Aviv Geffen Criticizes Odiya Pinto: "I Thought I Would Interest You in a Memorial Project"
Aviv Geffen shared a cynical message he sent to Odiya Pinto following the controversy she sparked on television, triggering a heated debate between those who praised his humor and those who accused him of public shaming.
The tension between the world of reality TV and cultural figures is escalating. Singer Aviv Geffen uploaded to his Instagram account a screenshot of a private message he sent to content creator and reality star Odiya Pinto. In the message, Geffen wrote cynically: "Hi Odiya, I thought I would interest you in a memorial project I am taking part in. My song that I wrote for Ben Zini, 'Livkot Lecha' ('To Cry For You'), is being released in a new version after more than 30 years; I would be happy if you share it."
This jab comes directly against the backdrop of an incident from the program "Zug Menatzeach" ("Winning Couple") on Channel 13 (a new episode airs Monday at 21:15), in which Pinto failed to recognize a photograph of the late Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. The incident triggered a wave of reactions on social media, after which Pinto rushed to clarify the situation and apologize several times. She explained that it was a moment of confusion in front of the cameras and that she, of course, knows very well who Yitzhak Rabin is and respects his memory.
Behind Geffen's cynicism lies a cultural protest, though it is worth setting the record straight regarding the history of the song. "Livkot Lecha" was originally written by Geffen in memory of his close friend Nir Sharabi, who was killed in a car accident in 1992, and was first performed by Arik Einstein. The song took on national significance when Geffen performed it at the peace rally on November 4, 1995, minutes before the assassination of Rabin, and has since become one of the distinct symbols of the memory of the Rabin assassination and Israeli culture in general. The cynical mention of social media star Ben Zini in the message was intended to highlight the gap that Geffen believes exists between reality TV culture and basic historical memory.
Geffen's story caused a stir online. Some users praised the singer's sharp humor against the backdrop of what they perceived as ignorance, while many others criticized the move, arguing that it was unnecessary condescension and public shaming of a young woman who had already taken responsibility, apologized, and explained her embarrassment.
(From Instagram)
