10 cabinet ministers to celebrate holiday with convicted criminal turned party activist

By Sam Sokol 8 October 2025, 3:49 pm

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Sam Sokol is a former political correspondent at The Times of Israel. He was previously a reporter for the Jerusalem Post, Jewish Telegraphic Agency and Haaretz. He is the author of "Putin’s Hybrid War and the Jews"

Then-Herzliya city council candidate Rafi Chaim-Kedoshim speaks at a September 2023 campaign event in the city as ministers, including Galit Distel Atbaryan (left) look on. (Screenshot used in accordance with clause 27a of the copyright law)

Ten cabinet ministers belonging to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ruling Likud party are slated to attend a holiday event organized by party activist and convicted criminal Rafi Chaim-Kedoshim on Thursday in Herzliya.

According to the Haaretz daily, Defense Minister Israel Katz, Justice Minister Yariv Levin, Culture Minister Miki Zohar, Housing Minister Haim Katz, Regional Cooperation Minister David Amsalem, Economy Minister Nir Barkat, Transportation Minister Miri Regev, Environment Protection Minister Idit Silman, Science and Technology Minister Gila Gamliel and Social Equality Minister May Golan will be in attendance.

The gathering in memory of the 18th-century spiritual leader Rabbi Nachman of Breslov will reportedly feature “prayers for the return of the hostages, music and a barbecue,” the newspaper reported.

Kedoshim, a member of the Kedoshim crime family, has served four prison sentences over convictions for acts of violence, kidnapping and extortion. He was also involved in cashing checks in the gray market. According to Channel 12 news, his last jail term was about 20 years ago.

He has become a prominent figure in Likud’s Herzliya branch in recent years after signing up hundreds of new members to the party.

A number of senior Likud ministers previously gave their vocal backing to Kedoshim when he ran for the Herzliya city council, with Katz, Zohar, Distel-Atbaryan and others attending his campaign launch in September 2023.

That March, Kedoshim hosted a Purim gathering attended by a number of Likud ministers, including Justice Minister Yariv Levin, which raised eyebrows at the time.