By Carmit Birnbaum
Musician, comedian, satirist, and television star, Noam Jacobson, one of Israel’s most eclectic entertainers, traces his roots to AMIT. As a student at AMIT Bar llan Gush Dan, Jacobson was most influenced by the atmosphere of his class. “It was fun to be there,” he said, adding that the students were a special group. “We would stay after class, singing and dancing, and improvising. There was an amazing energy in those years.”
Following high school, Jacobson went to Hesder Yeshiva, combining advanced Talmudic study with military service. He then signed up for medical school in Tel Aviv. However, because it was such a big commitment, he decided to take off a year.
“I auditioned at the Rimon Music School, but I didn’t really know anything about it. I thought I was registering for guitar. ‘No,’ they told me on the first day. ‘You’re a singer,’” he recalled. So in lieu of pursuing medicine and becoming a doctor, Jacobson finished with a BA in Music and a certificate in music education.
Years later, a television show manager noticed Jacobson’s charisma as he performed with his band at a wedding. They brought him in for auditions to “Latma,” a weekly satirical news show, similar to “Saturday Night Live” Weekend Update, but critical of Israel’s left-leaning media. Jacobson become a star of the show, most notably for portraying such characters as Tawil Fadiha, Palestinian Minister of Uncontrollable Rage, and Rashid Hamumani, Iranian Minister of Destruction.
In the years of performance that followed, Jacobson has become a comedy connoisseur. “Comedy is about making people feel and laugh and think about things. Satire should sometimes hurt because it touches upon something real. A good satire will make you laugh even if you disagree.” When it comes to political correctness and its impact on his comedy, Jacobson said, “Of course we have to be sensitive and passionate and listen to what others think and feel. But PC has become a silencer, a religion. I have one religion. I don’t need another.”
These days, Jacobson performs with his band, Lahakat Inian Acher, channeling a range of diverse influences and a unifying sensibility. “I like the broken voices,” he said. “Honesty in art is more important than what is technically accurate. Music is about making people feel and connecting. If you’re honest, it’s going to do the work. If it is empty, that’s apparent.”
He also is involved with a new English comedy project, “Stayin Alive.” The comedy-satire stage show had toured the U.S. to much acclaim and is planning a return. Aimed at American Jewish communities and colleges, the show attempts to bring a balanced, thoughtful approach to issues such as BDS, anti-Israel media, and other critical questions. The show includes music, satire, skits, and stand-up, allowing Jacobson to highlight his varied talents.
“‘Stayin Alive’ is a powerful show,” said Jacobson. “Those talking about pro-Zionist issues rarely use humor. They use intellectualism, explanations, or emotions, citing people who have been lost for example. We, on the other hand, take humor, a most ancient and powerful tool of the Jewish nation and we make it of use to us. With humor, you can make a path to subjects that would otherwise be hard to reach.”
