This summer, 24-year-old filmmaker Meir Kalmanson decided to bring a little joy to the sweaty, stressed-out streets of New York—by high-fiving people as they were attempting to hail cabs. The result is this delightful 86-second video, “High Five New York”:

Kalmanson told the New York Daily News that he loves making videos that “are not just funny but also are heartwarming and have a good feel and message… I love seeing all of the people (in New York) and it just clicked in me. ‘How cool would it be to give someone a high five?'”

Very cool. Joyful, even! Kalmanson heroically resisted the temptation to turn around and see how the unwitting high-fivers were reacting to his unsolicited salutation. After a moment of surprise/shock, they all seem pretty delighted by it. (Except for the dude dressed in black at 1:06, who just carries on with his emphatic cell phone conversation like a stereotypical New Yorker in a B-grade rom-com. Yes, those guys exist IRL!)

Enjoy this little ray of tikkun olam.

(Image: YouTube)

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Surprisingly, the best part of last night’s American Idol episode wasn’t when Nicki Minaj called fellow judge Mariah Carey a bitch. It was when Israeli singer Shira Gavrielov, daughter of well-known Israeli musician Miki Gavrielov, auditioned, and Mariah Carey threw out a pretty hilarious—yet impressive—slew of Hebrew words.

“I hear you are from Israel,” Carey said to Gavrielov, “Shalom.” Then she went with a “Shanah tova,” which was confusing but still counts.

Gavrielov sang Amy Winehouse’s cover of “Valerie,” and the judges loved it, voting unanimously to send her on to the next round. Nicki Minaj said Gavrielov had the look, voice, and personality make it all the way on the show, adding, “I just want to say that I love you.” Keith Urban, who is apparently an American Idol judge now, said he loved her vibratto.

“Sababa,” Carey chimed as a beaming Gavrielov left the room. Here’s to hoping for a few ‘mazel tovs’ from Carey as the season progresses.

See the diva’s Hebrew skills for yourself, and follow Gavrielov on Twitter here:

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