Israel News Network Group
It’s the end of an era.
Eighty-seven year old Yaakov Kirschen, a national treasure of the Jewish People and creator of the iconic Dry Bones comic strip, passed away Monday at Meir Medical Center in Kfar Saba after a long illness.
The Brooklyn-born political commentator, who studied art at Queens College, made aliyah to Israel in 1971; just two years later, he began drawing the daily editorial comic strip that ultimately became the top satirical barometer of Israeli politics.
The main character of the comic strip is Mr. Shuldig, whose name in Yiddish translates to “blame” or “guilt.” Jewish guilt, of course.
“Dry Bones” is a reference to the “Valley of Dry Bones” as described in the Book of Ezekiel, where those who have passed will be resurrected with the coming of Moshiach.
Among numerous other tributes, Kirschen was awarded the 2014 Nefesh B’Nefesh Bonei Zion Prize for his contribution to Israeli culture, as well as the Israeli Museum of Caricature and Comics’ Golden Pencil Award. He was a member of the US National Cartoonists Society and the Israeli Cartoonists Society.
In 2009, Kirschen served as a visiting fellow at Yale University’s Initiative for the Interdisciplinary Study of Antisemitism and Racism in 2009. The following year, the university published Kirschen’s paper on the subject, “Memetics and the Viral Spread of Antisemitism through Coded Images in Political Cartoons”.
“Dry Bones” was internationally syndicated and published by The Jerusalem Post for half a century. More recently, Kirschen published the cartoon under the Jewish News Syndicate (JNS).
The country’s most beloved cartoonist is survived by his wife, Sali Ariel.
Baruch Dayan haemes.
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