Participants

Shikma Bressler

A particle physicist at the Weizmann Institute of Science who emerged as one of the most recognizable leaders of Israel's pro-democracy movement. She became a central voice at the enormous weekly demonstrations that began in early 2023, warning that the government's judicial overhaul threatened the country's democratic foundations.

Karine Nahon

A professor of information science and one of the most prominent public figures in Israel's pro-democracy movement. Following the October 7 attacks, she helped establish the Civilian War Room, a volunteer-led emergency network that assisted displaced communities and worked to locate hostages and missing people when government services were struggling to respond.

Ran Harnevo

A technology entrepreneur and former Israeli Air Force combat navigator who became one of the protest movement's leading media strategists. Through Yalla Tikva, the digital-media organization he founded, Harnevo helped translate the street protests into widely shared videos, campaigns and political messages capable of reaching millions of Israelis.

Eyal Naveh

An entrepreneur, former elite-unit soldier and co-founder of Brothers and Sisters in Arms, the reservists' organization that became one of the most influential forces in the protest movement. Naveh stepped away from his business career to organize full-time against the judicial overhaul and mobilize reservists across the country.

Ron Scherf

A former lieutenant colonel in Sayeret Matkal, Israel's elite special-forces unit, and a co-founder of Brothers and Sisters in Arms. The organization brought together military reservists who argued that service in the armed forces could not be separated from the defense of Israel's democratic character.

Nava Rozolyo

A lawyer and protest leader who founded the Shame Patrols, a grassroots network that brought peaceful but highly visible demonstrations directly to government ministers and officials. By confronting politicians at public appearances, ceremonies and events, the group sought to ensure that those advancing the judicial overhaul could not avoid public accountability.

Omer Ben Elhanan

A young activist who became a prominent voice for the generation coming of age during Israel's political crisis. As head of Youth Now, he helped mobilize teenagers and young adults against the Netanyahu government's proposed judicial overhaul and called on them to take an active role in defending Israel's democratic institutions.

Moran Zer Katzenstein

A women's-rights activist and founder of Building an Alternative, a movement created to highlight how the judicial overhaul could undermine women's rights and equality in Israel. The group organized the striking red-robed "Handmaids" demonstrations, inspired by Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale, which became one of the most internationally recognizable images of the Israeli protests.

Yossi Kucik

A veteran public servant who served as Director-General of the Prime Minister's Office under Ehud Barak. Drawing on decades of experience at the highest levels of government, he became one of the founders of the Protest Headquarters, the coordinating body behind the nationwide demonstrations against the judicial overhaul.