Beyonce is a pretty permanent feature in our house. When pregnant, I first felt Milla kicking at the Beyonce concert and Queen Bey has been playing ever since. I always wanted my daughters to grow up in a world where they knew they could achieve anything they wanted as long as they worked hard enough and Beyonce is a fantastic role model.

Now that I’ve been in Israel two weeks I’m just about qualified to comment on politics (most people consider themselves qualified after just one day!). Today was the nation-wide mayoral election – thank goodness it’s now over because I was getting sick of flyers being shoved in my face everywhere we went! In a novel approach, in order to encourage people to vote the government decided that it was to be a national public holiday. Voters cast two ballots: one for mayor (a five-year term), and another for the party list they wish to represent them on their hometown council. However, I spoke to a lot of expats in Jerusalem about whether or not they will vote and overwhelmingly most commented that they wouldn’t be participating… mostly because all 7 of the Jerusalem mayoral candidates are men!

In this incredible country I admire every minute of every day how comfortable people are to be themselves. Jewish or not, religious or not, it really doesn’t matter. People wear what they want, eat what they want, sit where they want and say what they want. Women are as integrated into society as their male counterparts. But what happened in the representation of these empowered women in today’s election? How can we tell our daughters they can be anything they want to be… except mayor of Jerusalem?

The fight for equal representation of all people continues around the world and it makes me even more certain that I am in the right place for Milla, to advocate for her until she can do so for herself and to empower her to know what is right and how to keep chasing it. And maybe, if enough disappointed mothers fight hard enough for a better future for their daughters, next time we visit Jerusalem it will be under female leadership.

J x