"Whose daughter are you?" — animated graduation project on Ethiopian-Israeli wedding culture clashes

The project

Batam Ainao, 27, from Beit Shemesh, a design student at the Holon Institute of Technology (HIT), created a short animated film titled "Whose Daughter Are You?" as her graduation project — following the cultural clashes surrounding her wedding to Eilam, an Israeli of Polish-Yemenite descent.

What the film shows

The film contrasts Ethiopian-Jewish customs with general Israeli ones in the context of a wedding:

• Ethiopian custom: broad community participation, honor expressed through lineage (grandparents' names listed on the invitation), an unlimited guest list, communal food preparation, and respect protocols (daughters-in-law address in-laws by formal title, not first name)
• General Israeli custom: venue capacity limits, a predetermined guest count, and direct use of first names

Quote from the film

> "At an Ethiopian wedding, everyone is invited. Who wouldn't you invite?"

Ainao describes herself as "100 percent Ethiopian and also 100 percent Israeli."

Why it matters to the community

The project offers a personal, humorous look at the cultural-expectation gaps mixed couples in the community navigate, and raises a conversation about blending customs across cultures.

Source

• ynet, Aug 3, 2026