▁its ▁formation ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁and ▁its ▁mer ger ▁into ▁L ik ud ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 3 . ▁It ▁was ▁formed ▁to ▁represent ▁the ▁interests ▁of ▁Russian ▁imm igr ants ▁by ▁former ▁ref us en iks ▁Nat an ▁Sh ar ans ky ▁and ▁Y uli - Y o el ▁Ed el stein . ▁Initial ly ▁a ▁cent rist ▁party , ▁it ▁dr ift ed ▁to ▁the ▁right ▁towards ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁its ▁existence . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁The ▁party ▁was ▁formed ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁by ▁Sh ar ans ky , ▁whose ▁personal ▁image ▁as ▁a ▁dedicated ▁and ▁long - s uffer ing ▁ideal ist ▁was ▁intended ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁catal yst ▁for ▁an ▁imm igr ant ▁revolution ▁in ▁Isra eli ▁politics . ▁" Y is rael ▁Ba A li y ah " ▁was ▁chosen ▁as ▁the ▁name ▁for ▁the ▁party , ▁both ▁den oting ▁its ▁identification ▁with ▁imm igration ▁( ali y ah ▁being ▁the ▁Heb rew ▁word ▁for ▁imm igration ▁to ▁Israel ), ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁the ▁literal ▁meaning ▁of ▁" Is rael ▁on ▁the ▁up ". ▁ ▁With ▁another ▁ex - S ov iet ▁diss ident ▁Y uli - Y o el ▁Ed el stein ▁as ▁a ▁co - found er , ▁they ▁chose ▁a ▁s log an ▁stating ▁that ▁their ▁political ▁party ▁is ▁different : ▁its ▁leaders ▁first ▁go ▁to ▁prison ▁and ▁only ▁then ▁go ▁into ▁politics . ▁ ▁In ▁its ▁first ▁elect oral ▁test , ▁the ▁May ▁ 1 9 9