, says he plans to vote for him mainly because

term future of the United States and the only sure way

of the Supreme Court. With many elderly justices cur-

to have a definite say in which direction our country

rently on the bench, the next president may have to

is headed is to vote. West Bloomfield native Hannah

make important choices that could determine how the

Posen, a freshman at List College of the Jewish Theo-

court decides on controversial issues like abortion and

logical Seminary in New York, is eager to be able to

Junior Adina Applebaum, 16, and
senior Yossl Lichterman, 17, at-

same-sex marriage. Furthermore, Sam is worried that

make a difference.

if elected, Sen. McCain will provide "four more years

"I'm ready to have my voice heard," she said. "Even

tend the Frankel Jewish Academy
in West Bloomfield.

of the same old that we had under [President George

though there are millions of people, my voice still mat-

W.] Bush."

ters."

campus canvassing

My Generation WILL Rock the Vote

by Stephanie Steinberg

f this is your first presidential election and you
didn't register to vote, shame on you. Don't
even try pulling the excuse that you didn't
know there was a deadline. In the run-up to this
election, television advertisements, e-mails and text
messages bombarded my generation with reminders
to register by Oct. 6 so we could Rock The Vote.
As a freshman at the University of Michigan
in Ann Arbor, I could not walk through the Diag
without a canvasser waving a clipboard at me
asking if I was registered. In fact, in one day, eight
different canvassers stationed around campus ap-
proached me.
A nonpartisan student government group, Voice
Your Vote, went as far as knocking on students'

doors in dorms with voter
registration forms. U-M College
Democrats and College Repub-
licans were prohibited from
canvassing in dorms because
the university is not allowed to
endorse or oppose any politi-
cal candidates. The decision was overturned when
College Democrats met with lawyers from the
Obama campaign and representatives from U-M
Housing to confirm dorm canvassing does not
endorse a candidate. After receiving permission to
canvass in dorms, College Democrats registered 60
voters in two hours.
But students aren't the only advocates for get-
ting their peers to vote.
Celebrities like Adam Brody, Rachel Leigh
Cook and Sean Astin have visited U-M to spread
the message of the importance of voting and to
encourage students to register. And, of course, it
worked. No sorority girl in her right mind would

turn away Adam Brody when he came
knocking on the door.
With the election less than a month
away, political organizations on campus
are trying any tactic to get students to
vote for their party. Between slogans
such as "McCain '08" and "Barack
the Vote" sketched in huge chalk letters on cam-
pus sidewalks and events like Barack 'n' BBQs,
students have created innovative ways to support
their chosen candidate.
Walking through Ann Arbor, it's easy to see
that, unlike past presidential elections, my genera-
tion has become active in the 2008 election. We
care about more than checking
our Facebooks and downloading
songs to our iPods. We care about
Rocking the Vote.

Stephanie Steinberg, 18, is a freshman

at the University of Michigan In Ann
Arbor.

teen2teen October • 2008

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