Free Hugs in Tel Aviv

Videos first. Then an explanation...





This video made my day. It's earnest, sappy, and futile, and I love them for making it anyway. Somehow I missed it, but the 'Free Hugs' idea surfaced in first in Australia in 2004. A fellow calling himself "Juan Mann" made a 'Free Hugs' sign and got a friend to shoot video of him giving out free hugs in Sydney. The friend, who had a band, made it into a music video and posted it to You Tube. This video became the YouTube video of the year and has been replicated by huggers around the world. Including, as just shown, Israel. You can read more about 'Free Hugs' at Wikepedia.

The musician in the Tel Aviv 'Free Hug's video is Daniel Solomon. According to the YouTube blurb, the song is the title song from the movie "Someone to Run With." You can see the actual music video at Google Video. The musician in the Jaffa video is Hakim, from Egypt.

Hat Tip to Fred Blumenthal for writing to the Shamash Jewish Music Mailing List about this.