Q&A: The Ulpana Video
The Ulpana Video
Question
In the Rabbi’s opinion, is the Horev Ulpana video racist, or is it a kind of humor? As was also publicized, the educators are of Mizrahi origin, and so are those who acted in it. My question is: when a person laughs at himself or belittles his own culture, is that also racism?
Answer
Laughing at yourself is not racist. Though one could speak about self-racism. But the concept of racism itself is not well defined, and I have devoted columns on the site to this.
The video in itself is insignificant and just made noise for no reason. At most, it reflects the questionable sense of humor of a few girls. So what? And even if it is racism on the part of those girls, so what?
I already wrote here that these days the entire religious public, in all its varieties, is a partner in the greatest desecration of God’s name since the world was created (the nightmare coalition), so the thing that worries me least is a racist video by a few high-school girls.
Discussion on Answer
I agree with you, Dan, but don’t forget that the Rabbi came from there.
You know, Rabbi, and no offense, my feeling is that when it comes to the Haredim / Hardalim, you lose perspective a bit. And I’m not talking only about this specific response, but about your attitude toward them in general. Something in the criticism comes across as unbalanced and inflammatory, which leads to exaggerations.