Israeli humor

Goals:

1. Get to know Israeli society and connect with it.

2. Understand Israeli satire and learn about paradigms of self-critique in Israeli society.

3. Explore the relationship of Israelis and Diaspora Jews through the lens of internal and explicit humor.

Trigger:

The participants are invited to think and share jokes about Israelis they wouldn't necessarily share with Israelis. (i.e. Israeli behavior or characteristics that either makesthem laugh or represent critique they might have).

Processing:

1. Summary of the themes the participants brought up.

2. What are the themes that an Israeli will never joke about?

Course of program -Guided screening of Israeli satire:

While watching, the participants analyze the clipsandaddressthe following questions:

  • What's the theme on the skit: Is it political? Social?Religious?
  • What is the message that the skit is trying to convey?
  • What do you think about it? Do you find it to be funny? Insulting? A little bit of both? Why?
  1. Sikum (sum-up):

What have we learned on Israelis and Israeli humor?

Discuss the "boundaries" of the dialogues between Israeli and Diaspora Jews.

Discuss other ways that the method could be used or developed.

Appendix A- links to videos and their main themes:

It should be noted that the suggested themes are exactly that – suggestions. Like in every other form of art, humor and satire can also be interpreted in many ways. The discussion should present the ideas and themes offered here but should also be open enough to let the participants express their own opinions about the clips and their meanings.

  1. – Conversion, foreign workers and service in the IDF in Israel.
  2. Addresses the reality of a growing population of non-Jewish work immigrants in Israel – “strange workers”.
  3. Addresses the tensions between the different denominations in Judaism, especially in Israel and especially when it comes to conversion.
  4. Addresses the issue of the exemption that Ultra-Orthodox Israelis get from serving in the army
  1. – Bush and the dollar
  • Addresses the ability of Israelis to laugh on Americans and American politics – shows the level of knowledge and connection between the two nations/people
  • Addresses the strong link and even reliance of the Israeli economy on the American one.
  • Shows that unlike Americans who are very careful when it comes to using racial jokes and characters, Israelis are far less careful when it comes to that issue
  1. – German guilt, Israeli pride and the Olympics
  • Addresses the constant need of Israelis to remind to the world, and especially the Germans about the terrible crime of the holocaust
  • Addresses the constant dealing of Israelis with the holocaust, even when it comes to a simple sporting event.
  • Addresses the Israeli way of judging the world as either anti-Semitic criminals (Germans who won’t even help the poor Israeli athlete) or as Righteous among the nations.
  1. – Interview with a priest, Israelis poor English and a new interpretation to Hanukah
  • Addresses the Israelis poor knowledge of other religions, especially Christianity.
  • Addresses the Israelis sometime embarrassing control of the English language
  • Addresess the difference between Americans who are very careful when treating people from other faiths, unlike Israelis who could come out as quite rude
  • Addresses our occasional own ignorance as Jews to the origins of our own holidays and religious basics.
  1. – an Israeli look on the Foreign Media’s cover of Israel
  • Addresses the Israeli criticism of the way the international media represents Israel when it comes to the conflict.
  • Addresses the Israeli fixation on checking and measuring what outsiders (i.e. Europeans and Americans) are saying about them.
  1. – The toughest job in the world. What former Israeli Prime Ministers think about the office
  • Addresses the various controversies associated with Israel’s most notorious leaders
  • Addresses the conflict between how much people seem to want and fight for the job of leader (in any country probably) only to end up leaving somewhat despaired and exhausted

Written by Hanan Cidor and Yehudit Werchow