Israel's Birthday Present to Itself: Renaming "Swine Flu"

What, you thought it was just a joke? That when swine flu surfaced, the only Jewish comedy to arise would be people proclaiming the illness unkosher, followed by a swell of pride from kosher Jews declaring themselves morally superior for not exposing themselves to pigs. (Wait, that sounded wrong. But you know what I meant.)

[Photo at left from http://blogofneworleans.com.]

The day after Israel celebrated its 61st birthday, one of her health ministers gave the world a comedy present. Here's how you deal with a deadly strain of flu named after an unclean animal. You rename it after the country it came from.

Ultra-Orthodox Deputy Health Minister Yakov Litzman on Monday declared that Israel would call the new potentially deadly disease that has already struck two continents 'Mexico Flu,' rather than 'Swine Flu, as pigs are not kosher.

"We will call it Mexico flu. We won't call it swine flu," Litzman told a news conference on Monday,

Suddenly, I'm wondering how turkey (itself already a country, in addition to an animal) got the name הודו, meaning "India." I know it comes from תרנגול הודו, but beyond that: if you're going to name a bird that is already named after a country something in Hebrew, why not be consistent and name it תורכיה?

Welcome to my brain.

Thank you, Ha'aretz, for bringing this important piece of news to Religion and State in Israel's attention.

Comments

[Joel Katz]

Esther,
Don't miss the 2 great cartoons from Haaretz on the Swine flu (Oops, I mean "Mexico flu").

Joel

[Shtuey]

I'm calling it Shirley.

[Sujan Patricia]

H1N1 (referred to as “swine flu” early on) is a new influenza virus causing illness in people. Symptoms of swine flu are similar to those caused by other influenza viruses. Health authorities across the globe are taking steps to try to stem the spread of swine flu after outbreaks in Mexico and the United States. The World Health Organization has called it a "public health emergency of international concern."

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take the this pandemic emergency with a little of humor is the right way to confront this emergency.

Elizabeth D.Taylor

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hmm I think that more seriousness is needed to confront this.

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