Hi,
Last the streets of Israel turned into a battlefield of foam and strings. Yes, this Independence Day here in Israel, and and kids with spray cans of Foams and strings fought themselves in the streets.
If you aren’t from here, it’s hard to explain the madness. While other countries have dignified parades, we have those foam wars in the streets.
It’s a tradition that supposedly started back in the late 70s or early 80s. People say it evolved from simple streamers and party poppers until someone realized that “snow spray”—which was probably meant for theater sets or Christmas—was much more fun to spray at strangers. By the 90s, it became the unofficial national sport of the holiday.
I remember myself as a teenager in downtown Jerusalem, walking through Ben Yehuda and Zion Square. Back then, it wasn’t just a few sprays here and there. The foam was so thick it was about 50 cm high, covering the entire floor from wall to wall.
It looked exactly like real snow (something we in Jerusalem really like). We would walk through it up to our knees, looking like we were trekking through the Alps instead of the Middle East. You’d come home completely soaked and smelling like cheap soap, but it was part of the experience.
The weaponry is quite standard this days: the white Sheleg (snow) spray and that neon-colored Hutim (Silly String) that sticks to everything.
I guess it’s our way of letting off steam. In a country that is often so intense and serious, there’s something oddly therapeutic about seeing everyone, from toddlers to soldiers, covered in white bubbles.
Take Care,
Gad
Snow and string spray sold next the charcoal for Independence day traditional BBQ (Al-Aesh)
Jannaeus and Mindal spraying foam and strings around (I bought each one can, so they were looking trough trashed one around to check if they have some in it)
The aftermath of the foam war in the playground near us