It is precisely when reality shows make no attempt to do so that they
succeed in giving expression to a changing Israeli reality. Three years ago,
for instance, a young man who moved to Israel during the last wave of
immigration from Russia appeared on the television reality show Darush
Manhig (Leader Wanted).

From the beginning, he was cast in the role of the foreigner, and
later said that some of the production crew strove to emphasize his
"Russianness." One can assume that the producers also expected to reap image
benefits from their willingness to include a "Russian" in such an Israeli TV
show.

Three years later, no one is even pretending to look for a social
leader; reality shows merely seek celebrity survivors. But this change
brings good tidings: The cast of "Survivor" candidates includes many Russian
speakers, and no one is making an issue out of it. Even the producers know
that it is no longer possible to burnish their image by putting Russian
immigrants on the show.
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Marina is known for many qualities, but her origin is not one of them.
Vera's birthplace was also not used as a marketing tool. Vica's language won
momentary praise, and not because of her accent. The assertive Lia did not
become the representative of the Russian crowd, but rather the unofficial
spokeswoman of Ashkelon, where she lives, when Grad rockets struck the city.
No one argued, as was common in the not-too-distant past, that any of them
was chosen for the show, or booted off it, because of her origin.

This is indeed a change, albeit a limited one. The breakthrough to the
heart of the Israeli mainstream has been made primarily by women - not only
because of their talents, but also because society is somewhat more open to
them.

Women have found it easier to squeeze through the narrow crack in the
glass ceiling about which many successful Russian speakers complain. And
this is true not only of immigrants from the former Soviet Union: Young men
from Ethiopia complain that the beauty of their female counterparts eases
their way not only into the hearts of "white" men, as they say, but also
into the heart of Israeliness, while the men lag behind.

In both communities, the explanation for this phenomenon is the same:
The guardians of the establishment are still men, and they are defending
their positions against those who threaten to infiltrate from the outside.
Women, sorry to say, are simply less threatening to the old order.

The new openness does not show that Israeli society has become
inclusive or accepting. Social ties between veteran Israelis and immigrants
are still weak. To judge by TV, (female) immigrants are primarily decorative
figures. According to a survey recently conducted by the Immigrant
Absorption Ministry and the Jewish Agency, immigrants are seen primarily as
a demographic asset to offset the Arab population.

We have reached an interesting point on the trajectory of immigrant
absorption: The immigrants have not yet become an integral part of Israeli
life, but it is already difficult to turn them into marketing and
recruitment tools. Between "Survivor" contestant Marina Kavisher and MK
Marina Solodkin, it will be interesting to see how this change influences
the future of "Russian" politics in Israel.

Article Source: http://www.articleset.com