Ars (Hebrew: ערס `ars), or Arsim (the plural in Hebrew) is a derogatory Hebrew slang term derived from the Arabic word for pimp.[1] It is usually used to denote a certain ethnic stereotype: low-class men of Mizrahi origin who associate with a certain macho subculture.[2] An ars is typically crude, uses vulgar language, hangs out with criminal types and wears flashy clothing and jewelry.[3][4][5]
The origin of the term is from Arabic word Ars (Arabic: عرص, ʿarṣ) – which means shepherd, and is used colloquially to refer to pimps (who "shepherd" prostitutes).
While ars originated as a derogatory term for Mizrahim, it is also used for members of other ethnicities in Israeli society,[3][2] such as Russian-speaking immigrants or young men of Ethiopian origin.[6]
In 2013, an Israeli labor court ruled that a prospective employer discriminated against a Mizrahi applicant by calling him an ars.[7][8] This case set the precedent for recognizing the term ars as a racial epithet.[7][8]
In 2014, a documentary series called Arsim uFrekhot (frekha is a feminine equivalent epithet aimed at Mizrahi women) was broadcast on Israeli television.[9][10] The series examines the history of discrimination against Mizrahim and the social norms of white privilege versus Mizrahi marginalization as they appear in Israeli society.[11]
The mannerisms associated with pimps in the early days of the State of Israel, which formed the basis of the stereotypical ars: lack of education, associating with criminals, being prone to violence, hailing from low class neighborhoods, dressing in loud clothing, wearing gold chain necklaces or bracelets and using vulgar speech.[2] Related terms used by the Ashkenazi majority were "pushtak" (vacuous) and "tchakh-chakh" (riffraff).[2]
Sometimes the word ars is "feminized" by adding a feminine suffix (arsit), although it is not commonly used for women. The word frekha is the closest feminine epithet that is applied to Mizrahi women.[5] A "frekha" is the implied partner, neighbor, or relative of the ars, but the characteristics ascribed to her are different – the frekha is low-class, dresses gaudily, wears too much makeup, has long and brightly colored nails; she is flighty, shallow, a slave to fashion, and uneducated.[12][13]