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Dec. 22, 2002
Electioneering in English
By Gil Hofman
It's election time and the battle has begun for the votes of the thousands
of immigrants from English-speaking countries. Nearly every party is working
on a campaign to target so-called Anglo voters with parlor meetings and Web
sites in English.
The Association of Americans and Canadians in Israel and The Jerusalem Post
are planning a January debate among party representatives in Beit Shemesh.
Until then, here is a list of the parties, the person in charge of their
Anglo campaigns, and information about their Web sites and upcoming events:
Likud: MK Nomi Blumenthal, working on English Web site. Hopes to have a
political rally in English.
Labor/Meimad: MK Colette Avital is planning an English Web site. More than
400 people came to hear Mitzna in English in Tel Aviv this week. Many parlor
meetings are planned.
Shas: Has campaigns targeting immigrants from Russia, Georgia, Ethiopia,
India, and Arab countries, but nothing for English speakers.
Meretz: Sheva Friedman is planning parlor meetings and outreach to voters
through AACI and absorption centers. The Web site is
www.meretz.org.il/English.
National Union: Candidate Uri Bank and Ruth Lieberman are working on a Web
site. Parlor meetings will be held next week in Rehavia, Ramat Eshkol, and
Hashmonaim, and a large event is planned in Beit Shemesh.
Shinui: Roni Forman is planning large events at the end of December in
Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and Haifa, with party chairman Yosef (Tommy) Lapid, MK
Yossi Paritzky, and candidate Reshef Chayne, ninth on the list, whose
parents are British. The Web site is
www.shinui.org.il/shinui2/eng/index.html.
Yisrael B'Aliya: Nearly 1,000 people attended a rally two weeks ago, and Arye Green is planning several parlor meetings next week in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Beit Shemesh, and Modi,in. The next event with party chairman Natan Sharansky is a Chai Club fund-raiser on December 31 at the Jerusalem Hyatt. The Web site is
www.aliya.org.il/English/.
National Religious Party: Yitzhak Shteiglitz is planning a large rally in
Jerusalem and parlor meetings throughout the country.Chairman Effi Eitam
will speak in English on Sunday at the Israel Center in Jerusalem. No Web
site.
United Torah Judaism: MK Avraham Ravitz is sponsoring Torah learning
sessions in English, parlor meetings with American-born party chairman
Ya'acov Litzman and Ravitz, and regional rallies with top Torah sages. No
Web site.
Am Ehad: Ruth Agmon is planning events with party chairman Amir Peretz in
Netanya, Haifa, Tel Aviv, and Beersheba. The Web site is
www.am1.org.il/english.html.
Herut: Paul Eidelberg is planning events with party chairman Michael Kleiner
speaking in English on Sunday in Jerusalem and Wednesday at Bar-Ilan
University. The Web site is
www.herut.org.il/net.ru/english/.
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