“Bible games! Fruit juice! Put those years of Hebrew school to use!” chants an exuberant new YouTube short. It aims to convince young, pasty-skinned, dissatisfied American Jewish dudes, through bright colors, tongue-in-cheek humor, rhyming dialogue, and pictures of hot ladies in bikinis, to forego their pre-ordained, suburban lives and make aliyah, because Israel is where the AEPi party never ends.
Presumably the Jewish state is also interested in young, pasty-skinned American ladies, but this video speaks to David, not Davina. It plays on the typically male fear that settling down = boredom = death. As an alternative, it offers meaning, excitement, and company for camel rides. (And the ability to yell in movie theaters.)
The real selling point, though, is “a free degree on Uncle Shmuel’s tab,” though according to its own website, “free” may be an overstatement: “Imagine choosing from a vast range of academic subjects or even studying in English, while waking up each morning in Israel. Imagine a large assistance package to ease your way, including assistance with your tuition fees.” It also says nothing about IDF service. When choosing a country or a cable package, beware the fine print.
___
Watch the video here:
Get a shot of Jewish in your inbox. Sign up for the daily Jewniverse email.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.