Jews Can’t Stop: A Right-Wing Israeli Parody of Miley Cyrus. By Orit Arfa.

Inshallah, the Jews won’t stop. By Ami Kaufman. +972, December 13, 2013.

Yes, “Jews Can’t Stop” Is a Miley Cyrus Cover by Israeli Settlers. By Yo Semite. Heeb, December 12, 2013.

Pro-settler video parodies Miley Cyrus. By Renee Ghert-Zand. The Times of Israel, December 14, 2013.

Ghert-Zand and Arfa:

Arfa contends that political leaders “torpedo normalized relations between Jews and Arabs in the West Bank,” and that left alone, the two national groups would figure out how to live and prosper together.

 

So, would this mean that Arfa would be willing to live in a West Bank that was under Palestinian authority or even a Palestinian state?

 

“The governing body concerns me less than the mode of governance and if it would respect individual rights,” she says. “If by some miracle a Palestinian government emerges that would treat the Jewish minority the way that Israel overall humanely and equally treats Arab citizens, I would be fine living under it.”

 

But in the next breath, she clarifies that she doesn’t think that is going to happen any time soon, if ever. In the meantime, she believes Israel must retain control of the West Bank.

 

“As it now stands, Israel is the country that is more suited to ensure, inspire or install humane civil law throughout . . . The corrupt and oppressive Palestinian Authority . . . is not suited in its current state, as most totalitarian Arab governments in this region, to ensure stability, peace, advancement and freedom for its own people, let alone Jews.”

 

Arfa believes the time has come for Israeli Jews, particularly settlers, to speak their mind. “Jews are especially concerned with how they are perceived and being politically correct,” she says. “I think what many people need to get over is the fear of what other people think.”

 

One look at Arfa’s video and it’s obvious she has gotten over it.


Can Miley Cyrus Save Israel? by Orit Arfa. The Times of Israel, December 11, 2013.

Orit Arfa website.

Miley Cyrus: Wrecking Ball. NJBR, November 26, 2013. With link to “We Can’t Stop” video.

Orit Arfa: Jews Can’t Stop. Video. Orit Jean Arfa, December 9, 2013. YouTube.
 



“Jews Can’t Stop” Is the Worst Miley Cyrus Parody Video Yet. By Caroline Bankoff. New York Magazine, December 13, 2013.

We’ve Reached Peak Miley: Strange Parody Music Video Declares “Jews Can’t Stop.” By Josh Feldman. Mediaite, December 13, 2013.

Israeli Releases Miley Cyrus Parody “Jews Can’t Stop.” By Ashley Ramnarain. Shalom Life, December 13, 2013.

Settler siren channels Miley Cyrus in bulldozer vid. By Philip Weiss. Mondoweiss, December 13, 2013.

Jeffrey Goldberg Twerks John Kerry’s Butt. By Orit Arfa. Jewish Journal, December 11, 2013.

Can a settler be against the occupation? By Orit Arfa. +972, October 24, 2013.

Pinchas. By Orit Arfa. OritArfa.net, November 9, 2012.

Orit Arfa painting Pinchas.

Description:

And when Pinchas, the son of Elazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from among the congregation and took a spear in his hand, and he went after the man of Israel to the tent, and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel and the woman through her belly. And the plague that struck the children of Israel ended. (Numbers 25: 7-9).

Orit’s experiences in Israel during the Palestinian terror war that started in 2000 prompted her first politically tinged painting. Pinchas is a blistering critique of Jews who “sleep with the enemy,” with an allusion to the Oslo Accords, which only led to more Jewish bloodshed. While this political message is often associated with observant Jews, Orit purposefully used image an R-rated image of couple fornicating to appeal to a more secular mindset. The painting asks the basic question: at what point is the use of force a desired and moral option?


Why Israel is Losing the PR War. By Orit Arfa. Arutz Sheva 7, March 4, 2013.

Arfa:

At almost every pro-Israel lecture I attend, someone feels compelled to ask an unrelated question at the end: “Why does Israel have such bad PR”?

 

People offer answers—or guesses—that don’t speak to the heart of the issue:

“Israel doesn’t spend enough on PR.”

 

“The world is anti-Semitic.”

 

“We are doing just fine.”

 

“I don’t know.”

 

Part of the problem with Israel’s PR is the fact that we even refer to an intellectual defense of Israel as “public relations.” It’s not a matter of mere PR or image. It’s a matter of our core values and our willingness to stand up for what we believe and know is right and true, no matter what the cost. We could have exponentially more effective PR if we spent less money, but tapped into our other hidden treasures: our conviction, passion, honesty, and fearlessness.

 

Israel’s enemies are good because they offer “black and white” messages, using humanitarian language that makes Israel’s enemies sound like the oppressed and downtrodden. They do not sugarcoat their lies. They say:

Israel is an apartheid State

 

Israel is an occupying power

 

IDF soldiers are war criminals

And how do Israel’s spokespeople—both in and out of the Israeli government—fight these lies?

They give long, arduous facts to debunk those claims

 

They assert that Israel simply wants peace

 

They assert that “it’s complicated/complex”

 

They boast that Israel is a leader in hi-tech. (Without Israel, you wouldn’t have cell phones!)

I’ll tell you why these strategies rarely make a dent. The general population doesn’t care about drawn-out facts, especially in this television/Facebook obsessed, fast food/fast consumption culture. We need to answer such claims with strong messages as simple and pure as the ones that Israel’s enemies use - except ours will be honest. You can’t fight lies with “it’s complicated.” You have to throw the intellectual attacks back in their court, with statements like:

The Arab world consists of apartheid states

 

“Palestine” is a made-up nation and the “Palestinians” are a made-up people

 

Palestinian leaders are war criminals

But, people argue, you’ll only turn people off that way! Not if you’re consistent. Not if you don’t falter. The Palestinians and their friends are consistent, unified, and—worse—have no qualms about being deceptive.

 

It is a holy war for the jihadists, with victory in mind: the destruction of Israel. For Jews and Israel, depending on whom you ask, it’s merely an ongoing battle or “peace process.” Jihadists will die for their cause. Most Jews will at most part with some time and money for the Zionist cause.

 

Regarding appeals to people’s love of technology—sometimes, statements boasting of Israel’s wealth and accomplishments make people resent Israel more. Israel appears obsessed with material goods while it “oppresses” the Palestinians. Actually, we may even consider telling the world how Israel suffers because of all the Arab wars against the Jewish state, how Israel is, in fact, the oppressed, beleaguered country, with its citizens struggling with poverty, evidenced with rising housing costs and low wages.

 

But most Israelis and Israel-advocates are shy of these strong, passionate messages because they are afraid to fight dirty. They’re afraid to be labeled “right wing” or “extremist” or “Islamaphobe.”They’re afraid it will turn off their bosses or colleagues, and they might lose some money or friends, who don’t like them for who they really are anyway.

 

Here’s another reason Israel is losing. As generally rational and civilized people, Israel advocates don’t use smear tactics. A smear is not an argument, but a subtle character assassination. These include equating gun owners with murderers, Republicans with greedy businessmen, Israelis as oppressors. And no one wants to be called criminal, greedy, or oppressive.

 

What’s worse is that majority of Israel advocates and particularly American Jewry shun those people who actually speak the truth, who aren’t afraid to fight fire with fire, who put Israel’s enemies on the defensive. These include Jews living across the “green” line (the 1949 Armistice Line, ed.) and organizations and personalities who speak out against Islamic jihad. They’ll agree with these zealots in their hearts, but never admit it. Meanwhile, these courageous Israel defenders who speak the truth experience social ostracism.

 

But the main reason that Israel is losing is that Israel bashers control the culture, the arts, film, and academia. Artists and academics are the purveyors of ideas, and ideas shape the next generation. Meanwhile, the pro-Israel camp relies on booklets of facts, lengthy non-fiction books, and op-eds.

 

Art influences by touching emotion. Academia influences by calling forth ideas, which these days are influenced by the “black and white” messages of the jihadists and their sympathizers. If we are to win, we need to train a new generation of Zionist artists and academics. The new Zionist intellectuals.

 

So if you’re still wondering why Israel is losing the PR war, I ask one more thing: Look in the mirror. Think about where you could have defended Israel vigorously, but were too afraid to speak up, too desirous of being politically correct. Of messages you could have posted on Facebook, but were afraid of sounding too “political.” Of Zionist causes you could have supported, but decided to go to a party or make a business deal instead. Of arguments you could have made at a social gathering, but didn’t lest you sound too "militant" or “right-wing.”

 

I sure hope people will stop asking that annoying “Why does Israel have such bad PR?” question.