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| OHCC LIVING | APRIL 2026 | 35 Yiddish Club Israeli Elections and System of Government: Israel is required by law to hold national elections at least once every four years, though early elections are common when governing coalitions collapse. Parliamentary Structure: Israel is a parliamentary democracy with a single legislative chamber, the 120-member Knesset. Unlike the two-house United States Congress, legislative authority is concentrated in one body. The executive branch emerges from the legislature; the prime minister and most cabinet ministers are Knesset members. This differs from the American system of separate, coequal branches. Constitutional Framework: Israel does not have a single written constitution. Instead, it relies on Basic Laws enacted over time that define state institutions and protect certain rights. The Supreme Court exercises judicial review by interpreting these laws and has asserted authority to invalidate legislation that conf licts with them. The scope of this power has been the subject of significant political debate. Electoral System: The entire country serves as a single electoral district, and voters cast ballots for party lists rather than individual candidates. Knesset seats are allocated according to each party's share of the national vote, provided it surpasses the 3.25 percent threshold. This system encourages a multi-party landscape and consistently produces coalition governments. Party Landscape: Israeli parties ref lect the country's social, religious, and ideological diversity. They include right-wing parties such as Likud and Yisrael Beiteinu; centrist parties such as Yesh Atid; social democratic parties like the Democrats; religious parties representing Orthodox and ultra-Orthodox communities including Shas and United Torah Judaism; ultra-nationalist and religious- Zionist parties; and Arab-majority parties representing Arab citizens. Israeli politics also features personality-driven parties built around prominent leaders, often emphasizing leadership and security credentials. Coalition Governments: No single party has ever won an outright majority of Knesset seats. Governments are therefore formed through coalitions uniting parties with differing priorities, requiring negotiation over policy, budgets, and cabinet posts. After elections, the president consults party leaders and assigns a Knesset member – typically the one best positioned to secure majority support – the task of forming a government. Coalition- building, rather than simply winning the most seats, determines who governs. Please join us on April 7 for our Third Annual Symbolic Seder. Disclosure: is article was fact-checked and stylistically polished by AI and written by Jonni Swerdlow.