Jessica Steinberg, The Times of Israel's culture and lifestyles editor, covers the Sabra scene from south to north and back to the center
Orna Banai (left) and Eyal Kitzis of 'Eretz Nehederet.' (photo credit: Flash90/file)
It’s been a tough week for Orna Banai.
It began with the comedian’s comments about the country’s operation against Gaza, when she called her nation “an embarrassment.”
She also cracked a joke about being a “trippy lefty who loves Arabs.”
That didn’t go over too well. Banai ended up being fired from her position as a spokesperson for cruise ship line Mano Maritime, and closed down her Facebook page after being publicly berated and threatened.
Now she’s gone public with an apology, stating that as an Israeli, part of the eighth generation of her family in Israel, she is a “partner in the pain and joy of my nation,” and “has no other home.”
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Members of ‘Eretz Nehederet,’ visiting a wounded soldier at Soroka Hospital in Beersheba, saying thank you to those — who thanks to them — enable us to have an ‘amazing country’
When former colleagues from Eretz Nehederet (A Wonderful Land) — the satirical television show where Banai appeared for the first six seasons — posted a Facebook picture of their visit with a wounded soldier at Beersheba’s Soroka Hospital, comments ranged from appreciative to critical, many involving Banai.
“They’re just trying to improve their ratings!”
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“Until you get rid of Orna, you’re as confused as she is!!!
Not to worry, some 53,000 others still ‘liked’ it. Even if it does help their ratings.
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The war with Iran has been draining for all of us in Israel. But when I heard about a high casualty incident – ballistic missile impacts in Arad and Dimona that left nearly 200 people wounded – I drank a cup of coffee, packed a bag, and headed south.
There, I spoke with Shilgit, the head of an after-school program for underprivileged youth. Standing outside her destroyed center, Shilgit said it was a miracle that no children were hurt and spoke about the community coming together in the hours since.
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