Esther Kustanowitz: May 2007 Archives

Israel has a difficult relationship with American culture. On the one hand, Israel creates its own culture and doesn't want to be an America's clone. And then there's the other hand, the celeb-obsessed, hypersexualized American pop culture-consuming hand that resents and consumes at the same time. So it should be no surprise that recently Israel sought marketing help from the people who know what sells:

"The Israeli consular official based in New York approached Maxim six months ago. His proposal: The government and other pro-Israeli groups would fly a camera crew across the Atlantic in an effort to remake the Jewish state's public image. Israel's reputation had suffered after last summer's war with Lebanon; in a recent BBC poll taken in 27 countries, 56 percent of respondents considered Israel a "negative influence" in the world, higher than both Iran and the United States. But Israel's real PR problem, according to Saranga, is that Americans--particularly men aged 18 to 35--either associate the country with war or holy relics, or don't think of it at all. 'We have to find the right hook,' he says. 'And what's relevant to men under 35? Good-looking women.' (Newsweek/MSNBC)"

Israel? Good, holy even. Exploitation of women? Um, not so holy. Leave it to America to defile the Holy Land via the bikini. The only surprising note about this story is that I've not seen any reports of religious opposition reported in the media.

But what if the exploitation is not about marketing the Israel brand, but instead is a new attempt to solve the crisis in the Middle East? Since diplomats seem unable to make headway without a conflict erupting, maybe what the world needs is a place where piece is the primary goal. That's right, "piece." According to their mission statement:

Mideast Piece aims to unite people around the world through shared adoration of that most sacred and bronzed of species, the Middle Eastern man. Whether Muslim, Jewish, Christian, or Druze, these desert men are more valuable than any Saudi oil well. As greater appreciation for the Middle Eastern male develops, we are confident the international community will intervene to preserve and protect this endangered species from destroying itself (and, on occasion, others). There are too many unattractive, pale people on Earth for the world not to make the entire Middle East a natural reserve of hot men, complete with admission fee, monorail, and--of course--petting zoos.

As Ha'aretz reports, Mideast Piece is the brainchild of two gay Americans currently living in Israel; it regularly posts cheesecake style photos that celebrate the men of the Middle East and blog posts that reflect their values, like this one: "Soldiers are hot. They should not be killed in war. They should be trained--strenuously--and put on display for all to lust after. That’s Mideast Piece."

A site with humor, and the occasional naughty picture, is great for the international psyche. But is it good for the Holy Land? I'm pretty traditional, but I have to admit that traditional doesn't seem to be working. Maybe it's time for a land that houses three influential world religions and the resultant internal conflict to show a little skin, at least metaphorically. I think we're at the point where we have to try new things. Hey, whatever works.

I've been really amazed by how prevalent Jewish expression seems to be in popular culture these days. Of course, I live in New York so Jewish visibility is likely to be high. I was slightly incredulous when that Gap ad featuring a Star-of-David wearing Jeremy Piven showed up, but the new American Apparel billboard advertisement has me more surprised.

American Apparel is known for their provocative ads, almost as much as they're known for adhering to vertically-integrated marketing and a sweatshop-free approach to clothing manufacturing. Some previous ads have featured the usual combination of tight clothes and bedheaded boys and girls cavorting in suggestive poses. But this billboard on Allen Street, arguably the center of old school Jewish New York, features Gotham's patron saint (to mix metaphors), Woody Allen, dressed in stereotypical Hasidic garb (an image that became iconic during a classic fantasy sequence in Annie Hall).

The ad has really gotten this Jewish girl (who happens to be wearing an AA tank top today) thinking. With a title in Yiddish (it reads "the holy Rebbe"), at whom is this billboard aimed? Because Jewish kids these days aren't as into Allen as they are into Sasha Baron Cohen and Matisyahu, and because Yiddish programs at universities are not oversubscribed, one can only assume that this ad isn't really aimed at Woody fans nor at Jews who speak Yiddish.

Maybe it really targets New York's hipsters, the ones who reclaimed the Lower East Side from their immigrant ancestors, transforming it into the newest address for swanky lounges and music and comedy venues that don't value haute couture as much as come-as-you-are fashion.

AA's target customers are probably too young to really know Woody Allen. But in New York, where everyone's a film expert and a vaguely Jewish neurosis seems to permeate daily life, Woody Allen may in fact be a spiritual leader of sorts. He elevates New York City as some sort of cinematic heaven, illuminating the life in different neighborhoods (most notably the Upper East Side). He shocks us with comedic human truths in his films and with scandalous behavior in his personal life. And even if we're appalled, we accept it because that's his particular genius. He's our Woody, and we laugh even if we wince, because we love him even if we hate him.

By invoking the Woodman, AA's message may be that it doesn't matter how other people see you. Just be who you are.

A few months ago, Idol Chatter brought you the news that Beliefnet contributer Rabbi Irwin Kula, president of CLAL--The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, and an oft-sought voice on public culture and religion in the public square, was taking his wisdom to television. Now Kula is rabbinically rocking the radio airwaves, with co-host (and Beliefnet contributor) Rabbi Brad Hirschfield, on "Hirschfield and Kula: Intelligent Talk Radio."

Can't tune in live? Check out the appropriately named HirschfieldandKula.com, which also provides complete listings on current and upcoming shows, an archive with podcasts of past shows, and background information on "Irwin and Brad" about their blogs, books, DVDs, and other materials.

"The excitement of launching the website is that we can start building a community of people who want to be intelligent about the issues that so polarize and divide our country," said Kula. "The website will insure that the conversation continues past the midnight hour."

Hirschfield added that "This show is about great conversation. This site is everyone's opportunity to continue the conversation that begins on air every Saturday night. If you can't be with us on Saturday night, you can still get intelligent by listening online 24/7."

Hirschfield and Kula talk gun control, the environment, abortion, and more, going beyond the traditional left and right-wing positioning. Listen up at HirschfieldandKula.com. (And forgive Kula his blogging capitalization trespasses.)

Politicians? Diplomats? World leaders? Does anyone know what to do with the Middle East conflict? It seems to be the consensus that children in the region learn from their parents and the society that surrounds them--and those messages are hard to combat.

Unless you're made of felt.

After more than a decade of having been off the air in Israel, Rehov Sumsum (Sesame Street) is now back, with 15 new episodes, a new Arab-Israeli muppet, and an aim at teaching coexistence.

Producers tailored the Middle Eastern casts and story lines to the fit the audiences. "Rehov Sumsum," the Israeli version of the show, for the first time includes a muppet of Arab origin. Its Palestinian counterpart, "Shara'a Simsim," seeks to offer positive role models to boys in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. "It's really about respect and tolerance," said Gary Knell, president of Sesame Workshop, the New York-based nonprofit group behind Sesame Street programming worldwide.

"[The show] opens up a new way to deal with issues of conflict, just teaching children how to live together, how to work together with each other despite their differences," Education Minister Yuli Tamir said at a ceremony in a Jerusalem kindergarten on Sunday. The ceremony followed more than a week of meetings Knell had with top political figures in the region to seek funding and support for local Sesame Street productions.

Much of what children experience is environmental. So even if the television messages are positive and in favor of peace, without parental reinforcement the retention of peaceful messages is unfortunately an uphill battle. One can only hope that the muppet denizens of the Rehov and the Shara'a will help bridge a chasm of conflict.