Navigate to News section

Bibi Netanyahu’s Rosh Hashanah Gag Greeting

Because even prime ministers are addicted to Candy Crush

by
Yair Rosenberg
September 04, 2013
Ariel Schalit-Pool/Getty Images
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a press conference on July 26, 2011 in Jerusalem, Israel.Ariel Schalit-Pool/Getty Images
Ariel Schalit-Pool/Getty Images
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a press conference on July 26, 2011 in Jerusalem, Israel.Ariel Schalit-Pool/Getty Images

The Israeli Prime Minister’s annual Rosh Hashanah greeting has become a mini-State of the Union of sorts. This year, as in previous ones, Benjamin Netanyahu used the opportunity to recap the Jewish state’s accomplishments in both Hebrew and English, including a seven-minute video for his Israeli constituents. But after uploading those speeches to YouTube, Netanyahu decided to try something a little different.

He posted a second Hebrew Rosh Hashanah greeting. It it, Netanyahu appears holding an iPad. “We need to act wisely,” he intones. “We need to concentrate. We need to advance to the next stage.” The camera then reveals what Netanayahu is doing on his iPad: playing Candy Crush. “But you know, life is not a game,” the Prime Minister continues wryly. “These traits, and others, we will need to secure our country–for your sake, for the sake of our children and for our future. And this we will continue to do. Shanah tova.” Watch the gag greeting below with English subtitles (click ‘CC’ if not enabled):

Yair Rosenberg is a senior writer at Tablet. Subscribe to his newsletter, listen to his music, and follow him on Twitter and Facebook.