Israel is trying to sell aliyah to young Americans with a “hip” new humorous advertisement. Yesterday, the Ministry of Immigration and Absorption released a video pitch on YouTube more reminiscent of a deodorant commercial than high-minded Zionist ideals. Think Old Spice, not Herzl.

As Haviv Rettig Gur reports in The Times of Israel, around 2,000 Americans make the big move each year—same as 20 years ago. With pressure from the Israeli government to increase those numbers, this commercial attempts to make Israel appealing to Americans not by way of ideology, long-standing heritage, or by introducing Israeli culture to Americans, but instead by promoting the things that make America appealing to Jewish Americans: well paid tech and medical jobs, and (if you live in Florida or California at least) beautiful beaches.

The campaign does have one interesting angle: the promise of a free education “on Uncle Shmuel’s tab.” With debate in the U.S. raging over growing economic inequality, student debt, and the need for more affordable education, this is the most convincing selling point.

But that seems to be the one redeeming quality of a commercial that, while sort of enjoyable to watch (if only for the actor’s amusing facial expressions) doesn’t say much about actual, day-to-day life in Israel. Obviously that’s impossible to elucidate in a 90-second clip, but if it weren’t for commanding-voice-over-guy explaining the wonders of Israel, the visuals could have been promoting immigration to just about any other Mediterranean locale.

Then there’s the obviously male-dominated focus: for a few seconds, our tall, vaguely Semitic hero reclines on the beach alongside a sexy female companion. “Shabbat Shalom!” he cries, as she whispers sweet Hebrew nothings in his ear. Later he sits astride a camel (buffeting a matkot ball with a paddle) next to woman who does precisely nothing. Anyone who makes aliyah with the expectation that Israeli women will serve as their props is living in a fantasy land.

And that, really, is exactly what this commercial is selling: a fantasy. But, like Americans, most Israelis will still marry, start a family and spend 40 percent of their day at work. Some will even have to choose between different toothpaste brands, especially with all that milk and honey flying about.

(Image: YouTube)

Zachary Schrieber is a graduate of Hunter College and is currently an intern with Tablet Magazine. You can find him on Twitter at @zschrieber.

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The geniuses behind Hello Flo‘s beloved, viral ad campaign of 2013 are back with a sequel—of sorts. In the hilarious new video, a precocious pre-teen who’s waiting anxiously for her first period decides to fake it till she makes it—literally!—by painting glittery red nail polish on a sanitary pad and hoping it passes for the real deal. Upon discovering the deception, her Mom decides to go along with the ruse and throw her a mortifying “First Moon Party,” replete with menses-themed takes on traditional party games, like “bobbing-for-ovaries” (grandpa loves it) and “pin-the-pad-on-the-period.”

So, what’s this all about? Selling period paraphernalia, essentially: Hello Flo is a service that sends you monthly packages filled with tampons, pads and candy, right when you’re due for your period. It’s Birchbox for your vagina. And sure, you can probably buy most of Hello Flo’s products way cheaper at the drugstore, but CEO Naama Bloom knows that there’s nothing people like more than snail mail, candy, and viral videos—especially when they’ve got cramps.

Just remember, wannabe menarche mermaids: “Periods don’t have glitter in them.”

The post The Geniuses Behind Hello Flo’s Viral “Camp Gyno” Video Have A New Gem appeared first on Jewcy.

“Find someone who wasn’t on your Birthright trip.” “Shiksappeal is overrated.”

JDate has a new advertising campaign, and—much like the experience of online dating—you’re either gonna love it or hate it. The ads, which launched today online and in New York’s Times Square, have elicited a mix of responses from the Jewish community. For some, the punchlines evoke cheesy (but benign) borscht belt humor. For others, they reinforce negative cultural stereotypes about Jews and gentiles.

Jeff Newelt, comics editor at Heeb and social media/public relations consultant, described the campaign as “obvious and hackneyed,” and many on Twitter agreed:

If my eyes roll any harder they’re gonna roll right out of my damn head http://t.co/F0sjJxKbvS

— Daniel Sieradski (@selfagency) February 13, 2014

Cringeworthy is too polite – @JDate‘s Brash New Advertising Campaign: Clever or Cringeworthy? http://t.co/oUxhUKjrTm via @tabletmag — Tema Smith (@temasmith) February 13, 2014

*cringe* RT @tabletmag .@JDate’s brash new ‘Get Chosen’ ad campaign: clever or cringeworthy? http://t.co/x8GRJOaOVE pic.twitter.com/AhkWZqlF3l — liprap (@liprap) February 13, 2014

But responses were positive too:

A genius is behind the brilliant advertising of @JDate http://t.co/ygUQwNQxkG via @tabletmag

— Andria Kaplan (@Andria_Kaplan) February 13, 2014

I think the @JDate ad is funny and clever, but consider my comedic track record. Also, still not subscribing http://t.co/Oy0HdqQyXa

— Rabbi Josh Yuter (@JYuter) February 13, 2014

Tablet Magazine put the question to their readers on Facebook, and a comment war basically erupted.

Nu, what do you think? Clever or cringeworthy? Would you ditch OKCupid for JDate?

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In the Haredi neighborhood of Bnei Brak in Israel, Twisted, an advertising agency, thought up a wily way to promote the movement to end violence against women. Twisted put up a poster that prominently showed an attractive model, knowing that it would get vandalized. Unsurprisingly, when it was torn down, a second layer of the poster was revealed with a message that read, “International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women 25.11.03.” Haaretz reports:

In a campaign coinciding with the United Nations’ International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, marked on November 25, Israeli advertising firm Twisted tackled the issue of excluding women from the public sphere, Ice.co.il reported.

Check out the before and after:

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