How did SA pupils vote in mock Israeli election?

Over the past month, Habonim Dror has run mock Israeli elections at King David High School in Johannesburg and Herzlia High School in Cape Town, gaining an insightful snapshot of what young diaspora Jews are thinking and feeling about the 27 October polls. 

In partnership with King David’s Judaica and Zionism committee and the South African Zionist Federation based in Cape Town, Habonim facilitated the week-long event. It gave a short informal lesson on how Israeli democracy works, explained the structure of the Knesset, and shared an overview of key issues facing Israelis as they decide who to elect as the next ruling party. Candidates were then selected and briefed on which political party they would represent at assembly. The lineup included Likud, Yashar, B’Yachad, The Democrats, and more. 

A week of creative canvassing followed. Sweets, posters, mascots, merch, and theatrics fuelled the campaigns and contributed to a buzzing atmosphere at the schools. Finally, the day of the mock election arrived. The polls opened at breaktime, and pupils swarmed the blue boxes to cast their ballots. 

After counting the votes, the results were in! King David and Herzlia produced vastly different results, mirroring the splits in Israeli society on some major issues. The results were as follows: 

King David: Yashar (28.81%), Likud (26.78%), Otzma Yehudit (21.36%), B’Yachad (15.93%), The Democrats (7.12%). A total of 295 votes from Grades 8 to 11 were counted. 

Herzlia: The Democrats (44.90%), Likud (24.52%), and Yisrael Beiteinu (9.37%). In total, 363 pupils voted. 

Ultimately, the results of both schools reflect the desire for some kind of shift in leadership for Israel. While pupils may not agree on the exact direction in which Israel should be headed, the idea that it’s time to make a real change is apparent among young Jews living in the diaspora. 

The mock elections made pupils better informed about Israeli democracy. They got to weigh up the candidates and practise their critical thinking skills, while also engaging with, and perhaps even questioning, their personal sets of values. 

The mock Israeli elections provided a fascinating lens into how Jewish youth interpret current affairs in Israel. It was an enjoyable prelude to what will be a critical election for the State of Israel. 

• Amira Karstaedt is rosh machaneh for Habonim Dror Southern Africa.