Spreading Love in Hebrew: ואהבת in Israel and Beyond

Abstract Israeli bumper stickers and their related folk creativity are the subject of an ongoing analytical study. The stickers, typically organized into clusters, constitute a range of various discourses expressing key social and cultural processes and debates. In recent years, a one-word sticker— וְאָ֣הַבְתָּ֔ (veahavta, “You shall love”) – has emerged to become a noteworthy cultural icon. The present article provides an intimate, in-depth account of the creation, dissemination, and impact of the וְאָ֣הַבְתָּ֔ bumper sticker. Standing alone with its original nikkud (“vocalization marks”) and teamim (“cantillation marks”), וְאָ֣הַבְתָּ֔ has now become a potent, inspiring focus of ever-expanding meanings. From a documented act of creation, a spontaneous reaction to local conflict in one kibbutz, וְאָ֣הַבְתָּ֔ has acquired iconic status for many Israelis, who distribute it with enthusiasm and devotion, attributing to the word both particular and universal qualities. This article tells the detailed story of the emergence of וְאָ֣הַבְתָּ֔ and follows the pathways along which it has gained iconic status never before achieved by a Hebrew-language sticker, reaching locations far beyond Hebrew-speaking communities. This new phenomenon is documented and interpreted by means of a series of interviews carried out primarily with individuals who have contributed to וְאָ֣הַבְתָּ֔ ’s creation and dissemination.