Rabbi’s Update 10/23/2026

Dear Friends:

This coming Tuesday, Oct. 27, Israel will hold elections for the Knesset. These elections are widely considered to be perhaps the most important elections in the history of the State of Israel. Will Israel stick with Benjamin Netanyahu, who is the longest serving Prime Minister in Israel’s history? Will it turn to Gadi Eisenkot, a former IDF Chief of Staff, a son of Moroccan Jewish immigrants, who would be the first non-Ashkenazi Prime Minister? Or will something else happen and neither of these two become Prime Minister?

The results of the elections will be known almost immediately in the sense of determining how many seats each party has won. But this is only the first step in the process since neither Netanyahu’s Likud nor Eisenkot’s Yashar will get an absolute majority of 61 seats. Polls indicate that between 11 and 14 parties will win seats in the Knesset. At this point the process of trying to put together a coalition of at least 51 seats begins. President Isaac Herzog will meet with the leader of each party and then give a mandate to form a government to the party leader who he believes has the best chance at successfully forming a coalition.

Last night in our adult education program I presented a brief overview of the history of political parties in Israel and then a preview of the coming elections. We looked at what the polls are saying, the various possibilities for putting a coalition together, and what the likely outcome will be. It was a well-attended session, probably the most well-attended Thursday night class that I have taught in several years. A video of the class is available here.

Through January I will be adjusting the timing of my Thursday drop-in hours. I’m enrolled in a Certificate Program in Jewish Innovation and our class meets Thursdays from 1 to 2:30 pm Eastern time. Therefore my drop-in hours will be from 2:45 to 4:30. Please remember that these are not the only hours I am available to you -- I am happy to meet you in person, over Zoom or by telephone at a time which is convenient for you.

If you or someone you know is in need because of having been laid off, or has  lost benefits of some type and needs immediate help, please let me know. I can access limited funds through the Jewish Federation almost immediately.  The Jewish Federation has set up a hotline to access assistance at 703-JCARING.

For longer-term help, the Hebrew Free Loan Society will loan up to $18,000 interest-free. These funds can be accessed for any need, such as creating a family or opening a business or any other need. They are not just for people who have lost government benefits or employment.

As a reminder, I am having drop-in hours on Thursday afternoons from 2 to 4 at the shul. For my drop-in hours, you do not need to make an appointment -- that would negate the whole point of drop-in hours -- but I’d urge you to check and make sure I am there regardless as sometimes there are unavoidable pastoral or other emergencies which might take me away from the building. 

As always, if I can do anything for you or you need to talk, please contact me at rabbi@kehilatshalom.org rather than through the synagogue office. I am happy to meet you at the synagogue by appointment; if you want to speak with me it’s best to make an appointment rather than assuming I will be there when you stop by. 

Additionally, if you know of a Kehilat Shalom congregant or another member of our Jewish community who could use a phone call, please let me know.

L’shalom,

Rabbi Charles L. Arian