Picture of the week: Bar Refaeli – in trouble again with Israel’s ultra-orthodox

November 25, 2009 - 10:40 AM by

Bar Refaeli reveals all - almost

Earlier this month, it was Bar Refaeli’s billboard for Fox that made Israel’s ultra-orthodox population threaten boycotts, now it’s Refaeli’s billboard for clothing company Bonita De Mas.

They just don’t like to see her naked, or even semi-naked, or even, come to that matter, any hint that she might be naked under her clothes.

When Fox put up their billboard on the Ayalon Highway in Tel Aviv showing Refaeli lying provocatively under a blanket next to Israeli Survivor winner Noam Tor, with jeans on I might add, and not actually showing the slightest bit of breast, they immediately threatened a boycott if Fox didn’t take the advert down.

So what did clothing chain Fox do? They caved of course. They thought about the outlets they have selling clothes to the orthodox and panicked. The risqué, and rather sweet, ad was immediately replaced by a modest one of Refaeli and Tor fully dressed in winter clothes . Boring.

Now the ultra-orthodox are up in arms yet again because Bonita De Mas has put up a billboard of Refaeli wearing nothing but a bra and knickers.

Now I can think of many reasons why we should be campaigning against this kind of ad – mainly because of the objectification of women, the damage this kind of picture does to women’s self image etc. etc., but somehow when the ultra-orthodox population complains that this is poisoning the public environment, I get a little narked.

These are the same people who force women to sit at the back of their buses, the same people who conduct aggressive modesty patrols, attacking women who they deem to be wearing the wrong length of hemline or cuff. These are the same people, in fact, who are trying to make women completely invisible.

And let’s not get into the protests against Intel, the riots in the streets, the firebombing of shops that sell ‘provocative’ women’s clothes, or even the stoning of motorists who drive in the wrong areas of Jerusalem on a Saturday. Enough already.

Hell, I hate to see naked women adorning posters, but I hope Bonita De Mas sticks by its guns and keeps those posters up for all to see.

Photo by Gili Yaari/Flash 90.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , • Category: General, Israeliness, Life, Picture of the Week, Pop Culture, Religion 

Comments

4 Comments on Picture of the week: Bar Refaeli – in trouble again with Israel’s ultra-orthodox

  1. Duckrabbit on Mon, Nov 30th 2009 4:20 PM

    2. This is a great entry. Well done!

    In light of a few recent posts, I wanted to suggest adding a feminism tag. The brand new “religious freedom for everyone but women” post would have been a great one for that tag too.

    Keep it up!

  2. Nicky on Wed, Dec 2nd 2009 9:20 AM

    3. Thanks Duckrabbit.
    we’ll definitely think about your suggestion.

  3. Woody on Thu, Dec 3rd 2009 9:42 AM

    4. I am getting incredibly intolerant of the some of the intolerant folk that live in Israel.

  4. jonatan on Thu, Dec 3rd 2009 7:27 PM

    5. Yo u know what , i am sick of this..i mean the youth that want to look like western Culture, what a mistake, so basic, so basic. The moment we realize who we are as jewish people and our value, great value, and what our women should be, believe me we wont need no stupid poster.

    and also, that posters, lol..are anti feminist¡¡¡¡ because they want you to be just merchandise. i prefer 1 orthodox or traditionalist jewish girl than a thousand of reform, liberal.

Leave a Comment





© 2012 ISRAELITY | Site by illuminea | Sitemap