“The Ballot Reader”: From Captivity and Bereavement to the Knesset, Will It Bring Voters?

In the political segment “The Ballot Reader” on the program “Those Religious Women,” Moren Shmueloff reviewed the growing phenomenon of figures who stood out during the war and are now choosing to enter politics.

“The Ballot Reader” on bereavement and politics | Photo: Srigim Studio 10 10 0:00 / 11:13

Shmueloff focused on three central figures joining different parties. The first is Tzvika Mor, about whom it was reported that “he is joining Smotrich’s party... Religious Zionism.” According to Shmueloff, Mor is a figure many in the national-religious public can identify with: “This is a person who really, really represented me... maybe this is the family I would want to see in politics.”

Another figure is Sharon Sharabi, the brother of Eli, who returned from Hamas captivity, and Yossi, may God avenge his blood, who was murdered in captivity, who is joining Yisrael Beiteinu. Shmueloff describes him as “a very prominent and very stately figure,” and estimates that for Avigdor Liberman this is a strategic move: “Maybe here he is testing, Liberman, not only to solidify his base, but to try to bring in some additional electoral value of one kind or another.”

The third and most talked-about figure is Einav Zangauker, who “was accepted into The Democrats under Yair Golan.” Shmueloff notes that Zangauker “was very political, there was no way to take that away from her... she spoke political messages.” Despite the criticism and controversy surrounding her remarks, Shmueloff stresses, “I’m not sure what I would have done in her shoes... I don’t want to stand in the trial this woman went through.”

In conclusion, Shmueloff explains the importance of political representation for those affected by the war: “They say laws are written in blood... the action that rises from that place was very, very important.” She ends with a call to include additional representatives: “We also want to talk about reservists, about those suffering from combat trauma, about the wounded, about the orphans.”