"New King" of Israel

Yair Lapida in just a year has gone from the debutant to the rising star of Israeli politics

To go in just a year the path from the debutant to the "star" - this has not yet been in Israeli politics. The 49-year-old ex-telephone Yair Lapid and his party, which received 19 mandates in the Knesset, became the main sensation of the latest elections. Who is this person who defined the premier post by his next purpose, - found The New Times

Today he is called the "Simvol of Israel", "New King", "The ascending Star of the Released Country". He seemed to have changed places with the heroes of his interview, among whom are representatives of the entire political elite of Israel and thousands of celebrities: Bill Gates, Dalai Lama, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Tony Blair ... It seems that he all his life tried on the image of an influential politician, the ruler of the destination. And now the time has come to bring him to perfection. “The former division into left and right for Israel is no longer relevant ... by the force of influence on the electorate, Facebook replaced city squares ...” - this is from the performance of Yair Lapida in front of the supporters on February 2. The Esh Atis party (“There is a future”) celebrated on this day the completion of a more than successful campaign for the elections to the Knesset. Having finished the speech, Lapid picked up the guitar and sang the song “Beatles” by the Liitle Help From My Friends. Then Rabbi Shai Pyron, who was second to the “esh atide” list, climbed onto the stage and sat down at the drums, and the former head of Shabak (the general security of Israel) Yaakov Perry played on the pipe. In Israeli politics, new notes were clearly heard.

They sounded even louder when Lapid first took the floor before the new composition of the Knesset - February 11. Religious orthodoxes (Kharedim), he said, should serve in the army, like everyone else, or attract an alternative service. This is his horse, one of the software installations, based on a strictly legal concept of equal distribution of burden. In response, the most frantic opponents of Lapid began to scare the Israelis with mass emigration of orthodox students and even a civil war. “There will be no civil war,” retorted Lapid in Knesset, “Charedim is no more than ten percent of the Israeli population, and they cannot threaten the rest of ninety.”

In these minutes, he probably reminded many of his father-Josef (Tomi) Lapid, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice in the government of Ariel Sharon. Lapid Sr. was also a famous journalist, author of theatrical and television scenarios. Also, becoming a politician, he created his batch of changes (“Shinui” - “Changes”), put forward anticlerical initiatives. He also considered himself an expressor of the interests of Israelis with an average income. He also believed that with the Palestinians one can achieve the world at the cost of territorial concessions. But at the same time, he did not take into account the importance of party construction. Shinui did not live for a long time, lounging as a result of an intra -party scandal.

The lapid-father died of cancer in June 2008 at the age of 76. The son visited him in the hospital up to the very death. They say that then Yair decided to quit journalism and go into politics. At the same time, as Yair Lapid noted in a conversation with The New Times, he "has already done work on his father's mistakes - there will be no repetition." For example, he has already abandoned the frontal attacks on ultra -organization.

Golden Boy

Daniil Harms somehow rightly remarked that "it is better to be rich and healthy than poor and sick." Yair Lapid became a direct confirmation of the correctness of the Russian poet: the boy was born, as they say, with a gold spoon in his mouth. All Israel knows the name of not only his father, but also his mother, writer Shulamith Lapid, whose books, who are studying in Israeli schools, are translated into many languages.

Until the age of 4, Yair lived in London, where his father worked as a Sobrilian newspaper Maariv. “I grew up a bilingual, Ivrito-English child,” recalled Lapid. - In our house, the Anglo -Film cultural ideas and moods reigned visibly. Winston Churchill was a real idol of my father. ”

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One of the richest Israelis, a millionaire, who is in words, who is careful for the interests of the middle class, Lapid is lost when it comes to the price of a loaf of bread or a bus ticket

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Having become already famous, the Yair will write “Memories after Death”, a book about a father, the horrors of the Budapest ghetto in childhood and conveying his son the ability to survive and movement to success - at all costs. The same qualities attract Yair in sports. As a child, he, like many boys, went to the boxing section. Today, Yar Lapida has a black belt and the third one in karate, which he is engaged in almost professionally, five training a week. According to Lapid, he was never afraid of anything. Always went into battle. It was often broken. But he does not regret anything. Over 30 years, the hereditary journalist Yair Lapid has gone from the correspondent of the Army newspaper Bet Mahan to the fashion writer, the author of 11 books. Most of them beat all sales records. They are translated into English, French, Hungarian, Serbian and Greek. The author’s column of Lapid on the Saturday of Israel is one of the most influential newspapers - “Ahronot” is incredibly popular among readers: two collections of speakers came out with separate books and became bestsellers. In the Tel Aviv Gabima Theater, several of his plays have been staged, which are a great success in the public. Recently, Lapida has been led by Friday Studio-the final program of news of the 2nd channel.

Russian theme

Josef Lapid with his son. (The picture was taken 18 years ago Lih Lapid, the wife of Yair Lapid)

Many Russian -speaking voters cast their vote for Lapida in the January elections. Among his friends there are many immigrants from Russia. And one of the hobbies of all life is Russian literature. He says that he enjoys the verses of Akhmatova, Pushkin ... in his youth he read the binge of the “brothers Karamazov” and “demons” of Dostoevsky. Loves Turgenev.

“More recently, in one of the election interviews,” says Yair, “I illustrated a certain situation on the example of the famous story“ Mumu ”, I believe that this is a work with a deep political meaning.”

You can be a Russian, an Englishman, an Israeli or an American, he argues, but discussions on the eternal topics of love, the relationship of fathers and children, faith in God are always close and relevant for everyone.

As, for example, in Bulgakov’s book “Master and Margarita”, which he read three times. “The strongest impression, especially when some chapters had a chance to read, sitting at a table in the Margarita cafe - in Moscow on the Patriarchals. I then wrote a detective about Russia “Sunset in Moscow” and often visited your capital. ” The plot of this book unfolds in Moscow in the 2000s, the main character is a Jew, the operative of Moore.

The “Russian theme” came close to the private life of Lapid - a few years ago he took under the custody of a “Russian” teenager from a boarding school for dysfunctional children. Today, a young man named Rostik is already raising his own children, and Yair still calls the father.

Next year, my son has an exam for Tanakh's knowledge. For what? Yes, he must get acquainted with the Old Testament - this is his story, his tradition, his emotional biography. But taking the exam is completely different!

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By the way, in recent years, Lapid taught social science in high school in the Naamat technological school in Jaffa, where most students are immigrants from Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus. Yair is convinced: education is the key to the change in Israeli society and the eradication of social inequality. The problems of youth are close to him and as the father of three children: his eldest son is 25, the middle 17. The youngest daughter - sixteen -year -old Yael suffers from an autistic disorder.

On the one hand, Lapid does not like to talk about it, on the other, he does not hide this absolutely. “Yael is our pride,” he says. “In general, I want to say to all parents who are raising children's children: do not hesitate to hide it ... There is nothing shameful and there is no guilt ... You just need to help each other and our children.”

And it helps: consisting of a parents with children with autism syndrome, Lapid raised $ 2 million donations for the construction of a special center in Tel Aviv.

"I am an Israeli!"

On the air - "Friday Studio" with Yair Lapid

So why is a rich, successful person with a loud name, who has achieved success and glory, create a party, plunge into the world of eternal political intrigues and battles? He briefly defines his credo: “I am an Israeli! In this country, I was born and raised, formed. We must free ourselves from an old wretched policy and create a new reality. ”

Which one?

The state of Israel is experiencing a critical moment, says Lapid, and explains the need for urgent reforms in education. “The whole generation of young people is no longer sure that he sees his future in this country,” the politician makes in a conversation with The New Times. -They do not want to give children to schools, which are in 41st place among developed countries in mathematics and accurate sciences-below the Arab Emirates and Greece. Next year, my son-schoolman has an exam for the knowledge of Tanakh (a complete history of the Jewish people from the creation of the world, including Judaism and its traditions.-The New Times). Why is it to him? Yes, he, suppose, should know the Old Testament - this is his story, his tradition, his emotional biography. But taking the exam is completely different! " Due to Tanach, teaching the exact sciences should not suffer - this is what Lapid is talking about.

Many in Israel believe that fighting the religious foundation of Israeli society is a hopeless venture, no matter how great a request for a truly secular party among the population. On the other hand, the Israelis are tired of the current "party in power." “The take -off of Lapida was provided by a protester, tired of Lida and Netanyahu,” says Israeli political analyst Igor Litvak. - In the “licide”, the budget deficit grew to indecent sizes, and the level of social and financial stratification in society reached a critical mark. But behind a lapid, a train of unfulfilled promises does not reach out! ”

However, behind him the train of blunders and mistakes stretches - the envious colleagues of Lapida in the workshop have already gathered a whole collection. One of the richest Israelis, a millionaire, in words, who is careing for the interests of the middle class, Lapid is lost when it comes to the price of a loaf of bread or a bus ticket. In one of the speakers, he called Nikolai Copernicus an ancient Greek, confused the modern Swiss sculptor with an artist of the Renaissance, in the third he relocated the British economist Adam Smith to America and informed the readers that he was the author of the US Independence declaration. It must be admitted that for 30 years of work in the press of reservations and typos, not so many were gained, but they do not forgive politicians, unlike television stars. The statement of Yair Lapid that the Minister of Education (this ministerial portfolio behind the Lapida is regarded as one of the probable after the formation of the Cabinet of Ministers along with the portfolios of the economic bloc), he would first abolish 90% of the exams, became the favorite topic of Israeli caricaturists and satirists. And although the arguments in an inexperienced politician brought quite reasonable ones, they have not yet been heard at the loud laughter of the press and competitors.

And in vain. The success of Lapid and his party, with the very first attempt to pass into the parliament, has yet to be objectively evaluated. “What happened to those tens of thousands of Israelis, which are today united in this amazing project called“ Esh Atid ”, will still be studied at the faculties of sociology of Israeli universities,” wrote one of Facebook users. “Or maybe not only Israeli, for this phenomenon is almost unique.”

True, the competitors of Lapid have thoughts about the fact that in the life of Israel a whole era is ending. The only question is where to go after the old path is over.

Photos: Reuters, Lihi Lapid/Ynetnews.com, YouTube.com site screenshot