Israel's Sextival

A couple of weeks ago, Israel held its first sex festival.

From the Jerusalem Post:

Don't try comparing Nitzan Kirshenbaum with America's famous sex therapist Dr. Ruth Westheimer. Kirshenbaum is a vivacious Tel Aviv-area former model and mother of two, and Dr. Ruth is, well, Dr. Ruth.

But while Kirshenbaum may not be able to offer couples any advice on their sex lives, she and Dr. Ruth do share a common goal of attempting to take the smirks, shadows and mystery out of sex. Kirshenbaum's avenue toward achieving that aim is just a little different than Dr. Ruth's; she's promoting the "Sextival," touted as Israel's first sex and erotica expo, which is slated to take place February 5-7 at Hangar 11 in Tel Aviv.

"We've been thinking about the idea for a Sextival for a long time, ever since we saw a sex fair in Berlin," said Kirshenbaum, who for the last seven years has run her company, NKP Innovative Productions, together with her husband. "The idea is to get the issue of sex out in the open. It's out there in the world, it's big and beautiful and everyone does it. Why not take it out from behind closed doors, enable people to ask questions, and decrease the fear and darkness surrounding it?"

"We see the Sextival as not only a venue for entertainment and pleasure, but also as educational. People are interested in learning more about sex, how to improve and make things interesting. Erotica is an integral part of the life of an adult. It's nothing to be embarrassed about. We want to present the issue to people in a way that they won't be ashamed, and they'll be able to freely check out what fits them best."

THE SEXTIVAL - which will have a live feed to the Ego channel on HOT - will be something like a sex supermarket. Among items on display and for sale will be sexual aids and accessories like lingerie, candles and oils: "Items that help create an atmosphere," explains Kirshenbaum.

Vendors will also be selling adult DVDs, there will be displays of erotic photographs and drawings and workshops focusing on improving sex life will be conducted.

As it turned out, the Sextival wasn't exactly an educational experience.

Contrary to the festival's promotional claims, while its overall atmosphere would not be earth-shattering to the mainstream public - which is fed a regular diet of sexuality in the media - it was certainly neither laid-back nor casual. This writer felt she had attended a large entertainment venue whose main focus and attraction was the strippers.

While fun and often funny, the educational aspect the public was led to believe would be the purpose of the event was not there. There were no workshops, no easy browsing or discreet shopping, and while subtlety is not Israelis' forte, the go-for-the-jugular and misleading approach was slightly intimidating for the average person, especially for the ladies.

Playboy was Sextival's largest sponsor. Local companies also supported the event.

Miller Brewing Company's allegiance to the Folsom Street Fair makes me wonder if Miller was an official sponsor of the Sextival in Tel Aviv.

If Miller wasn't a sponsor this time, maybe it will be next year -- if there is a next year.

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Watch a video report of the event.