By now the polls are closed in Israel and you are probably wondering why am I writing now. I am writing now because I care passionately about Israel.

I am writing now because whatever the outcome of today’s election, we will have to deal with the consequences.

I am writing now because while I have an opinion, even a strong opinion, I am not sure it is my job as an American to voice it. Nor as a Jew. Nor as a Jewish professional. It is not my place to influence the Israeli election. (even though I would have liked to).

I think there were some remarkable things about this election season in Israel. How a sitting prime minister came to the United States at the invitation of the Speaker of the House to talk about Iran. How that seemed to only elicit a point bump up in the Israeli polls. How 40,000 people in Israel—that is a huge number in Israel—turned out to protest a sitting prime minister and his campaign. How like American politics there was a split between those focused on foreign policy and domestic policy. How like American politics there were charges and counter-charges and lots of fear mongering. Is it the economy or security? Can it be both? Is it a two state solution or can there only be one state?

It is times like these where I am glad that I am a congregational rabbi in a small town. And while I have opinions and I try to foster open, honest, safe, non-judgmental conversation, my opinion ultimately does not matter. Does not count. Only my vote would count. And I can’t vote in the Israeli elections.

I can vote in the World Zionist Organization elections and I have done so. I encourage you to do so. http://www.wzo.org.il/world-zionist-organization

Are there problems in Israel? You bet. And it is OK to name them. It is not, as some have suggested, “airing our dirty linen in public. The problems include:

• How we treat women, so I partner with Women of the Wall
• How we approach human rights violations so I partner with Rabbis for Human Rights and Truah
• How we approach poverty, so I partner with NIF and Hazon
• How we approach pluralism, so I partner with the Israeli Religious Action Center
• How we approach peace making, so I partner with JStreet

Perhaps you do not agree with my position. That’ OK. In Judaism, there is always more than one opinion—and room for more than one opinion. That is how we show our support. Find one thing you can do to help Israel and do it.

No matter what the outcome of today’s election may be, I will continue to stand by Israel. By individual Israelis, friends and acquaintances who are forced to make hard choices in their day to day lives. I will continue to stand by Israel as they work for peace. I will continue to work for peace, behind the scenes from here in the US mostly. I will continue to seek peace and pursue it, here and in Israel, when it is easy and when it is hard. Maybe one day, Jeremy Ben Ami and Benjamin Netanyahu can co-exist side by side like their books do on my office book shelf. I will continue to pray for peace every single day.