From Knesset members, to social media influencers, to social protest leaders, these are the people Israel Hayom chose as the most influential Israelis exposed to the general public this year.
Don't say desperate: Netael Bandel on Simcha Rothman | theorem
In 2016, I was invited to an introductory meeting with the Movement for Governance and Democracy. My expectation of a luxury office, like that of the Israel Democracy Institute, was shattered when I entered a musty cubicle in an alley near the pedestrian mall in Jerusalem. There was an anonymous lawyer sitting there who was known only to those familiar with Chen on the right: Simcha Rothman.
MK Simcha Rothman, photo: credit at the bottom of the article
"He took money out of his own pocket so that the movement could pay salaries," recall attorneys Zeev Lev and Yehuda Amrani in their early days. Even then, Rothman was determined, knowledgeable, with an orderly doctrine – but also stubborn and precise. "Wait, wait," he would tell his friends in moments of despair. He won Edna with Ayelet Shaked's tenure in the Ministry of Justice. They cooperated in selecting candidates on the judicial selection committee, and Rothman was cautious about it. "He's not a conservative, he's an anarchist," warned one of her associates.
While she was left behind, Rothman's show brought him to the high position of architect of legal reform, some say "coup", with his partner Yariv Levin. The two felt that if not now, there was no when, and galloped without prior informed preparation into an unprecedented crisis, which outraged the largest protest in the history of the country.
The two have long been in retreat, trying to reap gains for defeat. As far as Simcha Rothman is concerned, this is a defeat in the battle - but the campaign will always continue.
Hashikma marketing: Moriah Kor on Shikma Bressler | protest
Sycamore Bressler is one of the names we learned this year, but flag benefactors were exposed to it already in 2020. The innovation this year is that the black flag, which then starred in the "Just Not Bibi" protest, whose initiators included Shikma, was marketed this year with a change of direction and became a blue flag.
Shikma Bressler, one of the leaders of the protest against the legal reform, photo: credit at the bottom of the article
Branding is the message, for better or for worse: Shikma seems to exemplify Prof. Oz Almog's themes throughout them in her conduct – beginning with embodying the image of the Sabra, followed by the sociologist's new assertion that academia has emptied of content.
According to the study, the classic Sabra "abuses" those who came from the Holocaust, is Ashkenazi who does not count the Mizrahi communities, and does not see the Arabs on whose backs he carried out the first occupation of the Nakba ("brothers in arms" are less perceptive in sectors that identify with Palestinian police uniforms).
Bressler, who grew up on a kibbutz founded on land belonging to a Palestinian village and lives on the hills of Sheikh Abrik, will find it difficult to right the injustice. Even being a PhD in physics is not encouraging, given that the gravity of the well-founded protest she led doesn't weigh enough to seize power next time.
When the thorns chase away the crowd, the Achusal heroine is left alone.
Independent in the field: Amnon Lorde on Yitzhak Mirilashvili | communication
One of the most dangerous arenas of war, and perhaps the most effective against democratic societies in general and against Israel in particular, is the arena of lawfare. Lawfare, in English. Over the past nine months, Israel has experienced the largest lawfare operation ever. Sometimes it seems to succeed, leading to public demoralization and unprecedented division. But this operation had a strategic mishap: her name is Yitzhak Mirilashvili, the owner of Channel 14.
Channel 14 owner Yitzhak Marishvili, photo: credit at the bottom of the article
Under his leadership, Channel 14 did not allow the protest, which became Operation Lawfare, to collapse public opinion. Remember that Friday evening when dozens of protest activists held a noisy demonstration in front of Mirilashvili's home in Herzliya. This in itself was an unprecedented event in the history of protest demonstrations in Israel. No protesters ever came and frowned upon any personality on Friday night. Herzliya's leaders also tried to shut Mirilashvili up – in the name of democracy.
But Channel 14 maintained the morale of its viewers throughout the onslaught of lawfare. Itzhak Mirilashvili's defense strategy is proving itself. Some of the channel's programs placed him at the top of the rankings, in second place after Keshet 12.
Merav Unity: Shirit Avitan Cohen on Leo Di | Zionism
"I am Lucy's husband and father of five children, until Friday. Since then, everything has changed." That weekend a vile murderer, a terrorist, ripped two daughters and a mother from the Jewish people; And a torn family went out to the people and sought to add light and goodness.
Rabbi Leo Di and his daughters, photo: credit at the bottom of the article
Leo is quite remembered for his request to raise the Israeli flag, while his daughters were being buried and a few hours before his wife also died of her wounds. Since then, with tremendous fortitude, he has been addressing the people and the world – seeking to increase unity, seeking to separate vile terrorists from a broad population. In recent months, he has met with Vatican representatives, foreign ministers, ambassadors, Palestinian representatives and more, in an attempt to formulate ideas for improving Israeli-Palestinian relations. In his view, many Palestinians have denounced the murderers of his family, and for their sake a different reality must be created.
Terror-stricken Israel has already known families who, out of a great crisis, have shown light-filled fortitude. Leo shined brightest of all, precisely during the difficult months when it seemed that there was no cure for the Israeli rift. When social media-style brawls wreak havoc on the Israeli street, Leo Dee was everyone's ray of light. A reminder of the eternal people, of Zionism and of the common path of thousands of years that we have managed to forget.
Rosh Hashanah is a time to thank Him for redeeming us, even if only momentarily, from ourselves.
Above and Beyond the Dream: Adi Rubinstein on Ofir Haim | sport
Ofir Haim helped us dream this year. In soccer, which is the Israelis' favorite sport, but the one we almost always fail at, it brought us into the dream.
The soccer coach of Israel's youth national under-19 team, Ofir Haim, photo: credit at the bottom of the article
The youth team in Haim's way showed us fans that Israeli boys can be good soccer players, human beings, physically and mentally strong - and be the head of the lions, not the tail. Did anyone ever believe that in any tournament we would be better than Germany and Brazil? Forget football, in any sport.
And last summer, an entire country crossed its fingers for a team that represented everything we dream we would be: Arabs and Jews playing it together and with great love, Tel Aviv alongside players from the periphery, in perfect harmony of endless winliness and true patriotism. I guess it was a summer story, nothing more, but given everything we've been through this year, it was above and beyond.
In the Hebrew year that has just ended, football has provided us all with the perfect escapism thanks to Ofir Haim and his group. So thank you for that, and maybe we'll meet in another summer.
He will say: Sonia Goroditsky on Prof. Amir Yaron | economics
When growth in Israel was soaring and high-tech raced forward, the role of the Governor of the Bank of Israel was quite technical. The economic headlines included new entrepreneurs, impressive fundraising, IPOs on world stock exchanges and Israeli unicorns that succeeded around the world (and will continue to win).
Bank of Israel Governor Amir Yaron photo: Credit at the bottom of the article
2022-2023 brought back to the forefront the image of the responsible adult, the one who presses the brakes and warns the heads of state of deterioration into an economic abyss. This year, we witnessed the rise in inflation as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and Bank of Israel Governor Prof. Amir Yaron was required to be the "bad guy" raising interest rates in the economy – a direct burden on Israeli households.
Yaron responsibly led Israel's monetary policy during a period of global and domestic recession, stood firm against politicians and remained true to his principles even in a challenging climate. He continued to remain vigilant during a period of changes of governments, of large coalition expenditures, and of the weakening of the shekel and the increase in the deficit and debt targets.
Between a decade and a decade, Prof. Amir Yaron will decide whether he intends to continue in office or give way to his successor in leading Israel's economic policy.
Umbrella for the heart: Merav Sever on Atara Uriah | education
A few years ago, Atara Uriah tried to break through in A Star Is Born, with the sound of bells and tons of talent, but the stage told her "Wait" and she was eliminated at the beginning of the competition. But a few months ago she stormed into our lives with "Umbrella Boy" - the song about the banned child, which has become the new national anthem.
Singer Atara Uriah, photo: credit at the bottom of the article
National singer Shlomo Artzi also did not give up on giving up the mainstream stamp, bringing her to the stage for a sweeping duet. Just as the rain comes at its time, so there is a reason why "Umbrella Boy" entered the playlist and the heart - precisely now, precisely in the most violent, turbulent and polarized period in the State of Israel.
Uriah's soft voice penetrated the schools, synagogues, demonstrations and bloody streets, overcoming shocking records of teenagers beating their peers with unimaginable brutality.
Its breakthrough symbolizes the yearning of the people of Israel for reconciliation, for an embrace, for the recognition that death and life are in the hands of the tongue. Uriah is the antithesis of the violent discourse that has swept our country, of the fatigue of the slaughter of all the sacred cows, based on a deep contempt for the different and the other.
This year almost all of us were umbrella children. The ultra-Orthodox, the leftists, the women, the settlers, the kippah-wearing and demonstrators, supporters and opponents of the reform, MKs and ministers – they all felt the taste of boycott. And precisely because of this, Uriah is embraced.
The Debtors' Reward: Nir Wolf on Daniel Amram | grid
Daniel Amram is a twenty-something, former ultra-Orthodox man who went to work renovating homes in New York. Still, he is one of the most influential people in the Israeli discourse over the past year.
Daniel Amram, photo: from Twitter
Through social networks such as Telegram, Twitter and TikTok, Amram floods all the ills of society. It is a never-ending source of videos of beatings, bites, boycotts and violence. But he doesn't post viral videos for the likes, but uses his power to retaliate.
With the help of his hundreds of thousands of followers, Amram manages to track down the bullies who star in his videos. Whether it's high school students humiliating a classmate or violent police officers, within hours he exposes their faces and interviews the bullies live. While the media is swept up in political spin and PR articles, Daniel Amram single-handedly manages to change the world order and work better and faster than real journalists. More and more events that were exposed to him made it to the news or to Knesset debates.
While the established press is filled with shofars and pages of messages, it's good to have one Daniel Amram around.
Zero Shticks: Yehuda Schlesinger on Tali Gottlieb | politics
במשך שנים ארוכות יושב ראש הממשלה בנימין נתניהו בדיונים הסודיים ביותר שיש, מקבל סקירות ביטחוניות, מפענח תצלומים, מתרחש תרחישים וקורא מפות. ועדיין, במקרה אחד, נתניהו לא קרא נכון את המפה ולא הבין מי עומדת מולו: טלי גוטליב.
ח"כ טלי גוטליב, צילום: קרדיט בתחתית הידיעה
הוא נתקל בזה כשגוטליב סירבה בכל תוקף להסיר את מועמדותה לוועדה לבחירת שופטים. גם סצנה קשה מול חמישה גברים בחדר, שרים בכירים וראש ממשלה אחד שנוזפים, מאיימים וצועקים עליה לשנות את דעתה - לא הזיזה לה. היא חטפה, השיבה, ואז עוד יצאה מהחדר והלכה לתקשורת לספר הכל.
In legal circles and on the right, Gottlieb has known him for many years. This year, the entire State of Israel discovered it. The pomposity, the directness, the sharp right-wing opinions, and especially the big mouth devoid of any sieve or filter. Everyone snatched from her - from Bibi to Tibi.
More than once her statements deviate from the norm, difficult to digest. Tali Gottlieb does not do the math and slaughters sacred cows. To her credit, everything is real. There is not an ounce of pike. Zero deals, zero shticks, what you see is what you get. Will it pass the next primaries as well? It's too early to tell.
Peace in His Pipe: Eitan Orkivi on Moshe Arbel | Harediness
The feeling with Moshe Arbel is one of déjà vu. He is probably the most explanatory face in this government. Without a finger in the eye, without "showing them", without walking around with a can of oil between the fires on Ayalon. He opened the passport cork and aroused, on the verge of compunction, a longing for the "we came to work for you" government. Reflection on Yom Kippur.
Interior Minister Moshe Arbel, photo: credit at the bottom of the article
But it's his "etitude," Arbel's approach to public affairs, that gives rise to the feeling that we've met something similar before. Not only the talent for throwing a calming statement in the middle of a storm, but also reaching out in crisis moments. He keeps mentioning that dishes aren't broken. That there is a decent, rational, good-natured address in the government. Mostly having someone to run with. To compromise. For the next normalization. In a political atmosphere of radicalization and hardening of the neck, Arbel serves the pragmatic cheek.
So who does he mention? I scratch my head and the image of one, Aryeh Deri, comes up in front of me. He is 27 years old and already Minister of the Interior. For so many years he was a symbol of moderation, of empathy, of the possibility of bridge. Another one with peace in his pipe. Harediness in a soft model, national sentiment, state responsibility. He's kind of gone, this deri, and it's not necessarily his fault.
But Arbel is still a Shas guard with a taste of yesteryear. On the face of déjà vu.
Power Controls: Amir Ettinger on Hanmal Dorfman | Young
At an incredibly young age, this year one young man – who until recently was completely anonymous, except perhaps among the hilltop boys in Judea and Samaria – stormed into our lives and became an influential figure in one of the most sensitive positions in the government, with responsibility for the security of the residents of Israel: Hanmal Dorfman, only 27 years old.
Hanmal Dorfen, photo: credit at the bottom of the article
He is the chief of staff to National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, and like him, he began his career in extreme right-wing circles, received administrative restraining orders from Judea and Samaria, did not serve in the army (in an interview with Israel Hayom he said he received an exemption for medical reasons), studied and qualified as a lawyer, and over the years abandoned "settler" clothing in favor of a suit and tie.
To the chagrin of many opponents of Otzma Yehudit, Dorfman is not just a chief of staff who messes with the minister's schedule and cuts corners. His hand in everything – from the party's messages, the control and guidance of its ministers and MKs, to involvement in what is happening in the police and the appointment of senior officers. According to Haaretz, senior police officials claim that he is terrorizing the organization and intervening more than previous chiefs of staff have done.
He didn't lack chutzpah either. During the coalition negotiations, it was reported that he raised his voice against the prime minister, which was interpreted by Netanyahu's office as brazen. Government sources say of him: "Even those who don't like him admit that he is sharp and sharp."
Dangerous at the top: Jalal Bana on mayor | The Arab Sector
There are those who liken the role of head of a local authority to a "prime minister," and if it is in terms of the ability to influence and drive processes, one can believe that it is. In Arab society, however, this is not the case. The position of head of an Arab local authority is demanding, influential and extremely dangerous. The danger comes from factors with an interest, mainly financial, in the community itself – and sometimes to the point of endangering life itself.
Mayors protest the situation in the Arab sector in front of the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem last month, photo: Oren Ben Hakon
The head of the authority controls tens of millions of shekels. Every construction project, infrastructure or educational program can reach millions of shekels, so many eyes are on the resources of the Authority. In recent decades, changes have taken place in all Arab local authorities. Some of their heads stinked, and some succeeded – but did not always survive. The reason: complex and difficult internal politics, within the largest and usually ruling family or community, while those who refused were not always kicked out of the PA and even gained more and more power and influence.
In an era when all means of communication are open, whoever heads an Arab authority becomes a focal point for everyone, opponents and supporters alike. Those who want a job or financial assistance, those who have received a report and even those who just want a garbage can – everyone turns directly to the head of the authority. And this is one of the problems that the mayors love – but also suffer from.
Queen of Dances: Eran Suissa on Adi Habashosh | stage
A quick glance at Adi Habashush's resume counts at least ten film and television roles, but what came out of her in "Dancing with the Stars" didn't happen in any of them.
Adi Habashosh at the time of winning, photo: credit at the bottom of the article
The show's producers recognized her potential long before anyone else, and she was the first to be cast in a season. Even when filming was postponed and casting changed, Habash always stayed on the table. And that's a good thing.
She exploded in the first dance, where she got two-tenths of the judges, and maintained height throughout the season. Despite the good competition Li and Gia gave her, she never disappointed – including at that moment, when she had to say goodbye at the last minute to her injured partner. But most of all, Habashosh reinvented herself, and this is every artist's dream. From Valve, the comedic supporting character in Miller's Junction, she became the queen of Keshet's prime-time dance floor. For an entire season, the smile never left her face.
Adi Habashosh will not forget the year in which the girl from Sigi Nissan's dance class finished first in a dance program that also happens to be the most watched program of the past year. So do we.
It's the Molech, Stupid: David Perez on Omelette Bread | Friend
Omelette bread in Netanya, Heroes of Israel 24": A song as sticky as dough and scrambled as an egg turned this year in one fell swoop A stand in Netanya turned from a road eatery with an exhaust aroma into a perfect peripheral "phenomenon."
Vicky Ezra at an omelet bread stand, photo: from the Instagram page
All it took was a clip that would contain all the ingredients of the recipe for media shakshuka: a foolish "oriental" song? Entity. Is a man aware of his lack of awareness? Entity. Folk food and competition between stalls? Entity! In short - atonement, the cameras are already on the way, the soul of a ratings dad you, just sign for us here and here and here.
What were the cameras looking for in Netanya - a piece of truth? You made Master Chef's poached eggs laugh: There's nothing the Northern media loves more than watching the periphery dance, like a polar bear, on a hot choma pepper pan.
It's a wink that says listen, that's the deal: We know that "these people" aren't really like us, don't realize that we're ridiculing them as a soulful plastic shakshuka. We'll let the natives fly on themselves and move on to the next trend that will justify raising the walls of Tel Aviv: Hummus croissant in Ramla? Couscous sushi in Dimona? Never mind, it's all the same heartburn.
What matters is who we sacrifice this week to satisfy the ratings. The media gave and the media took, may the despair of our lives be cursed from now until eternity.
Photos: Oren Ben Hakon, Gideon Markowitz, Yehoshua Yosef, Ronen Goldman / Wikipedia, Shai Ashkenazi, Haim Goldberg and Avshalom Shoshoni/Flash90, Ohad Kev, Ortal Dahan, AFP
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