Moishe Oofnik

  Muppeteer :   Gilles Ben - David   Moishe Oofnik  ( אופניק מוישה ) is a brown  Grouch  who lives in a broken car. He ' s also the resident  Grouch  on Rechov Sumsum, the Israeli co - production of  SESAME STREET  , & also appeared in the bilingual version , Shalom  SESAME  & the later Israeli - Palestinian co - production Rechov Sumsum / Shara ' a Simsim. In 2006, he returned for the new version of Rechov Sumsum.

Oofnik is also the cousin of  OSCAR THE GROUCH  ( so he is also the cousin of  OSCAR  ' s brother s,  ERNEST  &  OTTO THE GROUCH  & their sister  BUNNY  ) , & , not surprisingly , he share s many of his cousin  ' s tastes. Rather than celebrating Rosh Hashanah by dipping app le slices into honey for a sweet new year, Moishe tells us that Oofnik s prefer to dip them into sardine grease so the new year will be slimy. He loves to hear Itzhak Perlman play violin, as long as the music is off - key. If he responds lovingly to flowers & puppies, it ' s probably a sign that he ' s gotten a bad case of spring fever. According to 1 scene from the show ( re - dubbed for the Shalom  SESAME  episode, " Kibbutz " ) , Moishe ' s grandfather was a pioneer & the 1 st  Grouch  in Israel.

Oofnik is the only Israeli Muppet who has endured since the 1 st incarnation of Rechov Sumsum. Haim Idisis, a long - time scriptwriter for t h e s how , explained his longevity : " Oofnik is probably the only lasting character . Those type s always survive , he ' ll stay shut in his  trash can  & survive . He ' s not young , but he ' ll stay childish for ever . "

His surname, Oofnik is Hebrew for  Grouch . In 199 3, he & Kippi Ben Kippod appeared on ''[http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/Sesame_Street_Stays_Up_Late!  SESAME   STREET  Stays Up Late ! ]'', to show how Israel rings in the New Year. How ever, the character was introduced as Oofnik the  Grouch  , a redundant label. He also makes a cameo ( albiet colored yellow ) in the 1 st Sesame Street comic book issue.

TV / Movies / Specials

 * Rechov Sumsum ( 1 9 8 2 - present )
 * Shalom  SESAME  ( 1 9 8 6 - present )
 * Rechov Sumsum / Shara'a Simsim (1998 - present )
 *  SESAME   STREET  Stays Up Late ! ( 1993 )