Even Anglo olim say the darndest things

It was likely to happen eventually. Israel’s community of Anglos (English-speaking immigrants) has released its own take on the “Sh*t” videos meme, a stream of online clips lightly poking fun at the stereotypically stupid and thoughtless things people say.

“Sh*t Anglos in Israel Say,” created and produced by immigrants Yosef Adest and Shira Rottner, was posted online late Monday night and at press time had already garnered over 28,000 views on its YouTube channel.



Featuring such classic oleh phrases as: “Oh! You’re going back to the States? Can you bring me some NyQuil?” “I really miss Sundays” and “I’m going to wait to get my hair cut next month in America,” the video is a series of short skits highlighting the inane one-liners that almost all English-speaking immigrants are guilty of uttering at one point or another as they build their new lives in Israel.

“Of course I have Israeli friends – the juice guy,” offers one young woman while another exclaims, “Wow, you have last year’s Cosmo [magazine], can I borrow it?” One scene shows a young woman waiting endlessly for customer service from telecom company Bezeq, while another shows a Sabra crowding a woman as she attempts to withdraw funds from the caspomat (cash machine). All typify life in the Jewish state and the Anglo reaction to it.

“I just think it is so interesting that there is this subculture of Anglos in Israel and we all share similar experiences and challenges while finding our way in this country,” Adest, a freelance video producer and photographer originally from the US, told The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday, explaining the inspiration behind the two-minute piece.

He added: “I think that is the reason why people have related so well to this video, because it’s like, ‘Oh my, I have said those things! I have felt those things.’” “It is always nice to know that we are not alone, even if sometimes it truly feels like we have uprooted ourselves and are surrounded by tough Israelis,” continued Adest, estimating that the video is being viewed 17 times every minute and the number will probably only increase.

Kicked off late last year by “Sh*t Girls Say,” an online series of video clips featuring Hollywood actress Juliette Lewis in a supporting role, the genre has taken on a life of its own with countless versions, including “Sh*t Jewish Girls Say,” Sh*t Jewish Mothers Say” and even one in Hebrew, “Sh*t Tel Avivians Say.”



Despite the fact the fad is now winding down, Adest is insistent that his version is still worth a peek.

“People told me ‘its over and everyone is sick of it,’” he said. “But I say that it’s 90 seconds of something light and comical in your life, I’m confident you can still make that kind of investment in your day. I knew that if I made it well then people would pass it on to others.”

Adest added that while he has no plans to make a sequel – even though he admits there are many more one-liners that Anglos often utter – he is considering creating a series of short films describing life faced by this same population of English-speaking immigrants in Israel.

“My aliya has gone through so many variations, and I love Israel today for completely different reasons than when I first got here,” Adest said.

“But it is still nice to be able to say, ‘No, I’m not Israeli and will never be,’ [while still] fitting in just the same and feeling completely at home here.”