In First, Woman Elected to Head Israeli Religious Party

By Yair Altman

For the first time in Israel’s history, a woman was elected this week to head a religious party running for the Knesset, when Jerusalem Deputy Mayor Hagit Moshe emerged victorious in the Jewish Home Party (Habayit Hayehudi, formerly the Mafdal party) primary on Tuesday.

Hagit Moshe defeated Yamina Party leader Naftali Bennett’s confidant, Nir Orbach, in a race held in the 960-member assembly.

Moshe’s election increases the chances of the Jewish Home partnering with Likud after the March 23 elections, giving Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a better chance of forming a coalition.

[Editor: The Jewish Home Party is likely to form a technical bloc with Bezalel Smotrich's Religious-Zionist party.]

This article first appeared in Israel Hayom.