Roman Bronfman Member of the Israeli Parliament Country: Israel

Roman Bronfman: The Russian-Israeli Politician

Roman Bronfman is an Israeli Russian-speaking politician and one of the key figures in the political organization of Russian-speaking repatriates in Israel. He is the leader of the "Democratic Choice" party. Bronfman believes that parliamentary activity is not enough in the current situation, and that the left needs to be more active and draw attention to their cause. He supports peaceful protests and believes that they are important to be heard by the public.

Bronfman gained attention for his involvement in various actions, such as the protest in the Israeli parliament building. He provided passes and materials for the demonstration organized by the left-wing student movement "Green Line". Despite being arrested and released on bail, Bronfman defended his actions, stating that it was a fair protest against the actions of the Israeli government.

Bronfman's most significant action was the demonstration of the "Coalition of Peace Supporters" in front of the Tel Aviv Museum of Art. The demonstration was organized in response to a letter from several officers of the Israeli Defense Forces, refusing to serve in the Palestinian Territories. Bronfman spoke on behalf of repatriates from the former Soviet Union and expressed his admiration for the "refuseniks" who stood against the government's policies.

Born in 1954 in Ukraine, Bronfman immigrated to Israel in 1980. He studied philology at Chernivtsi State University and later completed his studies in Slavic studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Bronfman worked as a journalist and political commentator in Russian-language Israeli media and served as the editor-in-chief of the newspaper "Vremya".

Bronfman entered politics as a member of the "Avoda" party and was elected as a member of the Haifa City Council. He played a significant role in the absorption of new repatriates and created the Absorption Management of Haifa, which was recognized as a successful model for absorption at the municipal level. Bronfman held positions in the Zionist Forum and later co-founded the "Israel Ba-Aliyah" party.

In 1996, Bronfman was elected to the Knesset and became the leader of the "Israel Ba-Aliyah" faction. He later founded the "Democratic Choice" party, which he currently leads. Bronfman is known for his liberal and left-of-center views, advocating for the separation of religion and state, civil liberties, and peace in the Middle East.

Outside of politics, Bronfman is an avid collector of antiques. His collection includes items from Central Europe, such as a champagne set from 18th-century England, Viennese candle holders from the mid-19th century, and an exquisite Indian tea set. However, due to his busy schedule, he has less time to dedicate to his collection in recent years.

Despite his success in politics, Bronfman admits that the time he spends away from home for public activities takes a toll on his family life. He is married, and they have two sons. Bronfman's wife, an engineer, runs her own small architectural firm. While he acknowledges the challenges, Bronfman believes in the importance of his political work and continues to advocate for his principles.