About this Event
Speakeasy Tel Aviv, presents:
An Evening Decoding the Israeli Electoral System
What: Come join us for an engaging evening as we host two commentators, Calev & Jon, discussing the election system in Israel. This is an opportunity to connect with thought-provoking ideas, while growing your Tel Aviv community, wine glass in hand.
This will be a clear, non-partisan briefing for English-speakers who want to understand how Israeli democracy actually works.
Israel’s electoral system can feel complex at first glance - proportional representation, coalition governments, electoral thresholds and rapid political change all shape the way power is formed.
This Speakeasy breaks it down in simple, structured terms:
• How votes become Knesset seats
• Why coalition governments are the norm
• How government formation works after elections
• The role of parties and electoral thresholds
• What actually happens on election day and beyond
Designed for new immigrants and internationally minded residents, this is a purely educational session with no party affiliation or political agenda, focused entirely on how the system functions and why it is structured this way.
A chance to gain clarity, context and confidence in understanding Israeli public life.
When: Monday June 8th 2026, 6pm drinks followed by the main event at 7pm.
Who: Ages 50+ Olim & Sabras from all over Israel & the Globe
Where: NBN TLV, Azrieli Round Tower, 10th, 132 Menachem Begin, TLV
How: Please register here on Eventbrite
Cost: 70NIS online in advance (tickets are limited, so register today)
Got problems paying on Eventbrite, phone : +972.55.246.7727
About Our Speakers:
Calev Ben Dor is a former analyst in Foreign Ministry’s policy planning division. He is an experienced Middle Eastern geopolitical analyst, writer, and long-time educator of Jewish and Zionist texts. He is currently Editor of the ‘Fathom Journal – for a deeper understanding of Israel and the region’ and author of an upcoming book about October 7 and the Book of Job. Born and raised in the UK, Calev holds a BA in History and International Relations from Leeds and a MSc from the London School of Economics. He made Aliyah in 2005. Calev has been an invited guest presenter at Limmud UK, Jerusalem, Australia and South Africa and is a former monthly columnist for Haaretz’s The Jewish Thinker.
Jonathan Javor is a political consultant specialising in political and public campaigns management abroad. With over fifteen years of experience Jonathan has consulted presidents, prime ministers, senior politicians and political parties across multiple countries. He is a political commentator for i24 News in English and Hebrew and one of the main drafters of the Yom HaAliyah bill, and even consulted on a Guinness World Record. Jonathan is British born, is an IDF combat veteran and holds a B.A. in War Studies and an M.A. in Intelligence and International Security both from the Department of War Studies at King's College London.
And a big thank you to our venue sponsor for this evening, NBN TLV.
About Our Organization: Speakeasy Tel Aviv
Speakeasy Tel Aviv is a nonprofit initiative led by a dedicated group of English speaking volunteers with a mission to build a community of like-minded peers, interested in diverse speaker forum events of intellectual and cultural substance. We host monthly events, engaging with some of the most prominent voices in Israel, and from around the globe. Our community is focused on ages 50+ Olim and English-speaking Sabras from all over Israel. We maintain a non-partisan attitude towards the issues of the day, and look forward to welcoming you to our warm, wine-filled events.
According to some accounts, the word ‘speakeasy’ is originally derived from ‘speak-softly shops’ which were illegal clandestine drinking establishments in England during the 19th century. The name referenced the need for secrecy, with customers being asked to speak quietly while inside to avoid detection. Our Speakeasy Tel Aviv events strive to embrace this honorable culture of carefully curated speakers worth imbibing with intellectual curiosity, maintaining off-the-record confidential 'Chatham House Rules', while also partaking in our wine socializing mingling time, meeting friends, old and new alike.
Interested in joining our community, volunteering, speaking, or just knowing more?
Email: [email protected]
Speakeasy is generously supported by Am Yisrael Foundation // www.AmYisrael.com
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Nefesh B'Nefesh Tel Aviv Center, 132 Menachem Begin, Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel
ILS 0.00 to ILS 73.49
