Yulia Shamalov-Berkovich is an Israel

Israel

The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...

i politician who currently serves as a member of the Knesset

Knesset

The Knesset is the unicameral legislature of Israel, located in Givat Ram, Jerusalem.-Role in Israeli Government :The legislative branch of the Israeli government, the Knesset passes all laws, elects the President and Prime Minister , approves the cabinet, and supervises the work of the government...

 for Kadima

Kadima

Kadima is a centrist and liberal political party in Israel. It was established on 24 November 2005 by moderates from Likud largely to support the issue of Ariel Sharon's unilateral disengagement plan, and was soon joined by like-minded Labor politicians...

.

Biography

Born in the Soviet Union

Soviet Union

The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....

, Shamalov-Berkovich made aliyah

Aliyah

Aliyah is the immigration of Jews to the Land of Israel . It is a basic tenet of Zionist ideology. The opposite action, emigration from Israel, is referred to as yerida . The return to the Holy Land has been a Jewish aspiration since the Babylonian exile...

 to Israel in 1979. She was amongst the founders of Israel Plus

Israel Plus

Israel Plus is a television station in Israel. It primarily broadcasts in the Russian language, with or without Hebrew subtitles, but also broadcasts some shows in Hebrew with Russian subtitles....

, the country's Russian language television channel, and Vesti

Vesti (newspaper)

Vesti is an Israeli Russian-language daily newspaper. Based in Tel Aviv, the paper is Israel's most widely read Russian-language paper and its only remaining daily paper in Russian. The paper was started in 1992 by Yedioth Ahronoth Group, which remains its owner. It was very widely read in the...

, its largest Russian-language newspaper. She also worked as a marketing and media consultant.

She joined Kadima shortly after its establishment, and was placed fortieth on its list for the 2006 Knesset elections, but missed out on a seat. She was placed twenty-ninth on the party's list for the 2009 elections

Israeli legislative election, 2009

Elections for the 18th Knesset were held in Israel on 10 February 2009. These elections became necessary due to the resignation of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert as leader of the Kadima party, and the failure of his successor, Tzipi Livni, to form a coalition government...

, but missed out on a seat again as the party won 28 seats. However, she entered the Knesset on 2 July 2009 as a replacement for Haim Ramon

Haim Ramon

Haim Ramon is an Israeli politician who served as a member of the Knesset between 1983 and 2009, and as both Vice Prime Minister and Minister in the Prime Minister's Office with responsibility for state policy.-Biography:...

, who had resigned.

In 2011 she attracted criticism from party leader Tzipi Livni

Tzipi Livni

Tzipporah Malkah "Tzipi" Livni is an Israeli lawyer and politician. She is the current Israeli Opposition Leader and leader of Kadima, the largest party in the Knesset. Raised an ardent nationalist, Livni has become one of her nation's leading voices for the two-state solution. In Israel she has...

 ,as well as from other fellow MPs from her party over her conservative views on the topics of equality and women rights.

She is married with two children.

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