This year, many Heschel seniors had the opportunity to vote in an election some considered the most important in American history. Whether the candidate these students voted for won or not, they all look back on the experience fondly.

“I found it very empowering and exciting to feel like I was a part of the [electoral] process,” senior Elana Farbiarz, who voted on election day in New Jersey, said. 

Senior Eli Goldman, who voted in New York, addressed the profound and meaningful nature of an American’s right to vote: “If you look throughout history at the amount of everyday citizens who get to choose who their leader is, that doesn’t happen very much,” Goldman said. “For us to do that, I think that’s quite special.”

Goldman also believes that voters must take this privilege seriously and conduct research on each candidate. “You’re going to get as much out of it as you put in,” he said. 

Some seniors who were not eligible to vote still made an impact through alternative methods. Senior Ezra Sapadin joined thousands of Americans and spent two weekends canvassing for Kamala Harris in Pennsylvania with family and friends. 

“We could feel like we made a difference… it was a very powerful experience,” Sapadin said. 

Sapadin noted that although the candidate he volunteered for did not win, he still feels as though he made a positive impact. He said that he is proud to be a part of a new generation of politically active American youth, and he hopes to inspire others through his activism.

“You could see in many people’s eyes that they were happy that there’s a next generation who cares where our country is going,” Sapadin said. “When you show people that you are willing to fight for what you think is right, that enables them to fight for what they think is right.”