On October 27, Israelis will head to the polls in an election that could reshape its future. The outcome could determine whether Israel remains a Jewish and democratic state, true to the spirit of its Declaration of Independence, or a Jewish state under autocratic rule.
Ra’anana, IsraelWho are Naftali Bennett’s neighbors voting for?
Ra’anana, home to a large English-speaking community – and to Naftali Bennett – is widely hailed as a bastion of diverse Jewish religious communities. Will its moderate Orthodox residents choose allegiance to sectoral politics or liberal values?
Population: 85,000
History: Founded in 1922 as an agricultural settlement by a group of American Jews from New York
How it votes: In the November 2022 election, the centrist Yesh Atid party was the top vote-getter, winning one-third of the ballots in this city, followed by Likud with 20 percent. The far-right Religious Zionism party won 10 percent of the vote.
Why it’s important: The upcoming election could hinge on the number of moderate Religious Zionist (Modern Orthodox) voters that defect to the opposition bloc. Ra’anana is home to many voters who fall into that category.