Israeli MP and chairperson of center Yesh Atid party, Yair Lapid (R) and his wife Lihi (L) arrive for a meeting with female members of his party,
Why I support Yesh Atid (AKA how I became involved with the (not so) little party that could.
Israelseen welcomes our newest blogger Ariella Benshmuel. Read her bio below.
A few months ago I surprised myself. I stepped into uncharted territory and became a political activist. A brief confession: my attitude towards politics has always vacillated between utter scorn and pure contempt.
I always had an interest in politics, mind you. My father works for the Israeli foreign ministry so I suppose public service was somehow ingrained in my DNA, dormant as it may have been. But me? Getting involved in politics? It seemed sleazy, dirty, underhanded. Everything that I loathed and despised.
What then forced me to shake off the cobwebs of apathy and become an activist? More importantly why did I choose Yesh Atid (or more accurately why did Yesh Atid choose me?). The answer is simple. I lifted my head, opened up my eyes and looked around me.
The healthcare system is in shambles. Do NOT get me started on Bituach Leumi, because words cannot accurately describe their callousness, insensitivity and sheer disregard for the people they are meant to help. Rent prices are a joke and owning your own home is an elusive dream. The wages we earn are a joke and that’s before we even address the security situation.
And then I took a good hard look at our politicians. More specifically the current administration. Preaching that they never forget “life itself” for a single moment, when one in every three children goes hungry. When Holocaust survivors are forced to choose to buy either food or medication.
Concerned only about pleasing their constituents and protecting their seats at all costs. Unwilling to listen to dissenting voices, instead opting to label opponents traitors. Talking at and not to one another.
I knew I wanted to make a difference. I felt an ineffable pull to change things for the better. Initially I wanted to volunteer at a hospital or women’s shelter and make a direct and tangible impact on people’s lives. But then I was introduced to Yesh Atid and instantly knew that this was the place for me. This was home.
A sane centrist party, unmarred by extremism. A group of hardworking, decent, honest public servants who, much like me, wanted to positively impact people’s lives. Kindred spirits if you will.
So why Yesh Atid specifically? I could intricately dissect the Party’s platform and point out what sets it apart from other parties. Point by point. People however don’t vote with their minds. With rational logic. They vote with their gut in a purely visceral way. With their kishke, as my grandma would say.
So here are a few observations that can best explain why my heart- and gut- led me to Yesh Atid. :
Yesh Atid because of MK Karin Elharrar, a dogged warrior for the disenfranchised and the forgotten. A fierce Parliamentarian who fought valiantly to increase disability benefits in Israel so that they equal the minimum wage. Who recently passed legislation to protect the welfare and interests of foster children. Who speaks for those who cannot speak for themselves.
Because Lihi Lapid doesn’t know me from Adam (or rather Eve) but hugged me when she met me like a long lost friend and thanked me for listening to her.
Because MK Yair Lapid loves the Shawshank Redemption, and anyone who believes that hope is the best of things deserves to be Prime Minister in my book!
Because this is the only party that can propose anti-corruption legislation with a straight face. Even if it falls through.
Because this is the only party in which you’ll see an avowed atheist and an Orthodox rabbi at the same table, actually talking to each other and trying to find common ground.
Because as we speak, MK Lapid is effectively acting as our De facto foreign minister and is working tirelessly on Israel’s behalf. Fighting the BDS movement. Challenging the UN’s human rights council and protesting its biased – and disproportional treatment of Israel. Not only that he is fighting to keep Israel’s Foreign Service alive and bolster its public diplomacy.
Because even my brother, a die-hard Likudnik, listens to and respects MK Ofer Shelah, even when it comes to thorny security issues.
Because no one in this party has forgotten that they are public servants. For the ENTIRE public. Not a segment, not a sector. EVERYONE.
Because as naive as it sounds people who care are leaders.
Because believing that things can be better and working hard to make things better is not just an empty slogan. It is a mighty fine start.
Because hope is not a dirty word.
Ariella Benshmuel:
I have had the distinct honor and privilege of growing up all over the world in cities as diverse and wonderful as Houston, Atlanta, New York and Pretoria, South Africa. After wandering the globe for 38 years, I am now ready to settle down in the one place I call home – Israel.
Writing and words are my love and my passion. I am a journalist by trade and by calling, with an MA in mass communication from the University of Georgia in Atlanta. I am a firm believer that words and ideas could change the world, to borrow a quote from the wonderful Robin Williams.
When I am not at work, managing correspondence from overseas clients at an accounting firm, I am an impassioned Yesh Atid activist , an exercise enthusiast who loves running and swimming, and now I guess I can say officially a blogger!
