Comments on: Don’t vote for the ‘Anglo’ candidate

By: Andy Lehrer

Andy Lehrer — Sat, 17 Nov 2012 19:26:49 +0000

You should also add those many Israeli leaders whose children emigrate to the US as well as those who keep bank accounts there.

By: Elli Fischer

Elli Fischer — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 00:00:22 +0000

Good times.

By: Elli Fischer

Elli Fischer — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 23:56:58 +0000

Freedman and Ben-Meir most certainly did try to bring an American style of politics to the Knesset. Most of the others are Brits; why would you expect them to bring American-style anything to the Knesset?

By: Elli Fischer

Elli Fischer — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 23:56:58 +0000

By: Ami Avraham

Ami Avraham — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 22:00:11 +0000

Elli was a great dorm counselor – hope all is well!!

By: Jeremy Man Saltan

Jeremy Man Saltan — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 21:50:28 +0000

None of the people you mentioned ever claimed to be an "Anglo" and none of them tried to bring an American style congressman approach to the Knesset. I know Litzman and Plesner, I know what I'm talking about.

By: Elli Fischer

Elli Fischer — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 21:09:19 +0000

Given that much more attention is given to the current crop of candidates in the English Israeli press than in the Hebrew press, I don't think that the inclusion of these candidates is about broader appeal. I could be wrong, though.

By: Dror Ben Ami

Dror Ben Ami — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 20:40:30 +0000

yes, don't vote for an anglo, vote for a criminal in shas…..

By: Avi Pollak

Avi Pollak — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 20:11:17 +0000

Great review and overview of the topic, Eli. I have a somewhat different perspective, as someone new to this political world.

More than including a 'candidate who is Anglo', touting an 'Anglo candidate' is a values statement about how a party chooses to do business, its message and how it wishes to communicate that message. A party runs an 'Anglo candidate' not just to get Anglo votes, but because the candidate brings qualities to the party which it feels the public appreciates and associates with how the Anglo population operates. A 'candidate who is Anglo', like the many politicians you listed, do not highlight their Anglo-ness per se as a distinguishing character trait. An 'Anglo candidate' does.
We can question whether we take pride in the qualities that the Israeli public associates with the Anglo community and question whether they are valid, but it seems to me that it is that diversity of message and method that the parties are looking for.

By: Avi Pollak

Avi Pollak — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 20:11:17 +0000

Great review and overview of the topic, Eli. I have a somewhat different perspective, as someone new to this political world.

By: Doug Kraft

Doug Kraft — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 09:24:13 +0000

As an American Jew working toward Aliyah and an "Anglo," I have questions about just exactly what "anglo" means. Are they English speakers who don't speak Hebrew? I am surprised Jews make class distinctions with regard to their own people. I am troubled by this, and hope I am wrong about there being stark class divisions in a Jewish state.

By: Ilana Walsh

Ilana Walsh — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 18:54:06 +0000

You are so right! I believe that what Anglos are looking for, whether left or right, religious or secular, is some semblance of accountability which the present system absolutely fails to provide.

By: Elli Fischer

Elli Fischer — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 11:17:40 +0000

Good call, Amihai. And from an ethnically-aligned party, no less (Yisrael BaAliyah tried to go after the "Anglo vote" in 2003, I believe, by putting Eli Kazhdan on the list.

By: Amihai Bannett

Amihai Bannett — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 11:08:10 +0000

Don't forget Zvi Weinberg from Yisrael BaAliyah, Anglo and Dati Leumi! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zvi_Weinberg

By: Dov Blair Epstein

Dov Blair Epstein — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 07:34:59 +0000

"Anglo" pre-requisites are best served by political transparency. The Western political experience before arriving in Israel was reward for good performance, punished for bad. Here, in Israel, it's upside down. conclusion: forget it.