The 120 members of the 19th Knesset will gather today, Tuesday, 25 Shevat 5773 to take the oath of office. They event begins at 15:30 with an address to the plenum from President Shimon Peres. At 16:00, the MKs will begin taking their oath followed by a L’Chaim at 17:15 and then, the first official photo of the members of the 19th Knesset.

Binyamin Ben-Eliezer will be the elder statesman, 77, serving in the Israeli parliament since 1984. Stav Sapir, 27 will become the youngest MK and Yitzchak Vaknin of Shas will have to travel the longest distance to work, a resident of Moshav Ya’ara in the Western Galil. Dr. Avishai Braverman of Labor will be the only professor serving in the 19th Knesset and Rabbi Yisrael Eichler of Yahadut Hatorah is labeled “the father” as he has the most children BA”H, 14.

The 48 new MKs will have their work cut out for them as they learn their way around the building as well as the parliamentary procedure, including how to prepare bills, vote, protocol and much more. They have spent the last days reading and studying, learning their rights, privileges and responsibilities.

While some fear the fact that so many MKs lack experience, others are of the opinion that this brings new promise as so many of the old tired guard have vanished, clearing the way for new ideas and personalities.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)