The election campaign is coming to the Rosh Hashanah holiday table. Israel’s Democrats party released a video starring party chairman Yair Golan and actor Yossi Marshak, calling on supporters to use family gatherings during the upcoming Jewish holidays to try to convince relatives and friends of the party’s political positions.
השנה מגיעים מוכנים.
מדריך השכנוע של הדמוקרטים לחג בתגובות 🍎🍯 pic.twitter.com/MXHlFeclSg
— Yair Golan – יאיר גולן (@YairGolan1) September 10, 2026
“This year we’re coming prepared to the holiday dinner. A month and a half before the elections, there’s tension in the air. This is not the time to take risks,” Marshak says at the start of the video. He goes on to describe humorously how a simple request to pass the mashed potatoes can quickly escalate to the question “who are you voting for?”—and from there to a confrontation between supporters of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and supporters of Yair Golan.
Marshak continues, describing a scenario where statements like “but they didn’t warn him” or “it’s because of the attorney general” cause the holiday dinner to turn into an actual battleground—to the point where “meatballs start flying through the air.”
At this point Golan enters the picture and clarifies that the party’s message is actually to avoid fights—but not to give up on trying to persuade. “On the holiday, Democrats listen, convince, and that’s how we save the country,” he says. When Marshak asks how exactly party supporters are supposed to do this, Golan reveals the tool the Democrats prepared especially for holiday dinners: “The complete guide to convincing people at the holiday table.”
“Especially for you, we prepared ‘The Complete Guide to Convincing People at the Holiday Table’,” Golan says. “Go in, read it, and influence your family and friends.” Alongside the video, the party attached a link to the guide in question, designed to help supporters manage political conversations around the table.
“So this year we’re also eating empty carbs and also eating the head of the whole family?” Marshak summarizes the campaign. “Exactly,” Golan responds. The video ends with Marshak’s holiday greeting to the Democrats’ chairman: “Happy New Year, champion.” Golan quickly corrects him: “Champion in reserves.”