Project Kesher Condemns new Omer Adam Song as Dangerous and False

Project Kesher condemns the new Omer Adam song as dangerous and false, and offers an uplifting message to Russian women and girls. 

In response to the now well critiqued new song “Kakdila” by Omer Adam, in which he sings about a young Russian-speaking Israeli girl who, amongst other unflattering things, doesn’t know Hebrew, drinks too much, and doesn’t remember what she did the next morning. This song is not only, as Labor Party leader Transportation Minister Merav Michaeli said, “the most vulgar three minutes” but the song falsely spreads prejudiced stereotypes about Russian women, shames Russian survivors of sexual assault, and presents real and immediate dangers to young Russian-speaking girls in Israel. In fact, Russian-speaking women are the pillars of our communities, they are essential workers in the pandemic and in all Israeli businesses, and they are the future leaders of Israel. Russian-speaking women in Israel are deserving of praise, thanks, and resources that will help them and their families thrive. Russian-speaking immigrants have potential to play a critical role in future Israeli elections and in society over the next generations. 

In the song, Adam, a very popular Israeli singer and pop culture icon, makes fun of this young Russian girl, a fate that, Executive Director of PK Israel Rabbi Olya Weinstein, says, no doubt awaits any girl with Russian heritage who heads to school today. “This song will be the hit of the nation, and Israeli boys and girls will use it as a cover for bullying and humiliating the children of Russian immigrants in Israel, and they are already a persecuted group in Israeli society.” 

Weinstein continues, “To all the Russian girls who hear this song and begin to feel badly about themselves - stay strong. Hold your head up high and know that you are special, you are worthy of respect, and the future ahead of you is bright.”

Karyn Grossman Gershon, Executive Director of Project Kesher in the US added, “What I know from 13 years of work with Russian-speaking women in Israel is that they are amongst the hardest working, most determined people in the world, as they support intergenerational families to thrive in a new country and new language. This song is not only dangerous and false, it promotes discrimination, abuse, and bullying in Israeli culture.”