Miss Israel

Miss Israel (מַלְכַּת הַיֹּפִי,, lit. 'The Beauty Queen') was a national beauty pageant in Israel. The pageant was founded in 1950, where the winners were sent to Miss World. The pageant was also meant to send delegates to Miss Universe, Miss International, Miss Earth and Miss Supranational.

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 Universe, Miss World, and Miss International. The pageant's official winner represented Israel at Miss Universe and the runners-up at Miss World, Miss International, and Miss Europe. The winner also occasionally competed at other international pageants, such as Miss World in 1953, 1968, 1992, 1996–1998; Miss International in 1963; Miss Asia Pacific International; and Miss Earth.

In 2022, the pageant was cancelled amid controversies over its relevance to modern social standards.

Pageant rules
All contestants were required to be female, 170 centimetres or taller, between 18 and 24 years old, never married, and with no children.

International crowns

 * One – Rina Mor (winner, Miss Universe 1976)
 * One – Linor Abargil (winner, Miss World 1998)
 * One – Lilach Ben-Simon (winner, Miss Europe 1994)
 * Two – Miss Asia Pacific International:
 * Nurit Mizrachi (winner, 1985)
 * Tali Ben-Harush (winner, 1992)

Grand slam franchise holders

 * Miss Universe (1952–2021)
 * Miss World (1952–2017)
 * Miss International (1960–2005)
 * Miss Earth (2003–2009)

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

Categories

 * Winner International Title
 * Miss Universe Israel
 * Miss World Israel
 * Miss International Israel
 * Miss Europe Israel
 * Miss Earth Israel
 * Miss Asia Pacific Israel
 * Miss Young Israel

1950–1959

 * 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.

Miss Universe Israel

 * 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.