Comedian and actor Orel Tzabari fires back at newspaper's critic who called nationwide Selichot broadcasts a sign of halachic state: When it's Halloween it's amazing, but when it's Jewish religion it's terrible?
Actor and comedian Orel Tzabari launched a fierce attack on social media against Haaretz newspaper, responding to a television review by Rogel Alper that criticized the broadcast of Selichot prayers from the Kotel across multiple Israeli channels.
Alper had condemned the fact that all five major Israeli broadcast channels carried the Selichot ceremony live, claiming it represented a sign of a "halachic state." Tzabari shared a screenshot of the article and delivered a pointed response.
"A Jewish. State. Period. The only one in the world, by the way! Did you know?" Tzabari wrote. "When you write articles in your newspaper like 'Where's the best place to celebrate Halloween this year' it's amazing, picturesque, acceptance of the other, how beautiful! But when it's the Jewish religion, ours, it's terrible... I'm sick of the hypocrisy, and this self-antisemitism... Reset yourselves..."
Tzabari continued by recalling how Jewish identity in the public and media sphere was once received naturally and with pride: "There used to be identity and pride in being Jewish here! On Parpar Nechmad in the 1980s, Nissim Garama sang G-d's name in the song 'Mipi Kel' on educational television and nobody screamed 'religious coercion'..."
Concluding his remarks, Tzabari expressed support for the traditional broadcasts across the channels: "Enough running away from our Jewish identity, how amazing that all the channels broadcast from the Selichot ceremony, how unifying, what joy! Finally something that unites..."
Join our newsletter to receive updates on new articles and exclusive content.
We respect your privacy and will never share your information.
