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]