Who needs English? It’s all Hebrish, anyway

Here’s a comedy bit from “Zehu Zeh,” the beloved Israeli television comedy series, that doesn’t need much translation.

The familiar crew of Gidi Gov, Moni Moshonov, Shlomo Bar-Aba, Doval’e Glickman and Avi Kushnir poked fun at Israelis and their assumption that they speak English by speaking Hebrish, that particular blend of Hebrew and heavily accented English, in a recent episode of the veteran show that was renewed in March 2020 by the Kan public broadcaster.

“This is a k-nife, a chef’s k-nife,” said Avi Kushnir, brandishing a black-handled knife.

“Shandvitz” offers Moni Moshonov, dressed as an Israeli woman, holding up a familiar-looking cheese sandwich. “With yellow cheese.”

And there’s the English course they’re taking, “Shraga, English for Israelis,” taught by Shraga, aka Shlomo Bar-Aba, who reminds viewers that “Israelis can’t stand other Israelis who speak with an American accent, and are all, ‘vow, vow, vow,'” said Bar-Aba. “Ve are proud of we Israelis, and our pronunciation!”

“Zehu Zeh,” which ran from 1978 through 1998, always poked fun at the obsessions of Israeli life, from the decreasing water level of the Sea of Galilee and Israeli folk dancing to the local fandom of TV show “Dallas” and the benefits of working for the Israel Electric Corporation.

All the new episodes of “Zehu Zeh” are available online on Kan.