Yisrael Beitenu will hold an unprecedented event for the English-speaking community in Jerusalem on Thursday, 22nd January at 8:00pm. A large crowd is expected at the Shalom Hotel in Bayit Vegan where key figures such as Dr. Uzi Landau, Ambassador Danny Ayalon and Adv. David Rotem will speak about the policies and platform of Yisrael Beitenu.

The party is set to become, according to recent polls, the third largest in the upcoming Knesset elections. Yisrael Beitenu formerly thought of as a small sectoral party is now looking to overtake Kadima in the polls.

As a party with a history of attracting new immigrants, Yisrael Beitenu has identified the English-speaking community as one of its key constituencies. As proof of this, former Ambassador to the U.S. Ayalon, until recently co-Chair of Nefesh B’Nefesh, was asked to head the Anglo division at Yisrael Beitenu. This stands in stark contradiction to most other political parties which do not assign such a high-profile figure or any significant resources for the Anglo community campaign.

The party led by Avigdor Lieberman, also has the highest Anglo on any of the major lists in Danny Hershtal, formerly of Toronto.

Yisrael Beitenu has many policies of particular interest to Anglos. Above all, Yisrael Beitenu seeks to strengthen the Jewish identity of Israel and impress a share of the national burden on all Israelis, regardless of race or religious background. This means that all Israelis will either have to enlist in the army or conduct National Service.

High on the list of priorities for Yisrael Beitenu is promoting government reform. The party seeks the adoption of the ‘Norwegian Law’, which would require Cabinet Ministers to give up their Knesset seat in order to reduce the role of partisan politics when creating policy, producing a real ‘separation of powers’.

Intensifying Aliyah, particularly Western, is an important element of the party’s staunch Zionist identity. Yisrael Beitenu is also committed to increase the funding to the education system which will raise Israel’s standards to the highest level.

Conservation and a cleaner environment are issues of importance to both the Anglo community and Yisrael Beitenu, as is fighting for the state religious institutions to be returned to the national-religious community.

Yisrael Beitenu, previously perceived as a party for Russian immigrants, has now changed dramatically. The party list for the upcoming elections is extremely diverse, and represents a broad spectrum of Israeli society; more so perhaps than any other list.

Yisrael Beitenu has the highest percentage of women on its list, with five out of the first fifteen spots hosted by women. The party has the highest national-religious candidate, held by Rotem.

Hamed Amar holds the highest position for a non-Jew on any of the main party lists.

The current list is a mix of Sephardim and Ashkenazim – religious, traditional and secular. Although Yisrael Beitenu has become famous for hosting two famous models on the list, it is also home to the former head of the IDF Disabled Veterans’ Association and a former legal advisor to the Yesha Council.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)