Sharon and Nimrod invite Facebook ‘matchmaker’ to their Tel Aviv wedding
Filed under: A New Reality, Blogging, General, Israeliness, Life, Pop Culture
Here’s a case of either extreme Israeli chutzpah or a prime example of how we get things done and aren’t stymied by details, class, or obstacles.
Nimrod and Sharon are two young Israelis who met on Facebook and are getting married on Purim day, March 17 at the Tel Aviv Port. Since they credit Facebook with the ‘matchmaking,’ they decided to invite the site’s founder Mark Zuckerberg to the wedding. And they recorded a YouTube invite for the celebrated tycoon.
You’ve gotta love Sharon and Nimrod’s gumption and their humor as well. “If money is an issue, we’ll pay for the ticket” is the kicker that brightens up the clip and just might get Zuckerberg to accept. Who knows? Maybe he’ll find the match of his own at Sharon and Nimrod’s wedding.
Only Israel
Filed under: A New Reality, General, Israeliness, Life, Music, Politics, Pop Culture
In between all the clips of flash mobs and dancing soldiers, one of the latest YouTube sensations shows just a young woman sitting solo at the piano.
The unlikely newest viral celebrity is Yedida Freilich, the 22-year-old Israeli resident of West Bank settlement Neve Daniel, whose song “Only Israel” has received almost half a million views since it was posted at the beginning of the month.
The pro-Israel song is a little heavy handed lyrically, as much as it is haunting and moving musically, but it has struck a chord in among viewers who feel that Israel is being subjected to an international double standard regarding what it can do to defend itself.
With a chorus stating “Darfur is ignored, Russian troops in Chechenya, only Israel has no right to defend itself, because the world cares nothing about Jewish blood,” the song is not going to become a Top 40 hit, but long gone are the days when radio is required to make a song popular.
Freilich, a composition student at the Rubin Academy of Music and Dance, wrote the mournful piano ballad along with her father Gabby and brother Yuval, following the Gaza flotilla incident last month.
The video clip of Yedida’s peformance on piano and vocals, with lyrics switching between English and Hebrew, is juxtaposed with images of Kassam rockets, Gilad Schalit, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Richard Goldstone, and the Mavi Marmara.
It’s not very subtle, but it’s certainly effective. And with one svelte swoop, the nationalist camp in Israel has received a new mouthpiece.
Mixed reactions to rocking the casbah
Filed under: A New Reality, coexistence, General, Israeliness, Life, Music, Pop Culture, Social Justice, War
Everyone the world over is now aware of the video clip that IDF soldiers stationed in Hebron made, dancing while on patrol to the music of “Tik Tok,” the pop hit by the singer Kesha.
The video shows six soldiers from the Benjamin Brigade walking quietly down the street armed with guns and bullet proof vests, and suddenly breaking into synchronized dance steps when “Tik Tok” replaces the mezzuin calls from a nearby mosque.
The clip, which was made by the soldiers as a parting gift to their comrades as they prepared for demobilization, received worldwide coverage after being loaded to YouTube -with some praising the playfulness of the soldiers and others condemning the act as trvializing the Israeli occupation of the Arab residents of Hebron.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the soldiers likely got the idea from a comedy routine that ran for months on the satirical TV show “Eretz Nehederet.” The skit features two salesgirls at a clothes shop who start off giving begrudging service but then go ballistic when shoppers mess with the folded clothes, forcing the offenders to fold with them in moves synchronized to the “Tik Tok” tune.
The bit, known as hamekaplot (“the folders”), featured celebrities and politicians as the violators and was a huge hit, as were the countless clips made by Israelis applying the idea to everything from rolling joints to preparing sushi. Even Peace Now made a version, “starring” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak folding T-shirts bearing inscriptions such as “two-state solution,” “civil rights” and “settlement evacuation.”
While Israelis and the world media debated the actions of the soldiers, it was interesting to read the reactions of the Palestinian residents of Hebron, who spoke with Yediot Ahronot.
Naoul Sultan and her daughter Rima watched the filming of the clip from their house after hearing the music at 4:30 am. “It looked like a dance group in uniform,” said 15-year-old Rima. “At first I laughed, but it’s not entertaining at all. It shows their ridicule towards us.”
Naoul says she realized from the very beginning that the soldiers were shooting a video clip. She says the photographer was standing on a fence near her house and shooting a video of the dancing soldiers. “I was angry, but I just looked out my window and was silent. I don’t talk to them.”
“In the past we were afraid of them, but today the soldiers are part of the neighborhood’s landscape. We have gotten used to them. They have lost any sense of shame and so they allow themselves to dance in the middle of the street.”
But both the mother and daughter admit that the soldiers sometimes manage to make the local population happy. “For example, when the small children play football, the soldiers join them and they play together. That’s actually nice. For us they are already part of the neighborhood.”
Another neighbor adds, “It’s not the first time I see them like this. We have already heard them singing and dancing on the street. Once, we stood next to them and applauded.”
Whether it was in good, harmless fun, or a symbol of the corrupting powers of Israeli presence in Arab population centers, the commanders of the soldiers aren’t going to let off with a pat and a smile.
According to Yediot, they were told that they did not act appropriately by participating in the video while donning their uniform, armor and weapon – but because their behavior did not display any moral flaws, they were being given an educational assignment. Which is to produce a video in order to prevent similar incidents in the future.
I wonder if there’ll be any dancing involved.
Hebrew U.’s sugar daddy
Filed under: Business, General, History and Culture, Israeliness, Life, Pop Culture, Technology
So I’m watching some Baby Einstein videos on YouTube with my boys the other day, and I notice at the end of the credits that it says Albert Einstein and Baby Einstein are trademarks of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. This came as something of a surprise to me. Baby Einstein is actually related in some way to Albert Einstein the genius? And both are trademarks of Hebrew U.? How is this possible?
Baby Einstein, for the uninitiated, is a line of multimedia products and toys that explore music, art and poetry for children aged three months to three years of age. I know, it sounds pretentious, but I have to say that some of the products are great and really grow with the kids. Anyway, it was created by a set of young parents in Atlanta, Georgia who then sold most of the company to The Walt Disney Company. They pay significant royalties to the estate of Albert Einstein.
And where does Hebrew University, Israel’s largest academic institution, come in? Einstein, who was on the university’s first board of governors, bequeathed his estate to the university. They receive royalties from licensing activities associated with his name, and, here’s an interesting twist: Corbis Corporation, which is owned by none other than Bill Gates, licenses the commercial use of Einstein’s name.
It’s a small world. And just think, every time you purchase a Baby Einstein product (but not if you watch the videos on YouTube), you’re helping out Hebrew U. I may not donate to my alma mater, but hey, I’m helping, sort of.
Israel’s size becomes an issue
Filed under: A New Reality, Blogging, General, Israeliness, Pop Culture, Travel
It may be that frigid winter up there freezes the brain into thinking about nothing but sex, but our Canadian friends of Israel seem to have gone off the deep end, with a new campaign on universities to promote Israel.
‘Size Doesn’t Matter’ is the name of the campaign and web site that is touting many of the same things we do here at ISRAEL21c and Israelity – Israel’s diversity, innovation and achievements and how the tiny country is contributing to make the world a better place.
The site includes a blog, a selection of photographs of Israeli personalities and places, and a listing of campus activities that Size Doesn’t Matter is hosting throughout the year.
However, their first oral, er… I mean viral effort at trying to attract the attention of Canadian university students relies more on ‘spring break’-like wink and nod innuendo than any particular factual information.
Which, I guess, may be a smart move in order to attract a crowd. But on what level do we have to stoop to portray Israel positively? Even YouTube has censored this one for an 18-year-old plus audience. Check it out here.
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