Booblil and the Israeli-Arab Conflict – Big Brother Thoughts

It’s embarassing to admit, but I too got addicted.

What is it about 16 people locked up in a villa for 100 days? When it was launched, I simply ignored the Israeli version of “Big Brother”. I figured it was way too stupid for me to spend time on. Then one day, sometime around day 60 or so, I turned on the TV, and there they were. I got hooked. I actually went and watched all of the previous episodes too, on VOD.

There, it’s out. You can all go on and make fun of me now. Before you do, I have some thoughts to share. Some “intellectual” insights gained from watching this show.

One of the major issues on the show is a supposed Ashkenazi/Sepharadi rift. Actually, I’m using the word “Sepharadi” for the benefit of English speakers. The current term for Jewish people of Middle East origins is Mizrahi (literally: Easterners). In the villa, you have Yossi Booblil and his daugher Einav Booblil, evoking this issue again and again, with them being “The Mizrahim” and supposedly suffering from the condescendence of the Ashkenazi players.

Yossi Booblil

The Booblils (aren’t we lucky it’s not “Lilboobs?”) are of North African origins (Yossi having a distinct Lybian accent). His daughter is the one complaining of being looked down at by players such as Shifra Kornfeld (typical Ashkenazi name) and Tzabar Gadish.

Shifra Cornfeld

This is actually quite an interesting topic, which uncovers a the cultural pychosis inherent in the Israeli national character. The Western liberal “European” cultural streak, contrasted by the Eastern conservative “Arab” one.

Interestingly, I think Booblil’s complaint reflects something that I have heard before from some Arab participants on boards. Many of them are saying that Israel brings something that is culturally foreign to the region. That these “Jews from Europe” don’t want to become part of the Middle East, but rather to bring in a culture that is not local and can’t be tolerated here. They have a point, in a way – both the Booblil’s of Israel and the Arabs. There is a definite part in Israel which does not want to blend in the Middle East, that wants to retain its affinity to Western culture, to liberal values, to European mannerism and behavior codes, if you like.

Here’s another interesting fact. Being Asheknazi or Mizrahi, as this show clearly shows, has very little to do with your “genetic” heritage. Despite Booblil Jr.’s complaints, Shifra, Tzabar and Leon (Schinerovsky – can’t get any more Ashkenazi than that in name!) have aligned with Shai Sheetrit (clearly of North African descent) and with the Arab player, Ranin too. The show’s “rich bitch” who was totally “Ashkenazi” in behavior and in who she hooked up with – was Keren Hasis (Morrocan name there, again). It’s a mixed world out there, and while there is a clear cultural distinction, it really doesn’t necessarily correlate to people’s actual origins.  Or as Einav Booblil said it so well: “Even the Arab they brought into the show is an Ashkenazi”

On a more positive note, and a more personal one too, being a mongrel myself (of Tunisian origin from Mom’s side and Polish from Dad’s side), I think that there is a certain blend of both culture always going on. The Ashkenazi today – using this in the cultural sense, again – are not as European or Western as they’d like to think. The Mizrahi are not as hardcore Middle Eastern or as conservative as they were a couple of generations ago. There is a unique blend constantly being created in our little melting pot. It’s happening not only in Israel, but in Lebanon too, and to some extent in some groups in Egypt and Jordan as well as among the Palestinians. I imagine it may be happening elsewhere in the Middle East as well. This new sub-culture, with its free-spirited, liberal, democratic values may just be the key to a peaceful and prosperous Middle East in the future. Inshalla.

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