Nothing is wrong this year. Simchat Torah was ruined because of some thing with Hamas, the months that followed were too sad for us to ever forget, and here our national holidays are also weirder than ever. It’s been sixty years since the Bible quiz has been held on Independence Day, and this year the organizers chose to bring us the pair of Channel 14 TV presenters, Eden Harel and Oded Menashe, to host the quiz at the Jerusalem Theater. As if we hadn’t suffered enough.
Since the Avshalom Kor saga, no permanent replacement has been found to step into his shoes. Ofer Hadad was impressive, and Guy Zoertz is also lovable in his own way, but this year, oh this year, we got the couple who repented. Eden Harel and Oded Menashe are a pair of presenters of a weekly morning show on Channel 14, parents of six children who occasionally give lectures on relationships. When the Ministry of Education published the identity of the facilitators a few weeks ago, I cackled condescendingly, what about them and the Bible quiz. But I tried to keep an open mind. Today it turned out that I was right.
Biblical bridegrooms Avitar Bargil and David Shasha, photo: Ronen Horesh, L.A.M
Stupid dialogue between a couple who bothered to mention at every moment that they are married
“Happy Independence Day, my husband,” Eden announced when the royal couple took the stage. Dressed in their hideous best (as a woman to woman I allow myself, who the hell was your stylist? The mermaid outfit could have been left in the closet). “Happy Holidays my dear wife, I promised you Jerusalem and I kept it and here we are in Jerusalem,” answered Oded. Then a stupid dialogue started, which was supposed to be funny but mostly embarrassed.
Eden: “I didn’t understand, you promised to take me to the Wall to pray, a spiritual journey.”
Oded: “I was thinking of adding some variety, you know. I brought you to lead the Bible quiz, which is no less spiritual and powerful in such a special and simple year. I thought about it, my wife, you have done many things in your life, who like me knows, I tested, in my opinion, the first woman moderator of the Bible quiz in my world, since the establishment of the state there has been no such thing.”
Eden: “I didn’t understand why you looked surprised. In general, I try to be first. On MTV I was first, also in the Bible quiz.”
Oded: “I’m just the opposite, I don’t want to be the first. Men have already given me the Bible quiz, I’m not the first to marry you. Always comes after someone, I check, if it’s okay I continue.”
Eden: “I’m glad I passed the test”, chuckle.
what what what. what did i see now The ridiculous tone was not a pleasant and amusing prelude to a dignified guide later, but a sign of things to come. When the foreign contestants didn’t understand some of the things, Aden hurried to translate and calmed down in English. How could we forget that you landed on the international music channel.
They could be good if they tried less
Look, there is clearly room for changes and refreshment in the guides. The glitzy couple who often seem to bicker on screen (she scolds him, he sulks) could have done a pretty good job, if only they had kept it simple. I like both of them, and the fake TV behavior usually works on the screen in the appropriate format. But here, the appropriate adaptation was not made and the nonchalance was humiliating. The excessive giggles, mistakes in reading the verses (really) and the desire to remind us every five minutes on average that they are a married couple (“I send you my wife, the next question is much softer than me”), just ruined the show. A little more modest, a little more refined. less effort.
A certain grace was registered during the duel between the two grooms, when the pace increases and each tries to gain more points, but it disappeared immediately when Oded pointed out the passing time and Eden reprimanded him: “You don’t let them think.” You don’t let us think or have fun. And the Bible quiz, which is supposed to be an honorable and state event for youth and adults in Israel and the world, which deals with knowledge and heritage, turned the viewers into a captive audience in the lecture of the converted couple. At the end, the winners were announced, and Avitar Bergil and David Shasha reminded us of what we had gathered for. The song of hope at the end of the event Reminded us that hope is not over yet, and from here on next year we can only get better.
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