Shas - Israeli Election Ad 2013 (English Subtitles)

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UPDATE: following a request from the election committee, Shas has agreed to withdraw this advert "for the sake of peace"

Guiding Questions:
- This advert has received much negative attention in Israel and the US, do you find it offensive and if so, why?
- The advert showcases a problem that exists in Israeli society, many Russian immigrants are not Halachically Jewish and therefore cannot marry a Halachic Jew in Israel. Does the advert provide a solution to this problem?
- What possible solutions could there be?
- Which areas of Israeli life does this advert make you think about: immigration; ethnicity; Jewish rule of law; conversion; Jewish pluralism; racism?
- Who do you think this advert appeals to?

Shas is an UltraOrthodox Sefardi political party, formed in 1984 by Rabbi Ovadia Yosef who is still the spiritual mentor. Many of their voters are not UltraOrthodox. They have been included in several coalitions since the parties inception. They traditionally lean left on socio-economic issues; right on religious issues; and have been both left and right wing regarding the Peace process. They are currently projected to win 11 seats in the upcoming elections on January 22nd.

This youtube channel is an educational resource provided by the Israel Engagement Department of the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington.

The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington supports Israeli democracy and any particular political party in Israel. This channel is aimed at being a resource to understand Israeli democracy and not to promote any political platform.

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