The Jewish year of 5769 is coming to an end, and Israel National News presents a look back at year of history, hope, heartache and headlines. The Year in Review, 5769:
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Click here for Part 2, Jan-May '09
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Succeeding Ehud Olmert as party leader, Livni is now first in line to become prime minister.
The shekel continues to rise sharply against leading currencies, despite major losses on Wall Street, the
Olmert submits his resignation from office (though it takes effect only several months later), and Livni begins a month of efforts to amalgamate the Labor, Shas and Kadima parties into a government. She reaches a basic agreement with Labor, giving party leader Ehud Barak the authority to veto proposed changes in the judicial system. 
She is unsuccessful with Shas, however, which demands increased child welfare payments for large families, as well as an end to negotiations with the Palestinian Authority (PA) regarding the division of
Oct. 15, ’08 – Shemittah Year is Over, Hak’hel Ceremony Held
The Jerusalem-based Temple Institute re-enacts the dramatic “Biblical gathering” ceremony in the Old City, complete with Torah readings, silver Temple trumpets, Temple clothing, a short film describing the Sukkot-holiday Simchat Beit HaShoevah water pouring festival, and the unveiling of the just-completed brass laver, which, it is hoped, will be used in the future
Oct. 25, '08 – Livni Fails, New Elections Scheduled
After not taking Beilin’s advice, Livni informs Peres that she has failed in her bid to form a new government. After a period of negotiations among the parties, new elections are scheduled for
Nir Barkat defeats hareidi-religious candidate MK Meir Porush in the wake of a split within the hareidi camp, and becomes mayor of
Gaza
Dec. 28, ’08 - Total Uncertainty in Nationalist Camp as Election Deadline Nears
With the deadline for submitting final candidate lists only hours away, the nationalist camp is still in disarray: The Likud is in the midst of court hearings and appeals regarding the placement of Michael Ratzon, Ehud Yatom and Moshe Feiglin [all of whom ultimately remain at the bottom of the list and are not elected to the Knesset]; the Jewish Home party is still unsure whether Uri Ariel’s resignation from its #3 position is final, and has therefore not yet compiled its final list; and the National Union is apparently re-forming itself, together with Aryeh Eldad’s HaTikvah party and parts of Moledet – but it is not clear whether the Marzel-Wolpe “Our Land of Israel” party is joining them.
Yaakov Katz (Ketzaleh) agrees to head the National Union-Moledet party and Knesset list. The religious-nationalist camp thus has two parties – the former National Religious Party (NRP) and the new National Union (NU)– instead of several small separate factions.
A co-founder of the town of
Irit Sheetrit, 39, mother of four, becomes the third and last civilian killed during Operation Cast Lead, when a Kassam rocket explodes near her car in
Dec. 30, ’08
Opposition leader and favored Prime Ministerial candidate Binyamin Netanyahu takes a break from politics to defend
Jan. 5, ’09 – Former Gush Katif Residents Ask: Why Did We Ever Leave?
Soldiers from former Gush Katif communities in
State Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss scathingly blames the government for the fact that 95% of the Gush Katif expellee-families that were relocated together with their communities still do not have permanent homes. His report also details severe problems with the temporary houses the expellees were given, as well as difficulties in reintegrating evictees into the work force.
The Knesset's State Audit Committee responds by forming an official committee of inquiry to investigate the government’s treatment and resettlement of the 9,000 expelled residents.
The White House hires 30 more phone operators to handle calls for Jonathan Pollard's release, in honor of the upcoming end of President Bush’s term in office. American presidents frequently pardon some convicts just before stepping down, and supporters from all over the world flood the White House lines asking that Pollard be pardoned for providing information to