BNEI BRAK, Israel (AP) — Israel’s pious ultra-Orthodox Jewish community has long chafed at public displays of women, whether the images are of female public figures or ordinary women. Now even animated characters appear to be a no-go.
The PR company promoting “Smurfs: The Lost Village” movie, which opens Thursday in Israel, says it has removed the images of Smurfette — the only female among the Smurf characters — from promo posters in the central Israeli city of Bnei Brak.
The Mirka’im-Hutzot Zahav company says it did so as not to offend the city’s ultra-Orthodox residents. The original poster shows Smurfette alongside friends Brainy, Clumsy and Hefty. But in Bnei Brak, she’s nowhere to be found. The ultra-Orthodox press in Israel has previously avoided publishing pictures of Hillary Clinton during last year’s American presidential race.
A poster for the Smurfs, The Lost Village, movie is seen in the central Israeli city of Bnei Brak. Tuesday, March, 28, 2017. The PR firm promoting “Smurfs: The Lost Village” says it removed Smurfette from promo posters in central city of Bnei Brak so as not to offend its ultra-Orthodox Jewish residents. The deeply conservative ultra-Orthodox chafe at the public display of women’s images. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner)
http://www.limaohio.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/54/2017/03/web1_115768676-f7ddc60154ce4712a51df40b1cc2e334.jpgA poster for the Smurfs, The Lost Village, movie is seen in the central Israeli city of Bnei Brak. Tuesday, March, 28, 2017. The PR firm promoting “Smurfs: The Lost Village” says it removed Smurfette from promo posters in central city of Bnei Brak so as not to offend its ultra-Orthodox Jewish residents. The deeply conservative ultra-Orthodox chafe at the public display of women’s images. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner)
A poster for the Smurfs, The Lost Village, movie is seen in the central Israeli city of Ramat Gan. Tuesday, March, 28, 2017. The PR firm promoting “Smurfs: The Lost Village” says it removed Smurfette from promo posters in central city of Bnei Brak so as not to offend its ultra-Orthodox Jewish residents. The deeply conservative ultra-Orthodox chafe at the public display of women’s images. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner)
http://www.limaohio.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/54/2017/03/web1_115768676-505b4a0a7a7b4c79a2950aa029b28db8.jpgA poster for the Smurfs, The Lost Village, movie is seen in the central Israeli city of Ramat Gan. Tuesday, March, 28, 2017. The PR firm promoting “Smurfs: The Lost Village” says it removed Smurfette from promo posters in central city of Bnei Brak so as not to offend its ultra-Orthodox Jewish residents. The deeply conservative ultra-Orthodox chafe at the public display of women’s images. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner)
