This is Srulik, an illustration representing Israel. He appeared first in 1956 in the newspaper Ma’ariv and was drawn by Kariel Gardosh (known by his pen name Dosh), one of the most notable and influential Israeli cartoonists. Dosh was a Holocaust survivor from Hungary, and as such he wanted to draw a Jewish character that would be the opposite of the Nazi charicatures of Jews.

Srulik was independent and pioneering. He loved nature and was a dedicated farmer and at times soldier, meant to subvert the anti-semitic view of Jews as cowardly, lazy parasites taking advantage of workers and embody the Israeli ideal (and especially that of the 1950s, Mapai party and Labour Zionism). Srulik always wore a kova tembel (round hat), blue or khaki shorts and biblical sandals, as per the kibbutz stereotype. He had an air of wide-eyed innocence about him, he viewed the world in a slightly child-like manner (but like all Jews, he had a little chutzpah).

Israel has changed quite a bit from the 1950s, Mapai party is gone and Labour Zionism of the form known back then is dying. Today we wonder, what would Srulik look like in 2011?