Miss Israel (also referred to as , , ) is a national beauty pageant in Israel. The pageant was founded in 1950 and the winners were sent to international pageants such as Miss Universe and Miss World.

History

In the late 1920s, a "Queen Esther Beauty Pageant" was held in Tel Aviv, centred on the holiday of Purim. The first Miss Israel took place in 1950, two years after Israel's independence.

From then onwards, Miss Israel was the national franchise holder for Miss World, Miss Universe, and Miss International. The pageant's official winner represented Israel at Miss World and or Miss Universe and the runners-up at Miss International, and Miss Europe.

In 2022, the original organizers (LaIsha) cancelled the pageant amid controversies over its relevance to modern social standards. It was then restarted under new management, and in 2024, the Miss Universe Israel pageant was organized by Edgar Saakyan, owner of Edgar Entertainment.

Controversy Under Edgar Entertainment

In June 2026, the Miss Israel Organization became the subject of public controversy after reigning titleholder Melanie Shiraz alleged that the 2026 selection process had been predetermined and that no genuine national pageant would take place. One day before the organization's announcement, Shiraz publicly stated on Instagram that Danielle Yablonka would be selected as the winner. Yablonka was announced as the organization's representative the following day after the organization stated that, due to the ongoing war, it would not hold a national pageant and instead had appointed its representative directly. The controversy followed broader criticism of changes to the competition under the new franchise holder, Edgar Entertainment, which owns the license for Miss Universe Armenia and Uzbekistan as well. Since becoming the license-holder for the Israel franchise in 2024, Edgar Entertainment held the Miss Israel pageant in Miami, Florida, both in 2024 and 2025, rather than Israel, and applications were opened to non-Israeli Jews from the Diaspora. In a statement, the organization, which is partly managed by Edgar Entertainment, falsely claimed that Miss Israel LLC is an Israeli company, despite Florida state filings showing that the production company Edgar Entertainment and a company in Puerto Rico manage Miss Israel LLC, which was set up in 2025.

Prior to the announcement of the 2026 titleholder, several media outlets reported on a recording in which an Edgar Entertainment producer described a process designed to "look like a pageant" and discussed creating a surprise crowning moment despite there being no competitive selection process. The Algemeiner reported that attorneys for the organization acknowledged awareness of the recording but did not dispute its authenticity, instead stating that they were considering legal action over the recording itself.

Shiraz also alleged intimidation, financial extortion, and abusive treatment by the organization's leadership, and denounced ties with the organization. Her criticism of the organization's explanation for cancelling the pageant drew attention because the appointment occurred during a period in which other large-scale public events in Israel, including the 2026 Maccabiah Games, were proceeding.

Pageant rules

As part of reforms introduced in the early 2020s, eligibility requirements for Miss Israel were expanded. Contestants must be at least 18 years old and hold Israeli citizenship. Restrictions related to marital status, motherhood, height, and weight were removed, allowing married and divorced women, as well as mothers, to participate. Candidates must not have a criminal record or be associated with explicit or erotic content. Since Edgar Enterainment's acquisition of the license, eligibility was controversially opened to all Jewish women globally, even if they did not possess Israeli citizenship.

International crowns

• Miss Europe 1994 – Lilach Ben-Simon

Miss Asia Pacific International:

• Nurit Mizrachi (winner, 1985)

• Tali Ben-Harush (winner, 1992)

Grand slam franchise holders

• Miss Universe (1952–2022; 2024—present) — Edgar Saakyan (2024—present)

• Miss World (1952–2017)

• Miss International (1960–2005)

• Miss Earth (2003–2009)

Track records

Miss Universe

On 20 July 2021, Miss Universe confirmed that the competition would be held in the Israeli city of Eilat in December 2021.

Winners

• 1951 – Michal Harʾel, former honorary president of the Women's International Zionist Organization and member of the World Jewish Congress

• 1958 – Miriam Hadar, finalist at Miss Universe

• 1999 – Rana Raslan, first Arab and Muslim to win the title

• 2004 – Gal Gadot, actress

• 2005 – Elena Ralph, first winner to be placed at Miss Universe since 2001

• 2013 – Yityish Titi Aynaw, first Ethiopian Jew to win the title

Audience favorites

In some years, spectators at home were able to choose their favorite contestant by SMS:

• 2000 – Nirit Bakshi

• 2003 – Shahar Nehorai

• 2004 – Keren Friedman

• 2005 – Jennifer Bop

• 2008 – Shunit Faragi

• 2018 – Emma Eytan

• 2019 – Maya Barsheshet

• 2020 – Tali Krasnopolski

• 2021 – Alin Gurevich

Hosts

• Shaike Ophir (1954)

• Alexander Yahalomi (1957)

• Uri Zohar (1960)

• Rivka Michaeli (1963, 1965, 1989)

• Meni Peer (1972, 1973)

• Dudu Topaz (1991)

• Hanny Nahmias (1992, 1993)

• Mike Burstyn (1992)

• Sapir Koffman (1993)

• Miki Kam (1994)

• Gilat Ankori (1996)

• Noa Tishby (1997, 1998)

• Alon Reinhorn (1998)

• Lion Rosenberg (1999)

• Yael Abecassis (2000)

• Aki Avni (2001, 2002)

• Yael Bar Zohar (2004)

• Orna Datz (2005)

• Raz Meirman (2005)

• Orna Datz (2006)

• Galit Gutmann (2007, 2008, 2009)

• Guy Zu-Aretz (2009

• Hilla Nachshon (2010, 2011)

• Ilanit Levi (2014)

• Titi Aynaw (2016)

• Shani Hazan (2017)

• Reef Neeman (2021)

Judges

• Binyamin Gibli (1973)

• Lea Gottlieb (1973)

• Ora Namir (1989)

• Rina Mor (1989, 2004))

• Dorit Jellinek (1997)

• Galit Gutmann (2001)

• Judy Shalom Nir-Mozes (2003)

• Ronit Yudkevitz (2005)

• Judy Shalom Nir-Mozes (2005)

• Michal Yannai (2007)

• Yael Goldman (2008)

• Sivan Klein (2008)

• Yael Bar Zohar (2011)

• Michaela Bercu (2012)

• Sivan Klein (2012)

Venue

• International Convention Center

• Menora Mivtachim Arena

• Cinerama theater

• Haifa International Convention Center

Titleholders

Categories

1. Winner International Title

2. Miss Universe Israel

3. Miss World Israel

4. Miss International Israel

5. Miss Europe Israel

6. Miss Earth Israel

7. Miss Asia Pacific Israel

8. Miss Young Israel

1950–1959

1. The Miss Israel divided into five categories; "Malkat Hayofi" - Israel's Beauty Queen (IBQ) is usually for the main winner, "Na'arat Israel" – Israel's Maiden of Beauty (IMB) is for a second place, "Malkat Hachen" - Israel's Queen of Grace (IQG) is for a third place, "Malkat Hayofi-Esreh" - Israel's Teen Queen (ITQ) is for fourth place and "Nesichat Hayofi" - Israel's Princess of Beauty (IPB) is for the last of Top 5 Miss Israel which means a fifth place. These titles represent Israel at International competitions such as Miss Universe, Miss World, Miss International, Miss Europe, Miss Earth and other minor pageants.

1960–2021

2024-2025

1. The winner of Miss Universe Israel represents her country at Miss Universe. On occasion, when the winner does not qualify (due to age) a runner-up is sent.

Titleholders under Miss Israel org.

Miss Universe Israel

1. Since 1952, Israel competes at major international pageants. Israel has three international winners namely; Miss Universe 1976, Miss World 1998 and Miss Europe 1994 According to the Miss Israel Organization, traditionally Miss Israel represents the country at Miss Universe. In 2006 Miss Israel changed format with the grand winner competing in the Miss World competition and second place automatically declared "Miss Universe Israel." In 2013, the winner competed in Miss Universe 2013 in Russia. Began in 2018 the format was back to past era; the main winner goes to Miss Universe.

Rankings in Miss Universe

See also

• LaIsha

• Israeli fashion

• Culture of Israel

References

External links

• missisrael.ynet.co.il