Israel at a Crossroads Understanding Israel’s 2026 Elections

Israel at a Crossroads: Understanding the 2026 Elections is a three-part series that offers participants an accessible look at how Israeli democracy works and where it may be headed, set against the backdrop of the country’s pivotal October 2026 elections. Tracing the arc from the foundational structure of Israel’s parliamentary system to the parties and personalities shaping its political life, the series examines the forces driving Israeli society at this consequential moment — and what comes next once the votes are counted.

Each session considers how Israel’s political institutions, internal divisions, and competing visions of Jewish and democratic identity shape the choices facing the country. By placing the election within its broader historical and political context, participants gain the tools to follow the campaign as it unfolds, understand the results when they arrive, and engage thoughtfully with the questions Israeli society will continue to face in the years ahead.

• Session 1: Wednesday, AUGUST 26: No Constitution, No King: How Israel’s Political System Actually Works. How Israel’s government is structured — coalitions, the Knesset, and the courts — and the unique tensions built into its parliamentary democracy from the very start.
• Session 2: Wednesday, OCTOBER 14: Tribes, Titans, and Tensions: The People and Parties Shaping Israel’s Future. The personalities, parties, and fault lines driving Israel’s national conversation, and the urgent questions of Jewish and democratic identity at the heart of the debate.
• Session 3: Wednesday, NOVEMBER 4: The Day After: Where Does Israel Go From Here? The election outcomes, the coalition landscape that follows, and the questions facing Israeli society in the months and years ahead.

Rabbi Yitz Tendler is Executive Director and a member of the Rabbinic Team at Congregation Beth Jacob in Atlanta and serves as Senior Fellow for Israel & Jewish Affairs at the American Conservative Union Foundation in Washington, DC. In that role, he advises policymakers on Israel, antisemitism, and the Middle East, drawing on years spent living in Israel and firsthand engagement with Israeli politics and the U.S.-Israel relationship. Rabbi Tendler brings historical context, political insight, religious perspective, and real-world experience to the issues shaping Israel today. He lives in Toco Hill with his wife, Russy, and their children.

Rabbi Natan Trief serves as Director of Exploring Judaism at Temple Sinai in Atlanta, where he teaches adults on topics including Israeli politics, Hebrew, and biblical texts. He moved to Israel in 2006 and served in the IDF as a combat search-and-rescue soldier before earning a Master’s in Hebrew Literature and rabbinic ordination from Hebrew Union College-Institute of Religion. Rabbi Trief brings firsthand experience of Israeli society, military service, and years of teaching adult learners to the conversations shaping Israel today. He lives in Atlanta with his wife, Rabbi Samantha Trief, and their children, Rafael and Maayan.