Listen to my post-election breakdown with Noam Weissman on Unpacking Israeli History.
There was something special about this Israeli election. I made aliyah just eight years ago, but I’ve already had the chance to vote in six Israeli elections, thanks to the political deadlock surrounding Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. There may be yet another vote in the near future, depending on how coalition talks shake out.
Still, this election was particularly special because it was the first time I went to vote as a father, and that experience was meaningfully different. My priorities felt different, what I was voting for felt different, and it was my 3.5-year-old son who ended up placing my ballot in the box (cue Bibi accusing toddlers of voter fraud!).
As my son dropped the envelope into the ballot box, I reminded myself: I’m voting for my kids, so that their future can be here, in the country we love, so that it can be safe. That they can grow up in a Jewish homeland that defends itself but also protects the rights of its minorities and doesn’t compromise on its democracy.
Now, I’m going to tell you which party I voted for.
