Who they are
Born in Chernivtsi in 1986 and brought to Israel at five, Rif grew up in Netanya. She served as an officer in military intelligence, took her degrees at the Hebrew University as a State Service cadet, and graduated the Sam Spiegel film school as a screenwriter. She co-founded the Cultural Brigade, which brought Novy God into the Israeli mainstream, and is a poet whose first collection won the Matanel Prize.
Positions and record
Aliyah and absorption: Wants the ulpanim upgraded and employment opened up, and leads the party's absorption platform.
Marriage and status: Campaigns so that the children of Soviet-origin Israelis can marry in Israel, against the Jewishness-status bar affecting hundreds of thousands.
Dignity and bureaucracy: Says she will work so the parents' generation can retire with dignity, fight racism, and cut unnecessary bureaucracy.
Where they stand
Breaks with the party line on 1 issue, marked below.
Judea & Samariaparty lineNo Palestinian state, and no stance on annexation
Two states / withdrawalSovereignty / annexation
Gaza & Securityparty lineIsrael keeps security control, Gaza must demilitarize
Deal & disengagementFull military control
Haredi Enlistmentparty lineA National Service for All law; refusers prosecuted
Universal draftPreserve exemptions
Judiciaryparty lineSafeguard an independent court, seek a constitution
Court can strike lawsKnesset can override
Economyparty lineBreak the monopolies, make work pay more than benefits
Social spendingFree market
Educationparty lineRequires core studies for full funding, even at independent schools
State runs the schoolsParents and communities
Religion & Statepersonal positionFounded and leads the Lobby of the Million, which calls for recognizing non-Orthodox conversions and marriage paths outside the Rabbinate for the ~350,000 Russian-speaking Israelis barred from marrying here -- well past the party's general "Jewish and democratic" line.
Civil / pluralistReligious authority
Nation & Citizenshipparty lineJewish majority secured, equality per the Declaration
Equal citizenshipJewish national state
