Reshaim Arurim: The Case of Linguistic Others in Israeli Television

• In Event: Jews and other “Others” on Global Television

Abstract

Israeli television is having a minoritarian moment, featuring the stories of its lesser known groups on the small screen. For example, recent series have focused on Haredim, Mizrahim, Russian Jews, Israeli-Palestinians, Religious Zionists characters in comedic and dramatic shows. In addition to scripted series, these minorities also compete on Israeli reality shows like Big Brother and Master Chef, receiving further attention to their lives.
One of the most interesting ways that this difference is marked is via a linguistic shift. In several of these shows, characters speak languages other than Hebrew. Some use only slang, while others switch completely depending on the environment and setting. Some languages are commonly spoken, and others are barely known outside of their member group. In this presentation, I will focus on three shows: Shtisel (2013-2016), Zaguri Empire (2014-2016), and Muna (2019) and their respective uses of Yiddish, Judeo-Moroccan, and Palestinian Arabic. Shtisel follows a Haredi family in Jerusalem trying to rebuild their lives after the death of their mother. Zaguri Empire, set in Beersheva, focuses on the return of a prodigal son to his estranged Moroccan family in order to attend the funeral of his grandfather. Muna is about an Israeli-Palestinian photographer living in Tel Aviv. She is chosen to represent Israel in a European competition when war breaks out in the summer of 2014. I will examine not only the relationship between Hebrew and the minority languages, but also the relationships between non-Hebrew languages in the public sphere. When are these languages spoken, and does their different geographical settings affect these choices? Do these decisions fall along gender and age lines, and what does that signify about inclusion, diversity and difference in Israeli society? Does this emerging multilingualism on Israeli television speak to a greater acceptance of Israel’s others, or rather do the divisions between languages emphasize difference and reinforce ethnic hierarchies?

Author

• Shayna Weiss, Schusterman Center for Israel Studies, Brandeis University