Watching in Israel

Israeli critics are divided on the issue of reality TV in general and “Big Brother” in particular. Some sniff at the voyeurism, saying this commercialized TV just proves the need to protect Israel’s endangered public broadcasting. But others point out that the show, followed by one-third of the population, raises social issues that transcend television.

If the previous season embodied the battle over cultural hegemony between Ashkenazi and Sephardic Jews, says critic Ran Bin-Nun, this season boils down to who is the model of the Israeli male: the emotionally crippled ex-military macho or the new sensitive guy “in touch” with his emotions and feminine side.

“Big Brother”