Lipa Schmeltzer toasts Pepsi Max
Lipa Schmeltzer, chasidic pop star and glasses fashionista, now can add another line to his resume: Israeli Pepsi Max endorser.
Lipa, who has broken with his Brooklyn charedi community in supporting the State of Israel, recorded a minute-long Pepsi Max commercial blending Israeli culture with his own Yiddish roots that showed up on YouTube earlier this week.
He quickly announced the campaign’s launch on Facebook.
In the spot, Lipa enters an Israeli diner crowded with charedi men. The cashier smiles and offers Lipa trademark Israeli foods like schnitzel, shwarma, and a mixed meat dish. Lipa rejects them all. The cashier is visibly surprised.
Lipa then sees a Pepsi Max cooler in the back of the restaurant. He gets an ice-cold bottle and drinks. Suddenly, a dance party breaks out. Lipa says, “Pepsi Max: That’s what I’m looking for,” and the commercial cuts to a slogan, “Top Heymish Food,” written in English. Heymish is Yiddish for “comfortably familiar.”
The commercial ends with Hebrew text inviting viewers to take a poll about their opinions on the most heymish restaurant in Israel.
This is far from Lipa’s first foray into pop culture — he’s been called the “chasidic Lady Gaga” — although we’re not sure by whom. A few weeks ago, he sang with lesbian Israeli composer Corinne Alal. In April, he appeared in the season finale of the Comedy Central TV show “Broad City.”
He is also studying for a degree at Columbia University.
Lipa’s dress can be unorthodox at times. He’s known for his vast collection of unconventional glasses and often wears colorful shirts and vests. In the ad, of course, he wears a kippah embroidered with the Pepsi Max logo.
JTA Wire Service
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