By Anthony Sharwood and Simon Black

From: news.com.au

January 30, 2013 3:34PM

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has announced a September 14 federal election now, saying she wants a year of "cool and reasoned deliberation". Picture: Ray Strange Source: The Australian

AUSTRALIAN Jewish leaders have dismissed suggestions that the Federal election date is disrespectful to the Jewish community.

The September 14 election falls on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, and critics have lined up to take issue with Julia Gillard's timing.

Sometimes called the "Sabbath of Sabbaths" or the "Super Sabbath", Yom Kippur literally means Day of Atonement. It is a day on which Jews undergo a 25-hour period of fasting when even the not particularly religious attend synagogue - much like Christmas Day attracts once-a-year churchgoers.

Opposition communications spokesman Malcolm Turnbull was among the first to voice his disappointment on Twitter when he tweeted "Deeply disappointed that Julia Gillard chose to hold the election on Yom Kippur - the most solemn and sacred day of the Jewish year."

Liberal MP Josh Frydenberg also took to Twitter saying the election timing: "disenfranchises many Jewish Australians and is incredibly sloppy work".

But director of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, Peter Wertheim, says the majority of Australia's 107,000 Jews would not be fussed about the date.

"To be absolutely truthful it is not a major issue for us, because every election takes place on the Jewish Sabbath," Mr Wertheim told news.com.au.

Mr Wertheim's comments were backed up by CEO of NSW Jewish Board of Deputies, Vic Alhadeff, who said postal and pre votes would be used in place of in-person voting.

"It's not a problem at all," Mr Alhadeff said.

"Members of the community will simply pre or postal vote."

The Jewish Sabbath is a day of rest, when many Jews perform no work whatsoever. For the ultra-orthodox, "work" includes trivial activities like turning on appliances and light switches and even using a pen.

That means no trip to the ballot box in any election year, regardless of whether or not election day falls on Yom Kippur.

For those with a sporting bent, the election falls on the first week of the NRL finals and the second week of the AFL finals. That won't bother the PM as her team, the Western Bulldogs, are unlikely to be there.

The election date would also have been Amy Winehouse's 30th birthday.

IT'S KOSHER: Jewish leaders defend Yom Kippur election date | News.com.au