‘Eretz Nehederet’ makes poignant remake of Israeli rap song

Satirical comedy show “Eretz Nehederet” ended its latest season with a powerful remake of “White Sail,” a new song by Israeli rapper Jimbo J, featuring the main actors from the show as they poignantly lament the ongoing trauma of life in contemporary Israel.

In the “Eretz Nehederet” version of the song, the show’s regulars, including Eyal Kitzis, Mariano Edelman, Alma Zack, Shani Cohen, Asi Cohen, Yuval Semo and Lior Ashkenazi, are shown in their everyday lives, with their kids, in bomb shelters, serving in reserve duty and visiting injured soldiers, alongside images of Israel over the last year and a half.

The song is a litany of many of the recent difficulties of Israeli society — the protests, the hostages, running for shelter during rocket attacks, the proliferation of gun licenses, Israelis who have left for Thailand, the sense of history repeating itself, and how life goes on, even when there is still a war and hostages.

In the powerful chorus, Jimbo J sings,

One hand – novel
One hand – shotgun
One hand – steering
One hand – WhatsApp
Still here, firing in all directions
One hand – chaser
One hand – child seat
One hand – just fine
One hand – despite
With my hand on my heart
I still believe

At the end of the “Eretz Nehederet” clip, from moment 3:28, clips of some of the remaining 59 hostages are shown, when they were just regular people, before October 7.

Hostage David Cunio is holding one of his twins, hostage Alon Ohel is smiling, hostage Omri Miran holds his baby daughter, Edan Alexander sits on a bench, Matan Angrest is bowling, several hostages are shown with their dogs, Bar Kuperstein is at the beach, Yossi Sharabi appears to be at home in Kibbutz Be’eri.

Jimbo J, whose real name is Omer Havron, lived with his family on Kibbutz Or HaNer, one of the Gaza border communities. He was home on October 7 with his wife, toddler daughter, and baby daughter.

They fled, along with the rest of the kibbutz, with plans to return to Or HaNer if the situation improves. Havron grew up in Rehovot and attended Sapir College in Sderot, perhaps laying the groundwork for his attachment to the Negev region.

The original “White Sail” video, which first came out in early April, showed Havron speaking to a therapist about his issues.

Tell me, should I have kids?
Should I put on my uniform?
Doctor, tell me, when did my easy life turn so heavy?

One moved to Thailand due to the reform
Two during COVID
Three just announced: off to Thailand too
Another murmurs bitterly, like a broken record:
The mess here, the mess here, the mess here, the mess here

Only I bought a six-pack
Headphones, a lighter, an umbrella
I have half a song in my head
And no backup plan

Now and then
I see a white sail
Peeking through a gray cloud
A stormy wind whispers, you have no choice
You’ll drown
Until you learn to swim