MASA’s new ad campaign has certainly been the talk of the town; though perhaps not in the way MASA imagined. If not for the U.S. being in the midst of a long, quiet, holiday weekend the reactions might be even greater. The campaign has apparently been pulled from the Internet and we understand completely canceled.
Here are just two of the many stories around today.
Also, for our Hebrew readers, is this interesting read from Ynet.
from The Forward:
“Lost” In Plain Sight: An Israeli Plan To Rescue American Jews
One of the most spectacularly knuckle-headed advertising campaigns in modern Jewish history was unveiled in Israel September 2 by an international organization devoted to strengthening Diaspora Jews’ attachment to Israel.
…The Jerusalem Post claims that the ad may not be intended to influence the public at all, but rather to pressure the prime minister’s office and the Jewish Agency into giving Masa more money. On the other hand, some sources close to Masa say the order came “straight from the prime minister’s office,” and hence reflect his thinking. More likely, it reflects the thinking of Natan Sharansky, the recently chosen chairman of the Jewish Agency, whose ear is not as sharply attuned as Netanyahu’s to shifting winds of public opinion, whether in Israel or the diaspora.
Wherever the order originated, it’s a sign of something very wrong in Jerusalem. The fact that the barons of world Jewish philanthropy could put $38 million of taxpayers’ and donors’ money in the hands of people so staggeringly clueless as to the requirements of the job they’re supposed to be doing makes a fellow feel – well, lost.
from The Jerusalem Post:
Rosner’s Domain: Masa’s utterly counter-productive ad campaign
I was going to write about project Masa’s new and utterly counter-productive ad campaign – and share with you all my frustrations and misgivings. However, J.J Goldberg already wrote about it, and I have nothing to add. I Agree with everything he says.
The campaign we’re talking about is this one:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPYGdgIxIe4&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
I think calling this a campaign is presumptuous. A campaign is a series of ads (3 or more), a well- executed presentation that is the result of coordinated planning and account exec/creative collaboration.
One bad ad does not a campaign make. And this is one bad ad.
Did anyone find it strange that one of the “Lost” is wearing a “I Love Israel” t-shirt?
What a crock of bull. Those opposed to the campaign speak in generalities – Ed Case at interfaithfamily.com states that “many intermarried couples, and the adult children of intermarried parents, are actively engaging in Jewish life.” JJ Goldberg at the JPost says “Huge numbers of these children – we used to call them half-Jews – grow up to become active, identifying Jews. They make up an increasingly prominent proportion of new, innovative Jewish organizations, projects and Web sites.” So what are they saying? They are using terms like “many.” They cite “huge numbers.” What’s the reality?
Only 15% of children of mixed marriages whose fathers are Jewish identify as Jews. If the mother is Jewish, only 38% identify as Jews. Given that 50% of Jewish marriages are mixed, those numbers do involve a lot of Jews. And some are indeed actively Jewish. BUT MOST ARE NOT.
There’s this notion that by ignoring these numbers we can somehow bring many of these non-identifying Jews back to the fold as it were. But we can’t even keep most of the children of Reform and Conservative Jews interested in Judaism enough to make them want to live an actively Jewish life. Ignoring this massive problem isn’t going to make it go away either.
Haviv retting Gur’s JPost oped said it best:
“Friends, we have two Jewish peoples today for whom even the word “Jewish” sounds and means different things. Let’s talk about it.”
The stats I cited are linked to at Jewlicious: http://www.jewlicious.com/2009/09/masa-video-freaks-out-the-jews-2/ as is the video with English subtitles. Jewlicious.ru has it with Russian subtitles.