Bar Refaeli’s Bikini

There’s not a week goes by without the American tabloids drooling over Bar Refaeli. In the past 10 days Bar has been vacationing in Greece with her Israeli friends, occasionally twitting pictures of her in a bikini, and most of the pictures found their way to TMZ and Co.

Here’s a picture from TMZ’s website, after calling Leonardo DiCaprio’s breakup with Bar “his life decision.”

Another popular gossip blog published some other photos of Bar splashing in the water, dancing in the sand with pals, and sipping on a cold drink during their fun day in the sun.

And finally, the New York Post reminds us that although she’s having fun now, Bar is a full-time-job supermodel, and publishes a glimpse of Bar’s new swimsuit campaign for the Aqua Bendita’s 2012 catalogue, in which she looks sexier than ever.

Also, on Wednesday TMZ uploaded a “hotness poll”, after Brazilian model Suelyn Medeiros went down to the Dead Sea in Israel and photographed herself covered with mud, like Bar Refaeli did a few weeks ago. You are more than welcome to vote for Bar!

President Obama’s Reading Material: David Grossman’s New Book

PRESIDENT OBAMA’S VACATION READING includes the best-selling Israeli novel “To the End of the Land” by David Grossman, which, according to a White House statement, is one of three that Obama took to his 10-day vacation on Martha’s Vineyard, in Massachusetts.

“To the End of the Land” describes the emotional strains that family members of soldiers experience when their loved ones are deployed into combat. Grossman began writing the novel in May 2003 when his oldest son Yonatan was serving in the Israeli Defense Forces and the book was largely complete by August 2006 when his younger son Uri was killed in the Second Lebanon War. Originally written in Hebrew and called “Isha Borachat Mi Bsora” (‘A Woman Escapes from News’), an English translation by Jessica Cohen was published in September 2010 to widespread critical acclaim, and won 2011’s Jewish Quarterly-Wingate Literary Prize (JQ Wingate Prize).

Buy “To the End of the Land” on Amazon

Welcome Back: Esti Ginzburg is Released from the Army

MODEL/ACTRESS ESTI GINZBURG, 22, officially completed her duty to the country when she was released from the Israeli army on Wednesday after finishing her 2-year-girls-mandatory service, and she’s ready to conquer the world again.

Ginzburg’s modeling career followed in the footsteps of supermodel Bar Refaeli, when Esti found her way in 2009 to the famous Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue (the one with Refaeli on the cover). Later in 2010, she co-starred in ‘Twelve’ opposite Kiefer Sutherland, Chace Crawford and 50 Cent, but then she had to stop it all and come back to Israel, to fulfill her army duty. She served in the Adjutant Corps.

Now she’s free to continue her international career, which kicks off with an audition for the next James Bond flick. Welcome back to the world, Esti!

Bar Refaeli in the Dead Sea

YESTERDAY BAR REFAELI TWITTED A PICTURE of herself covered with mud at the Dead Sea, and it was just a matter of time until this picture ended up on TMZ’s daily paparazzi show on Fox. The TMZ love to talk about Jews, they LOVE beautiful models, they love Israel, and they abso-lutely LOVE the combination of all of the above.

The talk in the TMZ room immediately turned into a conversation about the saltiness of the Dead Sea’s water and whether it really burns the private parts. Correspondent Dax Holt, who pitched the story, told all about his experiences from his latest trip to Israel. If that’s not an invitation to come visit, then what is?!

Rumor has it that the latest fling of Bar with Israeli businessman David Fisher is over after just a few weeks. A few days ago it was reported that some  teenage Israeli computer genius hacked Refaeli and her family’s personal computers, and the police are trying to find out if personal data has been stolen. In the meantime, the model spends her time around the country with some family and friends and enjoying life.

Moran Atias’ New Gig

By Yanir Dekel

Actress Moran Atias is constantly on route between Tel Aviv and Los Angeles. Lately she guest-starred in 3 different American shows, ‘White Collar’ (in an episode that aired on June 21st), “C.S.I Miami” (May 1st) and in the comedy “Rules of Engagement” (aired in March), and you might have seen her on the big screen in ‘The Next Three Days’ starring opposite Russell Crowe.

But while she’s still busy building a career in LA and Italy (she speaks Italian fluently!) she is going to fly back to Israel this coming Sunday to shoot a campaign for the posh Israeli shoe stores TOGO. Atias signed the contract with the stores as the new face of TOGO, replacing another model who’s popular in Israel, Miri Buhadana. According to reports, Atias will get $120,000 to lead the campaign at least for the next year. Who says Israel’s economy is bad?! Congratulations Moran!

Actress Olivia Wilde Visits Jewish Memorial Site

By Yanir Dekel

According to “Jew Not a Jew” website, actress Olivia Wilde, who’s currently found success starring in the TV drama “House” and in 2 current big-screen blockbusters (“Cowboys vs. Aliens,” “The Change Up” ) , has a tiny bit of a Jewish blood in her.  Maybe that is why she chose to stop her hectic promotion schedule while in Germany, and took the time to pay her respects to the victims of the Holocaust at a memorial site in Berlin on Sunday (07Aug11).

 The visit was a part of her time-off to tour Berlin, a city that she has never been to before. She didn’t comment on visiting the Holocaust memorial site, but she did comment on the city on her Twitter page. She wrote, “Berlin is pretty fantastic.”

 Olivia’s uncle, journalist Alexander Cockburn, was known for his criticism of Israel and its government. Cockburn has written a great deal on the use of anti-Semitic accusations in modern politics, particularly by the state of Israel and its supporters, and has co-edited a book on the subject called The Politics of Anti-Semitism. Cockburn himself has also been accused of anti-Semitism, which he denies. He considers it an example of the use of that accusation to intimidate critics of Israel and divert attention away from Israel’s policies.

Olivia herself missed her chance to visit Israel earlier this year, when the rest of the cast of ‘House’ paid a short visit to the Holy Land, but Wilde was busy filming one of her upcoming movie, “Welcome to People,” in which she co-stars with Michelle Pfeiffer, Elizabeth Banks and Jon Favreau and due to open in 2012 .

Jeremy Piven’s Birthright

By Yanir Dekel

JEREMY PIVEN IS VERY BUSY THESE DAYS, but not only with the last season of ‘Entourage’ (Sundays at 10pm, HBO) which he promotes endlessly, and his forthcoming new kids’ movie ‘Spy Kids: All the Time in the World in 4-D.’ Piven is also planning his first trip to Israel. “Being Jewish, being ‘Bar Mitzva’d’, growing up in a very religious household, I’ve been planning my trip to Israel for years and I’m finally doing it,” he says in a video interview with Ynet (the biggest Israeli news website). Piven is planning to come for a personal vacation in October, right in time for the Jewish high-holiday season.

Piven is best known for the role of Ari Gold in ‘Entourage’ for which he has won three Primetime Emmy Awards, as well as several other nominations for Best Supporting Actor. “My father was practically a Rabbi, he was a very religious man,” Piven says in the interview. “He passed away just before I started ‘Entourage,’ so he never got to see any of that.”

Piven is also known for having tons of famous Israeli friends such as actresses/models Moran Atias and Bar Paly. Looking forward to have you in Israel, Jeremy!

Ellen Degeneres on Her Way to Israel?

By Yanir Dekel

Looks like the famous comedian and talk show host, who’s also an out lesbian, is going to open the 2012 Pride Week in Tel Aviv, in June next year. Degeners’s people are in talks with Israeli producer and social activist Nadav Peretz, who also brought one of the stars of the TV hit show ‘Queer as Folk,’ Randy Harrison, to the country last year.

Peretz was recently the founder and promoter of the social battle against Menachem Ben, a homophobic journalist in Israel, who made disparaging comments about the gay community as well as other minorities. The battle effectively resulted in Menachem Ben’s being fired from “Channel 2 News” and “Ma’ariv Publications” when he refused to apologize or change his ways.

Ellen Degeneres (53), is married to her longtime girlfriend Portia de Rossi, and is a social advocate who helps the gay community with its fight to legalize same-sex marriage in America.

Madonna Won’t Celebrate Rosh Hashanah in Israel

By Yanir Dekel

Madonna’s personal manager, Israeli Guy Oseary, was recently vacationing for six days and visiting family and friends in his native land. Oseary was among the celebrity guests at the launch of the new Marc Jacobs fragrance, ‘Daisy oh so Fresh,’ in Tel Aviv and denied the previous rumors that the pop-queen was planning to spend Rosh Hashana in Israel.

From Israel, Oseary flew straight to Brazil and then tweeted “Madonna goes into the recording studio next month to begin work on her new album.” This doesn’t mean she won’t take a Rosh Hasahana vacation – just probably not in the Holy Land.

The last time Madonna celebrated Rosh Hashana in Israel was in 2007. That same year the Tel Aviv Kaballah center also hosted Ashton Kutcher, Demi Moore and James Van Der Beek. Since then Madonna came to perform in Israel one more time in 2009, this time she brought her daughter Lourdes and her son Roco. She was also accompanied by her ex-boyfriend Jesus Luz.

Not Only Paris Hilton: NY Rabbi’s Sex Tape

By Yanir Dekel

SOMEBODY WAS CAUGHT WITH HIS DREIDEL OUT, and all on camera, according to Manhattan court records. What looks like a random hookup with two prostitutes in a hotel, turned out to be a sensational drama that can easily be turned into a ‘Lifetime’ TV movie.

Rabbi Abraham Rabinowich, the vice president of the Long Island Board of Rabbis, allegedly made an appointment with two hookers after his Shabbat service, and was caught on camera having hard-core sex with them in a hotel room. The whole scene was (allegedly) a set-up by his wife, Aroma, a well-respected psychologist in the community, who, according to Rabinowich’s lawyer, “is a very sick woman… the man has gone through hell with her.”

The “sex tape” and the photos were taken six years ago but never publicly released until now. Apparently, one of the hookers was Aroma’s private eye who probably took care of the whole filming thing (…who owns the movie rights, you ask?!), and Aroma says that the photos may still come back to haunt her ex-hubby when she makes a motion to the court to take custody of the kids and move with them to the West Coast on Aug. 17.

In the meantime in Israel, Rabbis follow the sex tapes trend: Haifa’s head of Rabbis, Shlomo Shlosh, had sent his lawyer over the past week that gently threatened one of the workers at the city’s religious council, that if he won’t help bring down the city’s head of religious council, Avi Weitzman, and make him resign, “embarrassing sex tapes will be released.” While no sex tapes have been actually released yet, we can’t argue that it sounds like a scene from a Hollywood mafia movie.

Mmmm… We have to say that this story’s aroma is a bit fishy.