Ars (slang)

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Ars (Arabic: عرص‎, Hebrew: ערס‎), or Arsim (plural) is a slang word used in Israel to describe a person of bad manners, flashy jewelry, and overall rudeness. They will usually be Sephardi or Mizrahi Jews; stereotypically, of Moroccan background.

Etymology: from the Arabic language 'ars: young shepherd, but mostly used in Cairo and other Arab cities to denote a pimp. A long form used sometimes is arsawwat.^[1]

Arsim (the plural form) are the butt of many jokes by Israeli stand-up comedians, such as Naor Zion, Shalom Asayag, Yaakov Cohen and others who hail from small towns with significant Ars population.

Some stereotypical Ars characteristics are: pants worn very low ("taybas"), bad usage of the Hebrew language, bling jewellery, Hebrew phrases such as "lama mi met?" (English: why, who died?) whenever criticized for their rude behavior (esp. on the road), and no respect for women. It is also associated with spitting on the road, smoking, and computer illiteracy or a very occasional computer usage. It is considered by some to denote violence.

The Arsim in Israel usually listen to Hiphop music or Mizrahi music (eastern music or Arabic music). In the US, the Arsim tend to listen to a late-1990s variety of Tel Aviv Techno, with some of them even becoming promoters and DJs of this type of music in NYC and other large American cities. [1]

Female Ars is usually arsit, or also Freha (פרחה) or Fakatsa (פקצה).

The Tel Aviv District's lower-income cities of Bat Yam and Holon are often associated with arsim.[2]

Arsim are also considered to use language in an incorrect way i.e., usage of a lot of slang. See chav for a close analogy.