{{Short description|Israeli social and political activist}} {{Infobox person | name = Yair "Yaya" Fink<!-- defaults to article title when left blank --> | native_name = יאיר "יאיא" פינק | image = Yaya Fink (cropped).jpg <!-- filename only, no "File:" or "Image:" prefix, and no enclosing brackets --> | alt = <!-- descriptive text for use by speech synthesis (text-to-speech) software --> | caption = | birth_name = <!-- only use if different from name --> | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1984|06|14}}<!-- {{Birth date and age|YYYY|MM|DD}} for living people supply only the year with {{Birth year and age|YYYY}} unless the exact date is already widely published, as per WP:DOB. For people who have died, use {{Birth date|YYYY|MM|DD}}. --> | birth_place = Jerusalem, Israel | political_party = {{hlist|The Democrats|Labor|Democratic Union}} | death_date = <!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} (DEATH date then BIRTH date) --> | death_place = | other_names = | occupation = | years_active = | known_for = | notable_works = | website = {{URL|yayafink.co.il}} }} '''Yair "Yaya" Fink''' ({{Langx|he|יאיר "יאיא" פינק}}; born June 14, 1984) is a social and political activist. He is currently one of the leaders of the protest for equal burden, and he also serves as head of a faction and the Social Justice Division in the Histadrut.
== Biography == Fink was born in Jerusalem, the youngest of six siblings. He was educated at the yeshiva of the religious kibbutz in Ma'ale Gilboa and completed his military service as an officer in the Paratroopers Brigade. After his release, he voluntarily managed the "Good Neighbor" association, and later served as the spokesperson for Jerusalem City Council member Rachel Azaria. Fink earned a bachelor's degree in political science and an MBA from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
=== Public activities === In 2011–2013, during the Eighteenth (2009–2012) and Nineteenth (2013–2015) Knesset, he served as the Chief of Staff of MK Shelly Yachimovich as the Leader of the Labor Party and the Speaker of the Opposition. He managed the field headquarters of the Tag Meir Association.<ref name="calcalist-june-2019">{{cite web |last1=Zarchia |first1=Zvi |title=Yair (Yaya) Fink moves from Labor to Barak's new party |url=https://www.calcalist.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-3765300,00.html |publisher=Calcalist |access-date=8 April 2025 |language=he |date=30 June 2019}}</ref> In 2014–2015, Fink managed the field headquarters of the Ofek Credit Union, and was one of its founders. In 2015, he founded the lobbying project Lobby 99, which he managed until 2019. In 2016, he was selected as one of The Marker's 100 most influential people<ref name="TheMarker-100-2016">{{cite web |title=The Marker Top 100 Influencers of 2016 – TheMarker Magazine |url=https://www.themarker.com/st/c/prod/tm/2016/influ/3/ |publisher=TheMarker |access-date=8 April 2025 |language=he |archive-date=9 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221209130808/https://www.themarker.com/st/c/prod/tm/2016/influ/3/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> and in 2017, he was selected, together with Linor Deutsch, to Calcalist's list of promising young people.<ref name="calcalist-36-youngsters">{{cite web |last1=Aflalo |first1=Eti |title=36 young people, not yet 36 years old, trying to make the world a little better place |url=https://newmedia.calcalist.co.il/lv36/index.html |publisher=Calcalist |access-date=8 April 2025 |language=he}}</ref> Between 2020–2022, he served as the CEO of the "Darkenu" movement, and within this framework, he founded the independent media channel "DemocratTV". He was also a member of the public council of the non-profit organization "Tzav Pius" (Reconciliation Order).
Since 2017, Fink has been sitting in the Histadrut House of Representatives as the head of the "Social Justice" faction. He serves as the head of the "Social Justice Division", within which he also works to educate the younger generation. He is also active in the field of LGBT workers' rights together with Maggie Moore, and for the rights of working reservists.
In 2019, ahead of the elections for the twenty-first Knesset, he ran in the primary elections for the Labor Party's list,<ref name="kipa-december-2018">{{cite web |last1=Cohen |first1=Gilad |title=Meet the kipa wearer who will run in the Labor primary |url=https://www.kipa.co.il/%D7%97%D7%93%D7%A9%D7%95%D7%AA/%D7%94%D7%9B%D7%99%D7%A8%D7%95-%D7%90%D7%AA-%D7%94%D7%A1%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%92-%D7%A9%D7%99%D7%AA%D7%9E%D7%95%D7%93%D7%93-%D7%91%D7%A4%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%99%D7%9E%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%96-%D7%A9%D7%9C-%D7%94%D7%A2%D7%91%D7%95%D7%93%D7%94// |publisher=kipa.co.il |access-date=8 April 2025 |language=he |date=27 December 2018}}</ref> was elected in eighth place in the list's primary, but did not enter the Knesset. Ahead of the elections for the twenty-fifth Knesset, Fink ran again in the Labor Party primary, was elected in sixth place in the primary, and this time also did not enter the Knesset. In this election campaign, he established the Religious Zionism Headquarters within the party.
In 2023, at the beginning of the twenty-fifth Knesset, he was one of the leaders of the protests against the judicial reform<ref name="ynet-march-2023">{{cite web |last1=Loksh |first1=Alexandra |last2=Cohen |first2=Nir |last3=Kotev |first3=Adam |title=Protest leaders: "There will be several days of resistance a week. Thursday – 'the mother of all protests' in the north" |url=https://www.ynet.co.il/news/article/rk2xjvh1n |publisher=Ynet |access-date=8 April 2025 |language=he |date=13 March 2023}}</ref> led by Justice Minister Yariv Levin. As part of his activities, he helped establish protest centers in the periphery and held multi-participant video conference calls regarding issues on the agenda.
In September 2024, Fink, together with Information Science Prof. Karine Nahon, and journalist Tomer Avital, organized a conference in Haifa to set priorities and exchange ideas on how to prepare a legislative agenda for a center-left government which attendees hope will replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Surkes |first=Sue |date=September 9, 2024 |title=Over 1,000 attend grassroots confab in the north to help plan for next government |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/over-1000-attend-grassroots-confab-in-the-north-to-help-plan-for-next-government/ |website=The Times of Israel}}</ref> Fink founded the "Liberal Consumer Forum" following boycotts by right-wing activists of businesses that expressed support for the protests<ref name="consumer-youtube">{{cite web |title=The Liberal Consumer Affairs Bureau in the pipeline – the boycott of Angel Bakery |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qDhCEuZ_G4 |publisher=YouTube |access-date=8 April 2025 |language=he}}</ref> and within its framework he initiated the "Liberal Brand",<ref name="liberal-brand">{{cite web |title=Liberal Brand |url=https://www.liberalc.org/ |publisher=liberalc.org |access-date=8 April 2025 |language=he |archive-date=2 December 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241202235743/https://www.liberalc.org/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> which unites under it businesses that supported the protests. He led the Youth March for Democracy, a week-long march from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.<ref name="maariv-january-2023">{{cite web |title=From Tel Aviv to Jerusalem: The Youth March for Democracy is on its way |url=https://www.maariv.co.il/news/israel/Article-974475 |publisher=Maariv |access-date=8 April 2025 |language=he |date=22 January 2023}}</ref>
Crowdfunding projects he initiated or participated in: the rehabilitation of Kibbutz Be'eri, assistance to 4-year-old Abigail Idan who returned from Hamas captivity and to her new family,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Berlzon |first=Eli |last2=Yaakov Itzhaki |first2=Michal |date=October 4, 2024 |title=A year after she was taken hostage, Israeli girl adapts to new family life |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/year-after-she-was-taken-hostage-israeli-girl-adapts-new-family-life-2024-10-04/ |website=Reuters}}</ref> financial assistance to the Michal Sela Forum following budget cuts by the government, support for the orphans Romi-Shira and Leah Suissa and the children of Ravid Katz who lost their parents during the October 7 attacks, assistance to Palestinians whose homes were burned in the riots in Huwara<ref>{{Cite web |last=Magid |first=Jacob |date=February 28, 2023 |title=Israelis donate over NIS 1 million for Palestinian victims of settler rampage |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/israelis-donate-over-nis-1-million-for-palestinian-victims-of-settler-rampage/ |website=The Times of Israel}}</ref> and assistance to the children of the Baranes family whose parents were killed by a rocket in the Golan Heights.<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 10, 2024 |title=Victims of rocket attack named as Baranes couple, who leave behind 3 children |url=https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel-at-war/artc-victims-of-rocket-attack-named-as-baranes-couple-who-leave-behind-3-children |website=i24 NEWS}}</ref> During the Iron Swords War, Fink established the "Reservists' Forum for Equal Service," which numbers approximately fifteen thousand reservists, both male and female, for the security of Israel and for the value of equality, and is one of the leaders of the protest for equal burden.<ref name="walla-march-2024">{{cite web |last1=Sela |first1=Uri |title="Your brothers will go to war and you will sit here?": The "pashkvilim" of the reservist protest in Bnei Brak |url=https://news.walla.co.il/?w=//3650523 |publisher=Walla! |access-date=8 April 2025 |language=he |date=13 March 2024}}</ref> In response to the insults received by footballer Mohammad Abu Fani, Fink submitted a letter of apology to the player, which was signed by thousands.<ref name="one-june-2023">{{cite web |title="Every Israeli must fight racism and extremism" |url=http://www.one.co.il/Article/438926.html |publisher=one.co.il |access-date=8 April 2025 |language=he |date=20 June 2023}}</ref>
Fink serves in the reserves as a brigade staff officer with the rank of major. Following Minister Yoav Gallant's first dismissal, in March 2023, Fink announced the cessation of his volunteering for the reserves.<ref name="arutz-sheva-march-2023">{{cite web |title=Religious leftist activist Yaya Fink: I have decided to stop volunteering for the reserves for now |url=https://www.inn.co.il/flashes/919736 |publisher=Arutz Sheva |access-date=8 April 2025 |language=he |date=26 March 2023}}</ref> With the outbreak of the Iron Swords War, he returned to reserve service.
In September 2024, Fink was named one of The Marker magazine's People of the Year.<ref name="the-marker-september-2023">{{cite web |last1=Avriel |first1=Eitan |title=Yaya Fink, Ran Harnevo |url=https://www.themarker.com/00000192-2060-d342-ab9f-ef6b0fcb0002 |publisher=TheMarker |access-date=8 April 2025 |language=he |date=24 September 2024}}</ref>
=== Personal life === Fink lives in Yokneam, is married to Oria, is a father of two, and leads a religious lifestyle.<ref name="arutz-shev-august-2022">{{cite web |last1=Brandwein |first1=Itzik |title=Meet the candidate: Yaya Fink - "To restore the historic alliance between Labor and moderate religious Zionism" |url=https://www.inn.co.il/news/573250 |publisher=Arutz Sheva |access-date=14 April 2025 |language=he |date=3 August 2022}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist|30em}}
== External links == {{Commons category|Yaya Fink}} *{{Official website|yayafink.co.il}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fink, Yaya}} Category:Israeli chief executives Category:Israeli Labor Party politicians Category:1984 births Category:Living people Category:Israeli activists Category:Israeli soldiers