Page 48 - HaMizrachi Tisha B'Av AUS 2021

THE PEOPLE AND THE LAND PROFILE

ONE with

ON Naftali Bennett

ONE Prime Minister of Israel

Background Army
Shabbat
Naftali Bennett was born in Haifa in 1972. Six years in the IDF’s elite Sayeret Matkal
His father was a real estate agent and unit and commander in the elite Maglan Shabbat is family time, when the kids get
entrepreneur and his mother was active unit. to spend time with Abba. “When Shabbat
in the American community in Israel. comes in – phew!”
Family
During his childhood, the family moved Married to Galit, a professional chef whom Jewish unity
between Montreal, Israel and New Jersey, he met on Ammunition Hill where she
returning when his father fought in the worked as an educator for youth groups. “It’s all about tolerance, acceptance and
Yom Kippur War. They have four children and live in Raa- togetherness. Uniting the Jewish people.
nana. “Our life is very normal at home,” Not in the sense that we’re trying to avoid
Childhood he says. “We like to hike around Israel. We disagreements. It’s okay not to agree. It’s
haven’t been able to do that lately and I important to create a dialogue, not from
He loved to hike among the trees in the miss it.” a feeling of superiority of one group
grove near his house in Haifa. “I had a won- over another, but from a perspective of
derful childhood,” he says. “We were not Entering politics partnership.”
especially spoiled. I would walk in order
to save the bus fare.” When the Second Lebanon War broke out, “The State of Israel belongs to us all. We
Bennett found himself fighting for his have a wonderful nation, and we all have
“Once, my mother heard her sons using the country, with Galit pregnant with their a commitment and responsibility to take
word friar (Hebrew for “loser”) and asked daughter. care of our country. The political disputes
what it meant. We said to her, ‘A friar is The trauma of the war led him to the and divisions must not overshadow our
someone who helps out and gives without decision to enter politics in an effort to basic concern for Israel.”
receiving anything in return.’ influence the country’s leadership, and
he became Binyamin Netanyahu’s Chief
My mother told us off and said in her heavy of Staff (2006–2007). “Life is not only about How does his kippah
American accent, ‘If so, friars are good. I enjoyment, but mostly for serving and stay on his head?
want you to be friars your whole life.’ My fixing.” “I am proud to be religious, I am proud
parents left the good life in America to of my kippah.” He uses Kippah Keeper – a
live in Israel, without knowing a word in “After seeing what I’ve gone through, I
don’t think my children will follow in my
Hebrew. Not because they were forced to, footsteps.” Two of his kids want him to product made of reusable double-sided
medical tape. Once, he had to deliver a
but because they had ideals. leave politics altogether, while the other speech outdoors on a windy day when he
They didn’t come to receive, they came to two are more understanding. discovered he was out of tape. He took a
give. They came to be friars… These are the “I try to educate them that their sacrifice piece of chewing gum and stuck it on his
kind of friars that make Israel great.” is for the good of the country.” head to keep his kippah in place! n

FIVE F A CTS ABOUT NAFTALI BENNET T

One of his When he
In 5th grade, He was born sons is named worked in
he burned his After his into a secular after Emanuel hi-tech, he
school’s back army service, family and Moreno, who successfully
yard when his he worked as became made two
science project a gardener. religious of his fell in combat exits worth
in the Second
went haywire. own volition. Lebanon War. millions of
dollars.

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