The Lesson (שעת אפס)

THE CHARACTERS AND EVENTS DEPICTED IN THIS SERIES ARE FICTIONAL.

KAN 11 AND JASMINE TV PRESENT

THE LESSON

Why can’t we stop at an ATM?

I can’t be late today. Is it urgent?

- Check under your seat, Dad. - It’s my money, after all.

- I work for it. - Enough!

Can you look for my goggles?

You’ll get your 150 shekels today with interest, okay?

- What is it? - I think I left them at Mom’s.

Can you swing by? I’ll call her to bring them out.

Stop that.

Tell her to be outside. We’re late.

She’s not answering.

- Dad, swing by. - Not if she’s not answering.

Can’t you borrow goggles at the pool or from a friend?

She’s got OCD. Take a chill pill.

Shut up! I’ll just run in and get them.

It’s not fair. It’s my home, too.

You only go in if Mom’s car isn’t there.

If you can swing by Mom’s place, you can stop at an ATM.

Dad!

I said you’d get your money today, okay? I promised.

What are you doing? Agam, come back.

Agam!

Come on, goddammit...

Shut up.

Kill yourself.

Good morning.

Dad, give me a sec. I’m in a rush.

It’s 1,000 degrees outside.

The classroom is freezing.

Let’s go, we’re late.

- Why didn’t you pick up? - This is out of line.

- Where’s Agam? - We had a crisis. Forget it. Sorry.

- We had a deal. Was it an emergency? - Yes, she got hysterical. I’m sorry, okay?

We thought you were out. Your car isn’t here.

It shouldn’t happen. Call me when you’re alone.

- What? - Your beauty mark looks bigger.

- Give me a break. - Dad, we’re late.

Sorry.

It’s okay. You can come over to my place whenever you want.

Why are people so gross?

Fuck that loser. I blocked him. He’s a piece of shit.

- Answer him. - No, not after what happened at the pool.

- Excuse me. I told them off. - Yeah, and almost got killed.

What the heck is a “lousy lay”? Did you two have some problem?

- Like... - Listen, the problem is him.

- But what does it mean? - Forget it.

I want to know, for Asi.

What not to do, now that the poor guy has broken up with Ola.

I need to comfort him.

Position statements, anyone?

Your final exams are in a month.

Leanne Zarhi.

I think the state first has to care for the poor.

What did we just discuss? Are you for it or against it?

What an honor, Asi.

Yes?

I’m against throwing money away on a space station, seeing as how...

Why not “because”? And what’s this “throwing money away”?

- You didn’t let me finish. - Here we say “conclude”.

But you’re not listening to what I’m saying.

Because your phrasing and vocabulary are poor.

So what, if you don’t care what I say?

- Darling, I already passed my final exam. - I haven’t. That’s why I’m asking.

If people only said “because” instead of “seeing as how”,

would “because” be considered poor language?

Want to delve deeper? Do an assignment.

I just asked a question.

You’re wasting my time and your friends’. Out!

You didn’t answer me. I deserve to know why.

Excuse me. “Seeing as how” I deserve to know why.

Why? Respect for authority. Principal’s office!

What’s going on, Leanne?

Nothing. I asked a question and Reli sent me to Zeev’s office.

Enjoying the show?

- Why to Zeev? - Because she’s on her period.

Leanne, mind your language!

I just asked her why my phrasing is more important than what I’m saying.

Good question, but maybe not for grammar class.

- What did she say? - “Go to Zeev!”

- Quieten down, will you? - But she didn’t even hear me out.

- I see. - Now they’ll call my parents.

Why argue with Reli? Voice your opinions in the right place.

- There is no place. - Isn’t there?

Come up with a good topic for an assignment in my class, and I’ll talk to Reli.

And “she’s on her period” is something guys say.

- Anybody got 200 shekels in cash? - I’ll check.

- Michael? - Nope.

No, sorry.

Supervising shifts, tomorrow. IDF orientation day, 12th graders.

Have you got 200 shekels? I can do a transfer.

Let me check.

- Will 150 help? - Yeah, good enough.

Agam is scared I’ll run off with his dog-walking money. I owe you one.

Great. Join my shift tomorrow.

IDF orientation day? I have a doctor’s exemption.

TRANSFER APPROVED

- You’re deserting me in battle? - I’ll save you some other time.

Come on, Reli, calm down.

Amir, what happened with Leanne?

She train-wrecked the class so I sent her to Zeev,

and Amir cut a deal with her behind my back.

- “Cut a deal”... You went too far. - It’s a disciplinary issue in my class.

But what happened?

They argued. I felt Leanne had an interesting take.

It’s Leanne Zarhi, not Bar or Eden. She’s plain rude.

What did you promise her, Amir?

I suggested that if she presents a real issue for an assignment –

not a “Google problem”, but something that truly bothers her –

then maybe Reli will let it slide and everything will be resolved.

Do you think you’re Janusz Korczak? Support the good guys!

I don’t get why equal pay for women isn’t a real problem.

Or why men don’t make more money babysitting.

It has to be something that bothers me, or she’ll send me to Zeev.

How about your “lousy lay” text message? That would be a great topic.

It’s worse than dick pics. It’ll make them think.

- Imagine if texts like that were illegal. - Don’t do it.

It’s a straight-out infringement of human dignity.

These texts can totally scar people. Not you, obviously.

- But it didn’t happen to you! - Fuck.

Got any pads?

So you see, you pay your government’s salary.

They work for you.

The ballot you cast at elections is just a deposit.

If they don’t do their job, you won’t vote for them again.

You have power, you’re on social media. Make a difference.

Or let other people run your lives. Leanne...

So, did you think of a topic?

Leanne?

Well...

there’s a problem at the pool.

In what sense?

What is it now?

Leanne...

- I’ll have one next lesson, okay? - No.

It’s either now or we part as friends and you can say hi to Zeev from me.

- So there’s a problem at the pool. - The pool is fine.

But the people who hang out there...

Okay, we were at the pool yesterday, and as we were going in,

these two Arabs were sitting there staring at us

and they started saying disgusting things.

Okay.

“Sit on my face, I know you want to.”

Of course, I told them off, but their nasty mom showed up.

I said, “Tell your boys to show respect.”

She said, “If you cover yourselves, they won’t look at you.”

“Men will look,” that’s what she said. Yuck!

They’re there on purpose.

These Arabs from Tira and Tayibe keep coming there.

Why do we need to back down?

Okay.

It’s very upsetting. So, you’re describing an issue of sexual harassment in public.

By Arabs.

My dad won’t let my sister go to the pool alone.

Exactly!

And it’s a double infringement of rights.

An infringement of personal security and of human dignity.

So, how would you deal with this problem? This is a practical assignment.

Ban them from the pool with a sign “No entry for Arabs”.

- “No entry for Arabs”? - Could you be any more racist?

Why racist? Did I say they’re Ethiopians? Or Bukharis, God forbid?

Adil drives you crazy over your final exams.

Hamudi cleans your classroom, the bathroom...

The bathroom could be better.

They want to take a dip in the pool and suddenly “No entry”?

They’ll get a special pass.

That’s just it. So there are a few who are okay.

Still happy with the categorical “No entry for Arabs”?

I can’t check each one of them.

Exactly. Denial of entry, no matter to whom, not only doesn’t solve the problem,

it also violates the right to equality.

So why does the teachers’ lounge say “No entry for students”?

I’ll complain!

Nice try, but high school isn’t a democratic institution,

whereas your assignment was to offer a democratic solution.

Come on.

I never once saw Hamudi or Adil at the pool.

Leanne is right. Those guys are looking for easy Jewish girls.

They don’t respect women. It’s in their blood.

Okay, I’m glad you joined us, Asi.

Remember what happened in Cyprus?

In Eilat, in Greece? In Ashkelon?

“Our” boys. Government officials, IDF officials, a president. Sent to jail.

- It’s not the same. - It’s exactly the same, Asi.

Harassment is a problem, women’s status in Arab society is a problem,

but attributing a trait to a certain race,

saying that men harass because they’re Arabs, that’s racism.

What if he calls you “a Jewcy pussy”? Jewcy! Who’s the racist then?

That’s horrible, and nobody has the right to say that.

But it’s not nobody. It’s Arabs!

Let them swim in their own pools with the Arab girls,

who swim in their pajamas.

Okay.

Ever wondered why they come to your pool?

Because they don’t have one.

The Arab authorities are poor. They have no pools or parks...

I’m heartbroken.

Provide a pool for them. What do you say? They’ll stop coming here.