We've always been fans of the interview format that Jay Leno has made famous with his funny Jay Walking episodes on his late night TV show. The bottom line -- the typical American, and especially the college student, knows zilch about almost everything that's basic to being an American citizen, but everything about the latest pop stars and TV shows.
We've shared with you some take-offs on Jay Walking, called Jew Walking, where the National Jewish Outreach Center in New York and a Chabad rabbi in Dallas interviewed Jews and non-Jews in the street about what they knew of Jewish holidays and customs. With a few exceptions, the results, though funny, were just as dismal.
Today's video, while funny at first glance, is really a sad commentary on what the current crop of college students is learning, or not learning. We think it's important that they have accurate information about Jews, Israel, and the Middle East, since many of them will go into careers in international relations, and take that information with them as they assume positions of leadership. 
It was released by Stand With Us, an international organization dedicated to bringing peace to the Middle East by educating about Israel and challenging the misinformation that often surrounds the Middle East conflict. In the video, comedian Mark Schiff asks typical UCLA students some basic questions on what they know about Israel and the Middle East. The results are shocking. As he says in concluding the interviews, we have a lot of work to do. That's a good New Year's resolution.
So enjoy the video, and also give it some serious thought. (Please note that unlike most of our videos, this one doesn't have a big play button in the center. To view it, you'll have to move the pointer around the image until a small play button appears at the lower left of the image.)
The Jewish Humor Central team wishes you Shabbat Shalom and a Happy and Healthy New Year! (Hey, didn't we do that in September?) We'll see you with more of our usual mix in 2011.
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Boo hiss to this film! Turkey is definitely a democracy located in the Middle East. You should locate the students who answered Turkey and apologize to them. For shame.
ReplyDeleteTurkey is undoubtedly a symbol of democracy, human rights, freedom of speech and of religion. Just ask the Cyprians, Armenians and other christians around there, and they will tell you!
ReplyDelete