Three families of kollel yungeleit living in Rome and working in kiruv sent an urgent question to the home of the rosh yeshiva HaGaon Rav Dov Lando shlita ahead of Israel's election day.
The families are part of a kollel and kiruv school established under the leadership of Maran Rosh Yeshiva HaGaon Rav Aharon Yehuda Leib Shteinman zt"l. They described to Rav Lando the logistical and financial difficulty of returning to Israel to vote.
"The wife teaches in the kiruv school and the husband learns in the kiruv kollel in the community," the question stated. "Must we return to Israel to vote in the elections? And if so, must both spouses return?"
The writer explained the challenge: "It is complicated to find someone to watch the children, and therefore we would need to fly with the children, and the costs are very high."
In his handwritten response, Rav Lando ruled that the husbands are not exempt from coming to vote, but he gave a different answer for the wives, only in a case where there is no solution for the children.
"If it is clear that in no way is it possible to find an arrangement for the children when the parents are away, the men should travel alone to vote, and the women should remain there alone to watch the children," Rav Lando instructed, and signed his letter.
