Israeli Man's Iraqi-Jewish Arabic Videos Go Viral in Iraq

Guy Shweibel Shaul, a 24-year-old from Pardes Hanna, has gained significant traction on Instagram by posting videos in Iraqi-Jewish Arabic, the language of his family. His account, under the name Sami Shaul, has amassed around 30,000 followers, with the vast majority of views and engagement coming from Iraq. Shweibel Shaul began learning Arabic after the October 7th attacks, rediscovering his family's heritage and falling in love with the nearly extinct dialect.

His content includes explanations of Jewish holidays like Yom Kippur, lessons in Iraqi-Jewish Arabic with his grandfather, and historical accounts such as the 1941 Farhud pogrom in Baghdad. He also organizes joint events for young Jews and Arabs in Haifa. Shweibel Shaul's connection to Arabic began in a bilingual school in Jerusalem but faded after his family moved. He decided to relearn the language and actively promote understanding between Arabs and Jews during this difficult period.

The viral success began with a Passover video where he taught his family an Iraqi-Arabic version of 'Echad Mi Yodea.' The video garnered hundreds of thousands of views overnight, primarily from Iraq, surprising him with the audience's interest. He believes there is a strong desire among young Iraqis to learn about the Jewish community that once lived there, a history often omitted from school curricula.

One of his most popular videos, with over 4.3 million views, features a 90-year-old man named Eli who expresses a desire to return to Iraq and shares memories of his childhood. Shweibel Shaul estimates that about 90% of his audience is from Iraq or the Iraqi diaspora. While acknowledging some negative comments, he emphasizes that most reactions are positive, with Iraqis expressing that Jews represent a "color they lost" and are the "original Iraqis."

Shweibel Shaul sees his work as a mission to introduce Iraqi Jews to a wider audience, rebuild connections, and counter negative stereotypes about Israelis. He has recently added Hebrew subtitles to reach Israeli audiences, highlighting the rich history and culture that many Israelis, even those with Iraqi roots, are unaware of. He also notes a positive response from Iraqi-Israeli communities in Israel who connect with his content.