Israeli Intermissions by Gary Hainsworth

Israeli multiplexes have a feature seldom seen in North America (except as a novelty a la The Hateful Eight): intermissions. For whatever reason, probably as a throwback to theatrical tradition, long epic movies like "Spartacus" (1960) or "Lawrence of Arabia" (1962) used to have intermissions. Now you generally only see intermissions in the States when TCM plays an old movie.

I once asked a sabra working at the concession stand why movie theatres in Israel have intermissions. She scoffed, implying both the annoyance at the questioner, the question and the ubiquity of it being asked by foreigners. "Where are you from?" she asked, monotone.

"New York...originally."

"America," she said, correcting me but in a tone where I couldn't tell if she was asking or telling me.

"Yes," I said. "New York is in America."

"Yes. I know this. Everyone knows this."

"Okay," I said. "So, why are there intermissions?"

She stood there for a moment, sighed again, then produced an answer to my question. Can you imagine an Israeli going forty-five minutes without a cigarette?"

© 2016 by Gary Hainsworth