Jewish Groups Protest Plans For Saturday Iowa Caucuses In 2010

On Friday, the Jewish Council for Public Affairs released the text of a letter sent to the chairmen of Iowa's Republican and Democratic parties by a coalition of 18 national Jewish groups. The letter protests plans to hold the January 2010 Iowa party caucuses on a Saturday (the Jewish Sabbath), saying: "Saturday caucuses will force members of the Iowa Jewish community to choose between their faith and their civic duties." Caucuses do not permit absentee voting. Friday's Chicago Tribune reports that the change to Saturday was made by the parties to enable more working people to attend the caucuses. Party leaders say the change is an experiment, and that it does not necessarily mean that the 2012 Iowa Presidential caucuses would also be moved to Saturday.