Foto Friday – The First Israeli Meme
Filed under: Art, Blogging, design, Entertainment, Foto Friday, General, History and Culture, Israeliness, News, Picture of the Week, Pop Culture, tv
A “meme”, as defined by Webster’s Dictionary, is “an idea, behavior, style, or usage that spreads from person to person within a culture.” During the past few days, driven by the excitement and euphoria over Gilad Shalit’s release, and too much time on their hands given the long holiday weekend, Israelis took to their computer graphics programs to create the first Israeli meme.
Known as Bibi Bombing, it has been defined by Know Your Meme.com as “an exploitable Photoshop meme that involves placing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin (Bibi) Netanyahu in various pictures that were taken in a moment of happiness, monumental historic events, and pretty much anywhere. The meme is considered by Israelis to be the first original Israeli internet meme.”
Already by Tuesday evening, blogger Gal Mor, who runs the Hebrew-language HolesintheNet.col.il, began posting a gallery of images created by any number of contributors who have been spreading the meme primarily through Facebook.
Mor writes, “In this photo, Bibi appears not only as a leader making history behind the scenes but also documents [his] activities in the field. This unusual image, which itself appears to have been Photoshopped, ignited the creative spark among a number of folks who envisioned Netanyahu as a personage whose life and actions are interwoven with the history of Israel’s people, a sort of Israeli ‘Forest Gump’ or Woody Allen’s ‘Zelig’”.
Mor also refers to Netanyahu as having “pushed himself into the family frame”. This perception is, to large extent, the source of this public bile. The day before the release, on his radio show journalist Yaron Dekel made the unusual request to both Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak to forgo the public hoopla, allow Shalit to return home quietly, and pay a visit after a day or two. But keeping politicians away from a photo opp is as impossible as keeping journalists away from a red-hot scoop. (This is the truth about the media game, the childish whines emanating from Israeli journalists towards their Egyptian colleague Shahira Amin notwithstanding).
The images provide insight into the Israeli psyche: many are not complimentary, sore-headed, some are downright nasty, others miss the point. But some are funny, even sweet, presenting the PM as a warm avuncular figure who is smiling with satisfaction at being present before great happiness.
It’s also very likely that the flood will taper down to a trickle within the next few days as the euphoria abates and our very short collective attention span turns to the next item on the public agenda — or we simply go back to work where we can only Photoshop and post crap half the day. That said, here are are few Bibi Bombs.
At the concluding episode of Friends…
At the Last Supper…
On the tarmac with Bogie and Bacall…
This is Sparta?
See more on Know Your Meme
Pro-Israeli Egyptian blogger’s condition worsens
Filed under: A New Reality, Blogging, coexistence, General, News, Politics, Social Justice
Imprisoned Egyptian blogger Maikel Nabil.
The young activist, who has previously described himself as a pacifist who does not want to bear arms or fight Israel or join any organization which threatens Israel’s right to exist in the region, was arrested March 28 after denouncing in an online blog post the actions of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces during the January revolution in Egypt.
His blog post was titled, ‘The people and the army were never one hand,’ in reference to the popular revolution chant which showed people’s trust in the military. The military accused him of “insulting the army” and sentenced him to three years in prison and a fine for “insulting the military.”
Maikel began an open-ended hunger strike 41 days ago, and according to family members, his health is rapidly deteriorating as his weight has shrunk from 60 to 41 kilos and suffering from kidney failure.
“He won’t stop his hunger strike until he gets justice,” Maikel’s brother Mark Nabil Sanad told the Ahram Oline website.
Maikel’s family is filing an appeal to the military prosecution against the verdict on Tuesday, and supporters of his cause will be demonstrating in front of the court house, located in Cairo’s Nasr City district. His brother added that Maikel told him that depending on the outcome of Tuesday’s appeal, the activist will begin refusing water in addition to the hunger strike.
According to the website, most of Maikel’s sympathizers do not support his pro-Israel stance but do support his right to freely express his opinions. Regardless of how he or his supporters feel about Israel, Maikel’s imprisonment is clearly a travesty, and another sign that The Who’s Pete Townshend was right on the money when he wrote over 40 years ago, “Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.”
Here’s hoping that Maikel is quickly freed and returns to full health and resumes blogging.
A crafty New Year
Filed under: Art, Blogging, design, Food, History and Culture, Holidays, Immigrant Moments, Israeliness, Life
I’m thinking that the impending holiday has to be about more than the fact that my husband is leaving for two weeks to work as a baal tefillah at a synagogue in Toronto — read, vacation money, new furniture funds and maybe some put into savings — the food that has to be cooked for three days of chag and the mountain of dishes that will be washed. (Although there are some good recipes in there.)
And so, I’ve been inspired by a gan tradition that I had to fulfill, which was that we had to make cards to be given to our boys this week. It happens in schools and ganim throughout the country before Rosh Hashanah, but this was a first for me. So I first thought about easy ways to fulfill it; scribble something on a paper, print out a coloring page and use that. But then I warmed to the idea and came across all these momblogs that are just filled with crafty ideas, some cool, some kitchy. I finally settled on this one, from ChallahCrumbs, Thumbprint Bees for their RH cards, using just black construction paper, yellow fingerpaint and a white crayon. The idea was really adorable, just that my yellow paint ended up drying invisibly on the black paper and I had to use yellow crayons to outline the bees. No matter, it’s the thought that counts, right?
Even thought the thumbprint bees weren’t a total success, we had a great time today with Playdoh and a new Fun Factory, so much so that I’m thinking of embarking on another project tomorrow, Wine Cork Stamp Rosh Hashanah cards from creativejewishmom, in which you use wine corks and a red stamppad to create really sweet apple stencil cards, napkins, gift tags, what have you.
I can’t promise what will come out of all that, but I’m willing to give it a try. Finally, I’ll also be creating a non-dairy frosting for very sweet apple-shaped cupcakes. I already made these a week ago, using a lime cupcake base — gotta use all the limes from our tree — and a readymade frosting with red food coloring. But, have to think non-dairy for some big meat meals, so will probably be using this frosting recipe. Still, I can tell you that the cupcakes are a hit and there’s something very satisfying about creating such a finished looking product.
How’s them apples?
Foto Friday – Time is Now! Yalla!
Filed under: Art, Blogging, coexistence, design, Foto Friday, General, History and Culture, Life, News, Picture of the Week, Politics, Profiles, Social Justice, tv
INSIDE OUT is a large-scale participatory art project that asks participants to upload their photo, receive back a poster and then paste it publicly in their communities. The project, spearheaded by a Paris-based artist, photographer and and TED Prize winner known only by the initials JR, is intended to “transform messages of personal identity into pieces of artistic work”.
In early March,JR announced his wish to turn the world Inside Out. A group of photographers and organizers in Tunisia were the first to participate in an InsideOut community project, which they named Artocracy.
Now it’s our turn. The Time Is Now, Yalla! – InsideOut in Israel & Palestine project got underway yesterday and today and will continue tomorrow.
On Wednesday, the word went out on Facebook that InsideOut were building photo-booths in Ramallah and Bethlehem…
On Thursday, a new post read: “Guys, we are ready to start the action in Tel Aviv!! We really need help tomorrow (Sept 2) and Saturday (Sept 3) to paste, help tell people on the ground about the project & get them participating. Please let us know by emailing us: jr@insideoutproject.net. Tell us what day(s) & time(s) you can help. For the rest of you, stay tuned for details on where/when the actions will take place. We can’t wait to see you there!”
And so, last night a rolling studio-truck in Tel Aviv started its journey fittingly enough, at the epicenter of the social justice protest, the Tent City on Rothschild Boulevard.
Today came another post: “Waiting for you now !!!! Come and take your Time Is Now portrait … In Tel Aviv, on the Habima, North of Sderot Rothschild – In the truck. In Bethlehem, at the bus station opposite St Joseph School. In Ramallah, in Baladna center.”
Tonight Rothschild sleeps before the big rally tomorrow night, after which the tents will be dismantled. The InsideOut in Israel & Palestine project is due to continue tomorrow. Go to the Facebook page, click “Like” and keep an eye on the postings. Go on, the time is now! Yalla!
More great photos of this exciting project are being posted here.
Five funny years in Israel
Filed under: A New Reality, Blogging, coexistence, Entertainment, General, Immigrant Moments, Israeliness, Life, Pop Culture
Anyone who lives here in Israel knows that one of the most important virtues to cope with some of the day to day challenges is a sense of humor.
And nobody knows that better than Benji Lovitt. Of course, he’s a comedian, so that helps. But he’s also an Israeli – for five years now. And in honor of the fact, he put together a commemorative clip summarizing what his first five years as a transplanted Texan in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem have been like. As Benji wrote in announcing the clip: “If it doesn’t make you either laugh or cry, maybe it’s time for a visit.”
Benji’s been chronicling his five years in Israel regularly on his blog – subtitled “Because the Middle East is funny” – and in stand up shows throughout the country. Happy 5th anniversary Benji, and keep making us laugh.
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