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July 19, 2009:
Rally against Land Privatization in front of the Knesset,

on the day before the land reform law was expected to be voted into law

Approximately 650 people came to protest the land reform in front of the Knesset, including
MKs Shelly Yachimovich (Labor), Uri Ariel (Ichud Haleumi, National Union), and Nachman Shai
(Kadima). In addition, members of NOAL, Bnei Akiva, Habonim Dror, Hashomer Hatzair, and
Machanot Haolim movements were present, along with members of the Green party and the
settlement movement. One feature of the rally was a skit that included “Bibi the baker,” who
had a large cake in the shape of Israel, and described baking it in the darkness of night and
using a lot of ‘grease’; he cut it up into sections to feed people playing real estate tycoons and
MKs. This skit (along with some of the speakers) was captured in a news video of the rally, which
is worth watching (it’s only 3 minutes): http://land-news.co.il/index.php/2009/07/1336/

In addition, our very own Sarah Michaels Levy spoke at the rally (in Hebrew), as one of 7 people
representing various sectors of Israeli society and the Jewish People against the reform
(others who spoke included Maryam Awad from the Arab sector of NOAL, and members of Bnei
Akiva, and Hashomer Hatzair).

Photos from the rally are below (thanks to Jez Aron and http://adama-not-for-sale.co.il/):

Translation of Sarah’s words, on behalf of Zionist olim:

I, Sarah Michaels Levy, from the Habonim Dror Tnuat Bogrim, made aliyah from
Chicago 5 years ago for Zionist reasons. In the name of millions of Jews that
left their homes in the galut and made aliyah over the course of one hundred
years of the Zionist enterprise, in order to create a safe, moral, and just home
in eretz yisrael for themselves and for their nation – I stand in fervent protest
against the disastrous sale of State lands and the destruction of the Zionist
enterprise, which the Knesset of Israel is trying to devastate us with.