Paddington 2 Replaces Marmalade With Matzo
Graphic by Angelie Zaslavsky
The anthropomorphised spectacled bear who delighted generations of British children is now coming to Israel, just in time for Passover break, and is putting marmalade aside for…matzo.
Israel’s got a bit of a weird relationship with Paddington. Nechama Rivlin, wife of Israeli President Reuven Rivlin and lifelong Paddington enthusiast, is getting on the action, playing a voice-over role in the Hebrew dubbing of the film.
But there’s a ban on bread in Israel from March 30 to April 7 this year, because of Passover, making Paddington’s beloved marmalade sandwiches verboten. So what’s a beloved children’s entertainer to do?
Movie posters in religious areas of Israel showed Paddington holding a piece of matzo. Oron Shamir, writing in Haaretz, wondered if this is “religious coercion” and “religionization” — indeed, is this censorship or a cute, country-specific nod to the local traditions?
After all, this isn’t the first time that film releases in Israel involved some adaptation — last year, the female Smurfettes from ‘Smurfs: The Lost Village’ were removed from posters hanging in religious neighborhoods.
But Disney-Pixar is known for its attention to detail when it comes to adapting movies for an international audience. Is this just another case of judicious audience engagement, or is Paddington’s identity being re-defined to merit a glatt kosher stamp?
Shira Feder is a writer for the Forward. You can reach her at [email protected]
This is a moment of great uncertainty. Here’s what you can do about it.
We hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, we’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s independent Jewish news this Passover. All donations are being matched by the Forward Board - up to $100,000.
This is a moment of great uncertainty for the news media, for the Jewish people, and for our sacred democracy. It is a time of confusion and declining trust in public institutions. An era in which we need humans to report facts, conduct investigations that hold power to account, tell stories that matter and share honest discourse on all that divides us.
With no paywall or subscriptions, the Forward is entirely supported by readers like you. Every dollar you give this Passover is invested in the future of the Forward — and telling the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
The Forward doesn’t rely on funding from institutions like governments or your local Jewish federation. There are thousands of readers like you who give us $18 or $36 or $100 each month or year.
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
