Inclusive Hebrew officially arrives at the Knesset

The Advancement for Women and Gender Equality Committee welcomes those who enter with a new sign that reads Bruchot Habaot (Welcome), acknowleding genders other than males, which is the traditional approach in Hebrew. 

 

Yisrael Betainu's MK Oded Forer revered the new sign on his Facebook page, asserting that language shapes reality. 

"Language is one of the tools for self-definition in any society," said MK Forer.

 "Gender equality starts from discourse and the way we express ourselves. Multi-gendered writing is another way to trigger the change and introduce discourse that will give women a place in the public sphere. Specifically at this time, language holds great significance when it comes to providing a space for all of society to be a part of. Language promotes an agenda."

Israel has made significant strides regarding gender equality this year, both locally and internationally. 

In July 2020, The Ministerial Committee on Legislation approved a bill meant to equalize the salary of men and women in Israel by requiring employers to publish an annual report detailing the differences in salary between women and men in the organization. 

About half a year later in December, the Foreign Ministry's "Women in Diplomacy Network" held a panel with government representatives from the United Arab Emirates and the Kingdom of Bahrain, wherein they examined the role of women in diplomacy 20 years after adoption of UN Resolution 1325, which calls for the active inclusion and participation of women in promoting peace and security.

Tobias Siegal and Idan Zonshine contributed to this report.