Best Actor- The Guy in the Street, Cont.
Just a follow up on yesterday’s post, Best Actor- The Guy in the Street. Best Film- Us.
Immediately after posting, I left for work.
My walk to work cuts through downtown Jerusalem. One feature of my walk, is passing a shekel and a half store- where everything is sold for a shekel (the Israeli currency) and a half.
This particular merchant has opted not to suffice with a standard shop awning that displays the store name, or even with the customary form of network marketing in this great country of mine- someone yelling that things are for sale.
No, Shekel VaChetzi, as it is ingeniously called, meaning “Shekel and a Half” promotes itself with a continuously playing and replaying rap song. The words to the song, which I imagine to be named Shekel VaChetzi, are “Shekel Vachetzi Shekel Vachetzi, Kol Pareet B’Shekel Vachetzi“- “A shekel and a half, a shekel and a half- every item for a shekel and a half.”
I’ve always marveled at this song. I mean it is a rockin’ tune. Try saying it to yourself- it sings naturally. But I never realized the sheer promotional genius of the Shekel VaChetzi song until yesterday:
As I walked past the store, with Shekel VaChetzi reminding us that everything at the shekel and a half store costs a shekel and a half, I could hear another passerby, walking by himself- just like me, probably coming to or from his work- muttering to himself, together with the rhythm - “Shekel VaChetzi Shekel VaChetzi, Kol Parit B’Shekel Vachetzi.”
Ah, golden we are. I love it!
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March 4th, 2008 at 9:05 pm
Hey Yan,
Rosa and I are enjoying your blog. Especially this post!
And… come get your tupperware.
Etan