Stephen King’s bestseller became a Stanley Kubrick classic and cemented his status as the king of horror, but its most disturbing question remains: Does the writer create the work, or does the work create the writer? Oded Wolkstein https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2026/07/13/yk14829835/yk14829835_0_27_788_444_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/culture/article/sylbs524fl Sat, 25 Jul 2026 13:43:24 +03:00 In one of the most powerful scenes in Stephen King’s masterpiece, Danny, Jack Torrance’s son, is forced to return to the book his father had been using to teach him to read. He opens it at the page where their last lesson ended. By then, Jack has descended into murderous madness, and Danny must teach himself to read. He carries himself into language as though bent beneath the weight of orphanhood itself, delivering words through effort and sweat. In that scene, King touches on one of the foundational moments of philosophical literature: A son whose father has betrayed his role and abandoned him without words is forced to initiate himself into language, seize himself by the hair and pull himself from the drowning basin of abandonment, like Baron Munchausen. Mary Shelley’s creature in “Frankenstein” undergoes something similar. Victor Frankenstein recoils from the stitched collection of limbs he has created because it fails to produce, as his narcissistic fantasy demanded, the noble metal of his own singularity. Wandering alone, the creature finds shelter in a pigsty and looks out toward an illuminated cottage. Inside it, he witnesses a miracle that nature will never grant him: Human beings who have been given names speak to one another. The creature will forever remain language’s rejected lover. He will expose its mechanisms, catalogue its blindness and indict its complicity in the first injustice of every human life: the family. Yet he will never desire anything more. Those who enter language naturally can treat it with the weary carelessness of natives. Those who pitch their tents at its border will forever court its guardians with extravagant offerings and attend to its paths with the meticulousness of a painter’s brush. They dance because they were never taught to walk, and they become artists against their will. So does Frankenstein’s creature, who eventually becomes the novel’s principal narrator, and so does Danny Torrance, who discovers within himself the gift that separates him from other people: the shining. In that sense, “The Shining” is also the story of an artist’s birth. At first glance, however, the artist in the Torrance family is Jack, the father who takes his family to spend the winter in an isolated hotel so he can finally complete a play. “The Shining” therefore begins at a point where so many books by one of the most prolific writers alive begin: writer’s block. In his memoir “On Writing,” King notes, with wonder but without resentment, that among the thousands of questions interviewers have asked him, not one concerned language. I remember the 1980s, when I had only begun reading King. In the waiting room of a dentist’s office lay an old issue of Time magazine. Its books section included a short review of King’s latest novel. The critic concluded: “King’s language, as usual, is simple, fast and careless.” Let us depart from that habit and ask the question no one asked. Who is writing whom? Jack Torrance wants to write his work, but the ghosts of the Overlook Hotel, especially the spirit of the caretaker before him, who murdered his wife and two young daughters, form an alliance with the demons thriving in the cellar of his soul and drive him into madness. That is the standard reading of King’s novel. It is also the source of the familiar and persistent complaint, voiced above all by King himself, that Stanley Kubrick’s film was too cold and failed to show how the hotel’s horrors reflect the father’s haunted and unstable inner world. Before constructing another variation of that established interpretation, however, we should listen suspiciously to its opening sentence: Jack Torrance wants to write his work. Let us remain with it a moment longer. Jack sits down inside language and intends to treat it as his property. He plans to turn the haunted hotel into a home. Ever since Frankenstein’s unwanted creation, assembled from tissue gathered from the gallows and the grave, confronted its maker with a language that was breached, hybridized and unable to return from its dispersal to baptize him in his own name, the language of the Gothic novel has itself been a haunted hotel. It is a mass grave of dead signs, a drainage pit in a great city after the rain. Language is a house whose memory-soaked walls cannot be concealed beneath the plaster of identity. It is, in truth, a house unfit for habitation. From time to time, we are tempted to believe we are its residents and that the ghosts are the ones disturbing our nights with the sound of hurried footsteps. But as in Julio Cortázar’s meta-Gothic story “House Taken Over,” we are repeatedly condemned to discover that we are the dead, the ghosts terrifying the true inhabitants through the routine of our imagined existence. The uncanny lies in the very attempt to turn the hotel into a home: to imagine closing the door, perfuming the air with the smell of your body, wiping away the stains left by strangers and engraving your name into every crease of the sheets. It means writing your own thing inside the hotel, writing anything that is not the muttering of its dead as they gather in battalions upon your tongue. But only the hotel writes. Only the hotel dictates. The writer who binds the pages into a single cover and signs it with his name is always a plagiarist. Throughout King’s work, in novels such as “The Dark Half” and “Secret Window, Secret Garden,” anonymous creatures of darkness repeatedly demand justice from the author who imposed his own name upon their creation and stole their glory. Again and again, the hotel breaks into the cramped one-man performance of ownership that writers stage before a mirror and destroys it through its sealed languages: REDRUM. The ritual of purification, the basis of every sin and the father of every monster, instantly becomes a séance. “The Shining,” then, does not describe a creative process that has become corrupted. It exposes the corruption built into the very intention to create, the basement of horrors born from the desire for a room of one’s own. Jack Torrance is not a father whose imaginary creations devour his fatherhood. He is a creator whose deadliest fantasy, the fantasy of fatherhood itself, distorts his work because it gives rise to the desire to impose his voice upon the hotel. It is not Jack’s dark impulses that drive him toward disaster, but the bourgeois economy of identity. Or, more simply, duty, which history has already taught us may be the darkest impulse of all. At this point, King is no less radical than Kafka, whose characters transform into strange creatures or suffer bizarre deaths at the threshold of entering the familial and economic order. Put simply, whoever becomes a father cannot write. The writer is the one who loses his way through the hotel’s teeming corridors and sends a ghostly groom to his own wedding. The unforgettable characters in King’s later novel “It” offer another example. The members of the Losers’ Club, now adults, only barely sustain the half-parodic parasitic structure of identity. Yet the irony rising from the abyss, from the perspective of It, hovers above everything they do and turns them into permanent impostors within the circles of family, work and community. Jack’s “madness,” then, is nothing more than the windowless dungeon of the demand for normality. He enters the hotel armed with the incantation of order, which commands him to silence the play of ghosts and serve his own name in the manner of the fathers. Here, one of the most painful differences between the novel and Kubrick’s film becomes clear. In the novel, Jack abandons his play and begins writing a kind of chronicle of the hotel. Yet more than he writes the hotel, the hotel writes him. It empties him of the final furnishings of home and feeds his forgetful anonymity to its starving ghosts. Kubrick’s film approaches writing differently. At one point, Wendy is horrified to discover that throughout the entire period in which Jack claimed to be writing, he had filled hundreds of pages with a single sentence: “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” To understand what force Jack is trying to repel through this hysterical compulsion to repeat, which compresses the melancholy of duty into a grotesque formula, work and boredom without play, we must trace the saying’s origin. It is a proverb dating back to the 17th century. Over time, however, writers added a second line: “All play and no work makes Jack a mere toy.” Just as the word Danny sees in his visions, REDRUM, reveals itself in the mirror as MURDER, Jack’s solitary sentence must also be read through its reflection, through its negative. The man who tried to silence the whispers of the dead through the deadening command of function becomes, in practice, a toy shaken in their invisible hands. The man who desperately tried to keep the hotel’s skeletal guests outside his room and cleanse his name of their speech made his typing fingers dance to the rhythm of their dream and carried the creaking of their bones across his filling pages. In failing to make a name for himself, the man who was once Jack Torrance called out the names of the dead in every room. In failing to write seriously, he released the rolling laughter of language. And instead of composing his own book, he recorded the hidden skeleton of every book ever written. message bkabpfhnmx Smudged lipstick, natural-textured hair, short clean nails and barely-there foundation are leading the season, as designers and beauty brands embrace a softer, less precise and deliberately low-effort look Ahuvit Rabi Golan https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2026/07/16/B1119k75IEGe/B1119k75IEGe_0_43_2000_1125_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/culture/article/bkabpfhnmx Sat, 25 Jul 2026 09:46:05 +03:00 Summer is already in full swing, with plenty of hot days still ahead. That makes this a good time to revisit the season’s most prominent makeup and hair trends. The main message for summer 2026 is simple: fewer layers, less precision and far less effort. For anyone who prefers spending less time in front of the mirror, this may be the ideal season. Eyeliner Eyeliner is making a comeback after fading somewhat from the beauty spotlight. This is not a return to heavy, elaborate eye makeup. Instead, eyeliner is being used as a single, deliberate detail that adds personality to an otherwise clean look. One precise line can create just enough drama without making the entire face feel overly made up. Smudged lipstick After several seasons dominated by sharply defined lips, summer 2026 is moving toward something softer and more relaxed. Instead of crisp outlines, lipstick is meant to look as though it has naturally faded into the lips after a long day or evening out. The effect is less polished and more characterful, with the kind of effortless quality often associated with French beauty. Think less perfectly applied lipstick and more lipstick after a French kiss. Clean nails After years in which nails became a fashion accessory in their own right, the current season offers a quieter alternative. Runway looks have favored short or naturally long nails finished with clear polish or a delicate milky shade. The nails are still impeccably maintained, but the message is clear: luxury does not have to be loud. Undone hair Summer is also giving permission to stop over-styling hair. The season’s preferred texture is natural, with soft waves, casually placed volume and a parting that does not look as though it was measured with mathematical precision. The result is slightly wild, highly romantic, relaxed and full of movement. It is the kind of look that suggests getting ready only a few minutes before leaving the house may be more than enough. Minimal makeup Summer 2026 continues the broader beauty shift of recent years toward less coverage and more visible, natural skin. Models on the runways appeared fresh, luminous and dewy, with foundation that was almost imperceptible and brows left relatively natural. There is, however, an important caveat. Behind the supposedly effortless effect often lies a serious investment in skincare, professional treatments and expensive serums. The guiding idea is that healthy, well-maintained skin is the best makeup a person can wear. Slicked-back hair This trend is not about an overly rigid or severe hairstyle. Instead, it is a modern version of the wet-look finish, designed in part to keep hair away from the face during hot, humid weather. The hair is brushed back to create a clean, elegant look that appeared across several major runway shows. Like the rest of the season’s beauty trends, it looks polished without appearing as though too much work went into it. message rjtoxxtvge Alexa Dol shared a graphic claiming ‘Zionists,’ the Rothschilds and the Rockefellers control the media and world leaders, then said she had overlooked the wording before deleting it Yaara Zamir https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2025/04/15/SkfChNwiA1x/SkfChNwiA1x_0_56_1086_612_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/culture/article/rjtoxxtvge Tue, 21 Jul 2026 19:42:54 +03:00 Israeli content creator and former reality television contestant Alexa Dol deleted an image from Instagram after followers accused her of sharing an antisemitic and anti-Zionist conspiracy theory. Dol, known for appearing on the Israeli versions of The Amazing Race and Survivor, has recently documented what she describes as her “exit from the matrix,” including giving up news consumption, adopting what she calls “high-vibration food” and practicing grounding and “energy cleansing” at home. While those posts have drawn both support and criticism, one image she shared several days ago triggered particular outrage. The graphic, presented as a kind of hierarchy or “root tree,” claimed that groups controlling the media and the public included “Zionists,” alongside the Rothschild and Rockefeller families. In the accompanying post, Dol said she had stopped following current affairs because “99% of what they say there is simply mind engineering, fearmongering, lies and the creation of narratives intended to strengthen whoever that channel supports.” “The news is not merely part of the matrix,” she wrote. “It is the matrix.” Followers quickly challenged her over the image. “Image nine is aggressive antisemitic propaganda. I don’t understand how you could include something like that in a post opposing mind engineering,” one user wrote. Others asked whether Dol believed “Zionists” were secretly controlling events and compared the imagery to antisemitic propaganda from the 1930s. Israeli actress and influencer Maya Dagan also criticized Dol in an Instagram video Tuesday. “Is Alexa Dol posting full-on antisemitic conspiracy theories and we are all somehow fine with it?” Dagan asked. She mocked some of Dol’s other lifestyle content before drawing a line at the conspiracy graphic. “You want to ground yourself? Ground yourself. You want to be in your feminine energy? Fine,” Dagan said. “This is where I draw the line.” Dagan then pointed to the graphic’s claims that the Rothschild family and other powerful groups controlled world leaders. Dol removed the image shortly afterward and responded to the criticism in an Instagram story. “Friends, everyone can calm down. It was an innocent mistake,” she wrote. Dol said she had intended to convey what she described as the image’s message about the media creating fear, division and hatred through manipulation. She said she had not noticed “what was written in small print on the side regarding Zionists.” Dol added, however, that allegations concerning powerful families such as the Rothschilds and Rockefellers were “a different story.” “Of course, as soon as I realized, I deleted it,” she wrote. Asked by about Dagan’s remarks, Dol responded: “I wish her lots of success.” message bkanthovze Former adult film star and Italian lawmaker headlines the fashion house’s Fall/Winter 2026-27 campaign, continuing its long history of casting controversial figures while cementing her status as an enduring fashion icon Itay Yaacov https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2026/07/19/rkld00vU5VGg/rkld00vU5VGg_94_114_760_428_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/culture/article/bkanthovze Tue, 21 Jul 2026 04:57:01 +03:00 A decade after casting gay porn star Colby Keller in one of its campaigns, British fashion house Vivienne Westwood has once again turned to the adult entertainment industry for inspiration. The brand's newly unveiled Fall/Winter 2026-27 campaign stars Ilona Staller, better known as Cicciolina, the Hungarian-born former porn star who became one of the world's most recognizable adult film performers in the 1980s and later served in the Italian Parliament. Photographed by Juergen Teller, the 74-year-old appears surrounded by gilded wooden furniture, Art Deco pieces and Rococo-inspired fabrics, wearing black lace gloves, her signature floral crown and plunging knit dresses from the new collection. The campaign was photographed at the showroom of Italian furniture company Belloni in the town of Barlassina. “The result fills us with joy and pride, and we're delighted you can't tell it was shot in 41-degree heat,” creative director Andreas Kronthaler, the late Vivienne Westwood's longtime partner, said in a statement. “The style of the campaign is closely tied to the fact that I now live in Italy. Casting was central to communicating that message, so we wanted Cicciolina to be part of it. I met her for the first time on set and thought she was a wonderful woman, an icon who brings everyone together.” Born in Budapest, Hungary, Staller first rose to prominence in Italy as a radio host before launching a career in adult films. In 1987, she made headlines worldwide after being elected to the Italian Parliament as a member of the Radical Party, becoming one of the few porn stars ever to serve as a lawmaker. Throughout her career, she cultivated a theatrical image featuring platinum wigs, corsets, lace, feathers and flower crowns, an aesthetic that later made her a cult fashion figure. She married American artist Jeff Koons in 1991. Their three-year marriage produced a son, Ludwig, and inspired a controversial collaborative art series. Designers including Jean Paul Gaultier and Jeremy Scott have cited her blend of sexuality, humor and kitsch as an influence. In recent years, she has become a regular guest at Milan Fashion Week, and the new Westwood campaign further reinforces her status as a fashion icon. It is not the first time Vivienne Westwood has featured adult performers in its advertising. In 2016, the brand cast gay porn actor Colby Keller in a provocative campaign that included frontal male nudity. More recently, Italian porn star Rocco Siffredi walked in Dsquared2's Spring/Summer 2024 show, while former porn star Mia Khalifa appeared on the runway for Trashy Clothing during Paris Fashion Week earlier this year. As debates over sexuality and gender become increasingly politicized, fashion continues to use the body as a form of cultural and political expression. The industry has a long tradition of embracing provocative figures who challenge conventions and embody authenticity, fetish culture and devoted fan communities. Former and current adult film stars are increasingly viewed not only through the lens of their profession but also as symbols of empowerment and a celebrity culture in which the lines between influencers, OnlyFans creators and fashion icons continue to blur. message s1emgisvmx The acclaimed Italian writer reflects on translating the Bible, learning Yiddish after the Holocaust, his enduring connection to Israel and why, in his seventies, he believes the best years of his life are still unfolding Hadar Galron https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2026/07/20/rkuPlsjEfe/rkuPlsjEfe_59_110_423_238_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/culture/article/s1emgisvmx Mon, 20 Jul 2026 16:35:51 +03:00 "10:30. Piazza del Popolo. Under the Obelisk." That was Erri De Luca's entire email. I thought the Obelisk was the name of a café. It wasn't. It was the ancient obelisk standing in the middle of the piazza, exposed on all sides. We had never met before. I was with my daughter, Na'ama, who is studying in Italy and speaks fluent Italian, which is useful for an awkward, "Excuse me... are you Erri De Luca?" I'd seen photographs of him, but I didn't know his height or the way he walked. From which direction would he come? Maybe I should retreat to one of the cafés and email him that I was there? He doesn't text. Only email. There was a man sitting on the steps who vaguely resembled the photograph I remembered, but somehow it didn't seem like De Luca's style. Besides, Piazza del Popolo in July is one of the most crowded places in Rome. Tourists were flowing through the square from every direction. How would I recognize him? As it turned out, there was no need to worry. He crossed the square with steady strides, tall and upright, a cap shading his face. Yet I knew instantly it was him. There was no performance in the way he carried himself, only a rare kind of modesty. He walked like someone with a mission, like a hiker. Then he smiled. It was one of those smiles that begins in the eyes. Honest, kind, curious eyes, yet sharp enough not to miss a thing. Our eyes met. He, apparently, had never doubted that we would recognize each other. Without hesitation, he led us into a nearby café. He exchanged a few words with the waiter, who smiled knowingly and guided us through the bustling front room into a beautiful hidden garden at the back, completely sheltered from the noise of the street. The walls were decorated with the titles of great Italian films. We found ourselves sitting beneath Fellini's Amarcord. It felt like the only possible place for the conversation that followed. We had come to speak about bringing Montedidio to the stage. And we did. But the conversation soon wandered effortlessly to Hebrew and Yiddish, to Kohelet (Ecclesiastes), to age, to Israel, and to the enduring power of words. Later, I asked his permission to share his words as an interview for ynet. "Why not?" he replied. What follows is an edited version of a conversation that began under the Roman sun and wandered far beyond the play we had come to discuss. It is also a portrait of a man who, well into his seventies, remains profoundly curious about the world and fully alive to it. Montedidio seems to connect Naples and Jerusalem. Did you always feel that kinship, or did the novel reveal it to you? "I felt kinship between Yiddish and Neapolitan in a physical, material way. The overcrowded places produce shortcut languages, the ability to act always in a mix of market and stage. Places that produce emigrations." You're not Jewish, yet you devoted decades to studying and translating Hebrew texts, Exodus, Jonah, Kohelet and Ruth. What drew you to a language that wasn't yours? "It became my intimacy through each early morning of mine. It became manna, bread of the sky, for my brain. It became the tree of knowledge of good and evil, with the effect of opening my eyes wide and making me feel naked." There are formal translations of the Old Testament. Why did you feel the need to translate it again? "The formal translations miss a lot of the meaning. In Kohelet, for example, hevel havalim is translated as 'vanity of vanities,' not only in Italian, but in all the languages." And how did you translate it? "Who was Hevel? He was the first man murdered in the Bible, by his brother. So I translated Hevel as spreco, waste. From the first life lost and wasted. "Kohelet is not a wise old man elaborating philosophical thoughts. He is King Solomon, a rich adult obsessed with the waste of all his deeds. He is in conflict with his own life. He accuses himself and everybody else." I admitted that I had never connected Hevel the man to the expression "hevel havalim." And you also learned Yiddish. "Yiddish comes from my century. I was born after the destruction of the worst war of mankind. I have been emotionally affected by it. I am a splinter of it. "Learning Yiddish was the only available action for one who came after: to move the lips of Yiddish, to read, to sing, to translate. I didn't want death to have the last word." Does Kohelet read differently to you today than it did when you first translated it? "Its spectacular list of opposite verbs is a dance, a waltz around life. I like Pete Seeger for the music added to the verbs. Do you know Turn! Turn! Turn!? "Personally, I don't detect seasons in life, apart from meteorology. I am now an old man, but these are the best years of my life. I even wrote a book about it, L'età sperimentale ('The Experimental Age')." At this point, Na'ama, my daughter, suddenly sits upright. She had seen the film during her psychology studies at the University of Padua and had been convinced that the man climbing mountains with the ease of a goat could not possibly be Erri De Luca himself. Surely, she thought, it must be a stuntman or a professional climber standing in for him. She turns to him, genuinely surprised. "That was you?" Na'ama asked. Erri laughs. "Of course it's me. Who else?" So in the book and film, you explore age as something experimental, something still to be discovered. Yet Kohelet says there is nothing new under the sun. "I disagree. At my age, I find everything new inside me, and I discover around me new realities of people, animals and flowers. "My connection with my body has grown to such an extent that I instantly know where every ache or pain comes from. I'm a hiker, but as I get older, I take fewer precautions and trust my body." You've called yourself a Zionist despite the cost of that word today. What do you wish people understood? "I don't care about the effects of my words. I defend them, and they, the words, defend me." Finally, if these really are the best years of your life, what still lies ahead? "At my age, every day has the right to be the last. So I deal with it. I treat it as penultimate. No projects for tomorrow." As we stood up, Erri insisted on paying for our ridiculously overpriced Roman coffees and a cornettino. I protested, but he wouldn't hear of it. "You can pay for my coffee," he said, smiling again with those eyes that smile first, "when I come to Tel Aviv." I'm looking forward to keeping that promise. message h18evninme Nearly seven years after their dramatic royal exit, sources say the couple are reconsidering life in the US amid King Charles’ illness and their struggle to feel at home in Los Angeles, with Meghan reportedly supporting the move Omer Daniel https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2026/05/19/HkTgruFJGg/HkTgruFJGg_0_199_2000_1126_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/culture/article/h18evninme Mon, 20 Jul 2026 08:57:06 +03:00 Nearly seven years after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle left Britain in dramatic fashion, the couple are considering returning to live in the United Kingdom, according to a report by the Daily Mail. Harry and Meghan visited Britain last week with their children, Archie, 7, and Lilibet, 5, marking their first family visit to the country in years. During the trip, they also met King Charles and Queen Camilla. The meeting was held in strict privacy and no photographs or other documentation were released. According to reports, the palace made the visit conditional on no details being leaked to the media, and Harry and Meghan honored the agreement. “The children were excited about the trip, and Harry would not have disappointed them,” a source close to the couple said. The source also claimed that Charles remains in regular contact with his grandchildren. “They FaceTime all the time, but they were very excited to finally visit him,” the source said. “It was their first real opportunity to meet him.” According to the reports, the visit went so well that Harry and Meghan are now considering a surprising step: moving back to Britain. One reason is Charles’ cancer diagnosis, which would allow Harry and his family to remain closer to him. Another is the couple’s reported failure to settle fully in Los Angeles and feel at home there. A source close to Harry said: “He has started to feel somewhat unwanted in America. He realizes that perhaps the ‘American dream’ is not everything it promised to be.” The source claimed Meghan shares her husband’s feelings. “I have heard that she is very supportive of rebuilding the relationship with Harry’s British side of the family,” the source said. “She is completely in favor of it.” The source added: “Harry’s heart has always been, and remains, in Britain. It is no secret that they went to the United States to try their luck there and attempt to profit from his fame and royal status. “They had significant successes, such as their $100 million Netflix deal. But that American dream is cooling, and Meghan also feels isolated. She is trying to advance new ideas and projects, but it is not easy. Perhaps enough water has now passed under the bridge to allow them to return.” Another source put it less delicately. “I do not think Harry ever wanted to be cut off from his family,” the source said. “I think that when he was madly in love with Meghan, he could have been blind enough to choose her. Things are different now, and the curtain is beginning to lift.” Even if the couple wish to return, the question remains whether the palace would welcome them. A source familiar with the situation claimed the king would. “The king would never reject the opportunity to spend time with his family,” the source said. “Despite all the trouble, family is family.” Prince William, however, is reportedly another matter. “He has no plans to rebuild his relationship with his brother,” royal commentator Kinsey Schofield said. “He understands that King Charles has cancer and wants to see his son and grandchildren, but he still believes Harry has not earned his way back into the family.” The couple could also stop in Portugal on their way back toward Britain. Harry and Meghan reportedly own a home there that could serve as a temporary base while relations between the United States and Britain cool. “The house in Portugal gives them a foothold on the right side of the ocean,” a source said. “From there, it is already very close for them to reach London.” message bj9le1qvfg Four years into the reign he spent decades awaiting, King Charles is confronting cancer, the fallout from Andrew’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein, scrutiny over controversial donations and a family rupture with Harry and Meghan that even a rare reunion with his grandchildren has failed to heal Inbal Hananel https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2023/05/06/BJg5dIpQNn/BJg5dIpQNn_0_0_3000_1688_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/culture/article/bj9le1qvfg Sun, 19 Jul 2026 10:34:03 +03:00 The tender moment was not photographed, or at least no image of it was released to the public. But after years in which few believed it would happen, King Charles finally welcomed his grandchildren Archie, 7, and Lilibet, 5, whom he had not seen in four years because of the continuing rupture with his son, Prince Harry, and Harry’s wife, Meghan. The meeting did not mean that the family conflict was over. Nor is it clear that the relationship has truly improved. The estrangement has been marked by years of damaging interviews, documentaries and Harry’s memoir, in which he criticized the king, Queen Camilla and the wider royal family. At times, he also appeared unwilling to meet his father. But there is only one father, and only one grandfather. In this case, that grandfather is 77, living with cancer and burdened by a relationship with his younger son that has largely played out through official statements, unnamed associates and media briefings. Perhaps that explains why Meghan and the children joined Harry in Britain last week after days of rumors and contradictory reports. Harry had arrived earlier, but it remained unclear whether the full family visit would happen, largely because of the continuing dispute over the security arrangements he demands during visits to Britain. In the end, the reunion took place at Highgrove, Charles’ country residence in Gloucestershire. The King and Queen Camilla hosted Harry, Meghan and their children in what one can safely assume was a thoroughly royal gathering. Yet even that rare family moment failed to alter the broader picture. Soon afterward, both sides returned to communicating through statements, briefings and intermediaries, underscoring how far the rift between Harry and the royal family remains from resolution. Four years after Charles ascended the throne, and six years after “Megxit” began the public break between Harry, Meghan and the monarchy, the king still appears unable to resolve the greatest family crisis of his reign. And it is hardly the only storm darkening his crown. A lifetime spent waiting Even those who do not closely follow the royal family know that Charles spent what felt like an eternity as the Prince of Wales, waiting through decades of speculation and expectation for a crown that seemed reluctant to arrive. Only after the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, at 96 in September 2022 did his accession become a reality. Even then, some had long wondered whether the crown might bypass him and go directly to his eldest son, Prince William. During the final years of Elizabeth’s life, the monarchy endured one of its most destabilizing crises: Harry and Meghan’s departure from royal duties, their move to the United States and their subsequent accusations that they had been treated with racism, humiliation and coldness by members of the royal family. Nevertheless, within hours of the queen’s death, the Accession Council gathered at St. James’s Palace and formally proclaimed Charles king. His starting position was never easy. Large sections of the British public had never forgotten, or forgiven, the suffering associated with his marriage to Princess Diana. Before taking the throne, Charles promised to slim down the monarchy, reducing the number of relatives performing official duties and, by extension, the amount of public money supporting Britain’s most famous family. One of the first people forced to confront that approach was his brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. Already disgraced over his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, Andrew was stripped of royal roles, forced to leave his longtime residence and made increasingly dependent on his brother’s goodwill. “The relationship between Charles and Andrew suffered a severe blow when Charles revealed his intention to significantly reduce the number of senior working royals,” royal expert Katie Nicholl told the Daily Express at the time. Years later, Andrew’s relationship with Epstein continues to haunt Charles and the monarchy as disturbing emails and other documents shed further light on the connection between the two men. In February, Buckingham Palace issued a statement saying the king had demonstrated, through “unprecedented words and actions,” his deep concern over the continuing allegations surrounding Andrew’s conduct. The palace said the specific allegations were a matter for Andrew but pledged to support any police investigation, adding that the king and queen’s thoughts remained with victims of all forms of abuse. Days later, six police vehicles arrived outside the Sandringham estate and the former prince was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office, according to police. Charles responded by promising his full cooperation with what he described as a fair and proper investigative process. “As this process continues, it would not be appropriate for me to comment further,” he said. “In the meantime, my family and I will continue our duties and our service to you.” The scandal that will not release its grip That long-awaited public service has struggled to escape the suffocating hold of the Andrew affair. Andrew continues to embarrass his elder brother and the institution he leads, while critics argue that Buckingham Palace had ample opportunity to act sooner. “Six years ago, Buckingham Palace knew Andrew was a problem and that he could face a criminal investigation, and they simply ignored it,” said Jess Michaels, a former dancer who says Epstein sexually assaulted her in 1991 when she was 22. She pointed to Virginia Giuffre, one of Andrew’s most prominent accusers, who reached an out-of-court settlement with him and died by suicide in April 2025. “Virginia Giuffre told the truth and did not live to see them acknowledge it,” Michaels said. “It breaks my heart, and it should break everyone’s. This is what institutions do. They protect powerful people and leave victims defenseless to face the difficult truth.” Royal historian Andrew Lownie, who published a biography of Andrew and his former wife, Sarah Ferguson, has also accused the royal family of ignoring warning signs until public pressure became impossible to resist. “The documents indicate that he continues to lie about his relationship with Epstein,” Lownie said. “I think the royal family knew very well about these matters.” He said intelligence-related concerns had been reported to Buckingham Palace, but argued that the institution historically ignored damaging stories until they became public. “The royal family had many opportunities to punish Andrew and remove him from his roles,” he said. “In the end, they acted only because of public and media pressure.” Despite those accusations, Charles appears to have retained considerable public support. In a recent survey, 55% of Britons said they were satisfied with his handling of the Andrew affair, while 9% said he had not done enough. Another 38% said the royal family as a whole had handled the crisis as well as it could. The money questions Andrew is only one of the many fronts Charles has been forced to manage. Another concerns a donation revealed in July 2022 from relatives of Osama bin Laden, the former al-Qaeda leader who led the organization during the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and was killed by U.S. forces a decade later. Reports said Charles accepted the donation for one of his charities from Bakr bin Laden and his brother Shafiq, both half-brothers of Osama through their father, Yemeni-born billionaire Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden. There is no substantive evidence that Bakr or Shafiq were directly involved in terrorism or terrorist financing. Charles nevertheless accepted their donation to the Prince of Wales’s Charitable Fund after meeting Bakr at Clarence House in 2013. Although there was no suggestion that accepting the money was a criminal offense, The Sunday Times reported that several advisers had urged Charles not to take it from the wealthy Saudi family. Sir Ian Cheshire, chairman of the charitable fund, said the decision had been made by the trustees, not by Charles himself. The disclosure triggered intense criticism and raised questions about the judgment of the man who would soon become king. Critics asked how someone seeking to lead an institution built on public trust could accept such a sensitive donation. His defenders stressed that the money went to charity and that there was no legal barrier to receiving it. Either way, the episode gave the monarchy’s critics fresh ammunition and showed that Charles’ personal decisions had created controversy long before he reached the throne. Only a month before the bin Laden disclosure, The Sunday Times reported that Charles had accepted 3 million euros in cash from former Qatari prime minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani. According to the report, the money was transferred during three private meetings between 2011 and 2015 and later donated to the Prince of Wales’s Charitable Fund. Again, no law was found to have been broken. But accepting such large sums in cash prompted public criticism and revived questions about Charles’ judgment. The king’s most personal battle If the financial controversies damaged Charles’ public image, his greatest challenge is far more personal, even if his position makes it inevitably public. In February 2024, Buckingham Palace announced that the king had been diagnosed with cancer, shocking Britain. The palace said that during treatment for a benign enlarged prostate, doctors had identified a separate area of concern and subsequent tests had revealed a form of cancer. Two and a half years later, the public still has not been told what type of cancer the king has. Charles was hospitalized for a period in early 2025, and Harry told the BBC that May: “I don’t know how much longer my father has.” The Daily Beast reported that Charles was living with incurable cancer, while Daily Telegraph royal commentator Camilla Tominey said his health struggles meant he would never move into Buckingham Palace. “The king will die with cancer, but not necessarily from cancer,” she wrote. The palace firmly declined to address those claims, while royal aides continued to insist that Charles was “continuing to beat cancer.” Charles himself has spoken of the frightening experience of diagnosis and the unexpected compassion it can reveal. “The darkest moments of illness can be illuminated by the greatest compassion,” he said. “Every diagnosis, every new case is a daunting and sometimes frightening experience for those individuals and those who love them. But as someone who has joined that statistic myself, I can say it can also be an experience that brings the best of humanity into focus.” In a festive address last December, he asked the public to join him in thinking of and praying for the hundreds of thousands of people across Britain diagnosed with cancer, as well as the millions who love and care for them. He also praised early detection, saying it had allowed him to continue living a full and active life while receiving treatment. “Thanks to early diagnosis and following my doctors’ instructions, the timetable for my cancer treatment can be reduced in the new year,” he said. A king required to remain silent Charles has spent much of his adult life openly expressing views on environmental protection, agriculture and climate change. Becoming king required him to adopt near-total political neutrality, avoiding any appearance of partisan interference. He has worked alongside changing prime ministers, represented Britain during wars and diplomatic crises and tried to guide the monarchy through a period of political turbulence. His traditional role is to ensure orderly transfers of power and project stability, even while his own family and institution have often appeared anything but stable. On one issue, however, Charles did not remain entirely silent. After the October 7 terror attack and the surge of antisemitism across Britain during the Gaza war, he condemned the “barbaric acts of terrorism in Israel.” His spokesman said he was “appalled” and that his thoughts and prayers were with the victims and their families. As the war continued, the king also had to balance his sympathy for the victims of terrorism with his position as head of state in a multicultural country. As president of the British Red Cross, he met aid organizations, received briefings on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and contributed to relief efforts. At the same time, Buckingham Palace avoided publicly addressing the Israeli hostages, prompting criticism from parts of the British public and media. In January 2025, Charles became the first British head of state to visit Auschwitz, attending events marking the 80th anniversary of the Nazi concentration and extermination camp’s liberation. Before the ceremony, he met Holocaust survivors in Poland and said: “We have an important task remaining: to remember the evil of the past.” The visit also carried a personal family connection. His grandmother, Princess Alice of Greece, the mother of Prince Philip, sheltered a Jewish family in her Athens home during the Nazi occupation. She was later recognized as Righteous Among the Nations. The crown he waited for It is a great deal for one 77-year-old Briton to carry, whether on a plate or a silver tray. Charles’ decades-long longing for the throne finally delivered a reign far more complicated and turbulent than he could have imagined. Instead of a period of royal grace, he has faced a fractured family, public scandal, disputed donations, wars, political instability and cancer. Four years after becoming king, Charles appears, like Britain itself, far from stability, calm or comfortable retirement. At this point, he may no longer agree with the old Mel Brooks line: “It’s good to be the king.” For Charles, it has mostly been very complicated. message skw100j9vzx Religious sex counselor Efrat Eliezer Toledano grew up in a strict religious-Zionist home before opening an online pleasure-products store, drawing raised eyebrows but also helping religious couples confront shame, misinformation and sexual difficulties Maya Benita https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2026/07/16/r1oLQbUEzg/r1oLQbUEzg_0_0_2384_1341_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/culture/article/skw100j9vzx Sun, 19 Jul 2026 09:06:50 +03:00 Efrat Eliezer Toledano is a religious sex counselor, couples therapist and owner of an online store selling pleasure products. For someone who grew up in a deeply religious, hardline religious-Zionist home, it was not an obvious path. “Eight or nine years ago, there was almost no discussion of healthy sexuality in our community,” said Toledano, 32, who is married, has two daughters and lives in Karnei Shomron. “It was taboo.” She felt there was an urgent need to normalize the subject and give couples a place where they could ask questions, understand their experiences and feel reassured. “There was no organized information,” she said. “People married young and arrived with fantasies, fears and a lack of knowledge. Sometimes there was no problem at all, but they thought there was because they did not know how things were supposed to look or feel.” Toledano realized that helping couples would require professional training. ‘Young or not, I needed to be there’ At 22, she enrolled in a sexual counseling program through a branch of the Open University. “I was the youngest student there,” she said. “But I told myself, ‘Young or not, I need to be here.’” Since completing her studies, she has worked in a private clinic, treating mainly ultra-Orthodox and religious couples, although secular clients also seek her help. She later founded Resisei Laila, or “Fragments of Night,” an online store selling intimacy and pleasure products. The business began in a side room in her home before moving online about a year later. “It started as a response to very specific needs I identified in the clinic,” she said. “Gradually, it expanded into a place focused on pleasure, connection and bringing something positive into a relationship.” Her store offers products for couples, items for foreplay, vibrators for women and men, oils and erotic literature. “There are people who are embarrassed to enter an ordinary store or even approach a shelf in a bookstore,” she said. “I offer it in an aesthetic, pleasant and clean way.” Her clients are not exclusively religious. “Secular people also buy from me,” she said. “Many people want to purchase something without entering a website that feels pornographic or uncomfortable.” ‘It does not replace love’ Products designed for couples are among her most popular items. “Couples like the feeling that it is something they are doing together, rather than something replacing one of them,” she said. That distinction, she added, is central to her work. “A product does not replace love, touch, connection or closeness,” she said. “It can add something, create excitement and open a conversation, but it does not take the place of a partner.” Toledano is not convinced that religious and secular couples necessarily face different sexual problems. The difference, she said, often lies in how much information is available and how comfortable people feel discussing the subject. “Among religious people, there is often a lack of basic knowledge and greater difficulty talking about it,” she said. “A woman may not speak to a friend or ask her mother, and then the fear grows inside her like a snowball.” Secular people generally have easier access to information, but that does not mean the information is accurate or healthy. “They may be flooded with information,” she said, “but they still deal with myths, shame and embarrassment.” Pornography, guilt and fear In her clinic, Toledano often encounters insecurity and the fear that something is fundamentally wrong. “I see a lot of anxiety around sexuality and a lot of concern that ‘something is wrong with me,’” she said. Among religious couples, pornography can become a particularly painful issue. “It is not only the act of watching it, but the meaning people give it,” she said. “The man may feel he has failed, hurt his wife or even betrayed her. The woman may feel he is replacing her.” Those feelings can produce severe relationship crises. “Sometimes my first task is simply to lower the stress, calm people down and open a conversation that is less frightened and more honest,” she said. ‘Vibrators in the closet?’ Her decision to enter the field was not immediately welcomed by everyone around her. “At first, it was not easy,” she said. “People raised their eyebrows to an unbelievable degree.” Some questioned whether her profession was compatible with motherhood and religious family life. “They said to me, ‘This is how you want to raise children, with vibrators in the closet?’” Her immediate family needed time to process her career choice, but ultimately embraced and supported her. “My husband was very supportive, even though it was embarrassing for him at first as well,” she said. Most people in her life have since grown accustomed to what she does. New acquaintances, however, often still react with surprise. “When I tell new people that I am a sex counselor and that I own a store, there is a moment of silence and their eyes widen,” she said. Despite the awkwardness, she insists on speaking openly. “I want people to know that it is normal,” she said. Bringing a product into the relationship For couples who are curious about trying a pleasure product but feel embarrassed, Toledano recommends beginning without assumptions or judgment. “Do not think it is deviant, that it means there is a problem or that it replaces someone,” she said. The decision should come through an open conversation between partners, rather than pressure or fear. “Approach it as a couple, through a good conversation and with the desire to add something positive,” she said. “When it is introduced respectfully, it can strengthen the shared experience.” Her broader advice is simple: nurture the relationship, and intimacy will have room to grow from within it. message sy11lflsefg From Taylor Swift’s coordinated Dior looks to Dua Lipa’s 480,000-bead Chanel gown, celebrity weddings have become rolling content campaigns that influence bridal fashion, beauty, jewelry, travel and the way millions of couples imagine their own big day Liora Shuster https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2025/08/17/S1mAwm1Kgl/S1mAwm1Kgl_0_133_3000_1689_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/culture/article/sy11lflsefg Sat, 18 Jul 2026 17:24:40 +03:00 It is all Taylor Swift’s fault. Had she simply abandoned her queen-bee instincts and held a normal wedding, perhaps all of this could have been avoided. But Swift being Swift, she reportedly shut down Madison Square Garden for her wedding to Travis Kelce. From there, the spectacle escalated rapidly. The Empire State Building turned blue in a nod to the bridal tradition of “something blue,” streets were closed, celebrities poured into New York and social media all but collapsed under the weight of the event. The wedding itself may be over, but its marketing life has only just begun. That is what celebrity weddings have become in 2026: enormous global content machines. Even before a single bead from Swift’s bridal gown was revealed, her choice of Jonathan Anderson at Dior, who also designed Kelce’s suit, was being described as a historic moment for the French fashion house. The couple’s coordinated looks are already being positioned as the next major wedding trend. Every additional detail that emerges from the event is likely to land almost immediately on the inspiration boards of millions of brides around the world. Esther Lee of wedding-planning platform The Knot estimates that the “Swiftification” of the wedding industry could generate $2.2 billion over the next two years through spending on fashion, jewelry and other wedding-related products. Swift’s numbers are, as usual, absurd, but she is hardly alone. A Vogue article published on the day of her wedding asked whether celebrity weddings had reached their peak. The answer, unsurprisingly, was no. Celebrity weddings are no longer simply private celebrations, but marketing engines with enormous economic and fashion influence. “A celebrity wedding does not just inspire Pinterest boards,” Lee said. “It directly affects what vendors are asked to create, what retailers stock and which aesthetic dominates the next wedding season.” Celebrity weddings have fascinated the public for decades. An estimated 750 million people worldwide watched the 1981 wedding of Princess Diana and Prince Charles. Social media, however, has transformed the phenomenon. The days when a wedding lasted a single evening now seem almost biblical. Today, the event unfolds over weeks, with every bridal outfit going viral and every detail, from the shoes to the signature cocktail, capable of becoming a trend and generating tens of millions of dollars in exposure for brands. Dua Lipa’s $35 million wedding moment One of the clearest examples is the recent wedding of singer Dua Lipa and actor Callum Turner. The couple first married in a civil ceremony in London, where Lipa wore a dramatic Schiaparelli look. They then moved on to a lavish three-day celebration in Sicily, where she appeared in a Chanel couture gown that dominated social media. The dress featured 480,000 beads and took 1,155 hours to make. Before all that came a bachelorette party in Ibiza, because apparently Lipa’s latest album left her with plenty of free time. According to Vogue, the London civil ceremony alone generated $35.2 million in media impact value for fashion and jewelry brands including Schiaparelli, Bulgari and Christian Louboutin. The wedding’s influence extended beyond clothing and jewelry. Palermo reportedly climbed to the top of lists of desirable wedding destinations after the event. Selena Gomez turns bridal content into beauty marketing Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco provided another example when they married in Santa Barbara last September in front of approximately 170 guests. Gomez wore two Ralph Lauren gowns and Tiffany & Co. jewelry. The photographs she posted from the event became massively viral, creating major exposure not only for those brands but also for her own cosmetics company, Rare Beauty. Searches rose for the products used to create her wedding makeup, turning the event into a beauty campaign as well as a personal celebration. One Ferrari photo creates a wedding trend Formula 1 star Charles Leclerc and model Alexandra Saint Mleux married in Monaco in March. A photograph of the couple leaving the event in a rare Ferrari helped turn collectible cars into one of the latest luxury wedding trends. Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez, meanwhile, married in Venice in July 2025 during a three-day celebration attended by an extensive celebrity guest list. The event was estimated to have cost approximately $50 million, with Sánchez wearing Dolce & Gabbana. Each of these weddings generated far more than tabloid photographs. They created fashion narratives, travel trends, beauty searches, branded moments and consumer demand. The phenomenon is not limited to the United States. Israeli celebrity weddings have also become relentless marketing exercises, although on a much smaller scale. At this point, the real status symbol may be the secret wedding. Actors Zendaya and Tom Holland have managed to keep their ceremony so private that not a single image has been published. Israeli singer Omer Adam and his fiancée Sasha have also decided to avoid the local wedding circus altogether, opting instead for an intimate event in Portofino, Italy. That already makes it my wedding of the year, even before it has taken place. I only hope they do not prove me wrong. message s1m2pad4zl After years of war, repeated call-ups and disrupted routines, many couples find that love remains but partnership has eroded. A family counselor offers practical ways to communicate, divide responsibility and feel like a team again Diana Eidelman https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2017/02/08/7574639/7574639_0_0_1000_563_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/culture/article/s1m2pad4zl Sat, 18 Jul 2026 12:59:58 +03:00 Tu B’Av arrives this year as tens of thousands of Israeli couples continue to live between reserve duty rotations, repeated call-ups and a routine that has never fully returned. While the Jewish holiday of love is usually associated with romance and grand gestures, many families are confronting a more basic question: How do you preserve a relationship through prolonged stress, loneliness and uncertainty? The strain is already visible in the data. A survey conducted by the Digamma Institute for Habayit, an organization supporting reserve and career military families, found that 77% of the 125 families seeking assistance did so because of relationship and family communication difficulties. About 60% said that during certain periods they felt they were simply surviving from day to day, without looking ahead. These findings reflect what many therapists are seeing: The problem is not necessarily a lack of love, but the erosion of partnership and the difficulty of continuing to function as a team amid repeated reserve duty, heavy responsibilities and profound loneliness. Many couples expect the return from reserve duty to bring relief. A partner is finally home, and life is supposed to return to normal. In practice, that stage can be one of the most complicated. While one partner is away, the household continues to function. The partner who remains home makes decisions alone, solves problems alone and often carries nearly the entire burden of family life. When the reservist returns, they enter a household that has already learned to operate in a different way. The children may have grown accustomed to one parent as the principal decision-maker, responsibilities have shifted and priorities may have changed. The central challenge is therefore not simply coming home, but learning how to synchronize again and become two people jointly managing the same family. Love is not enough. Couples must know how to talk One common mistake is assuming that a romantic gesture will solve the problem. Flowers, a gift or a dinner together may be pleasant and meaningful, but they do not resolve months of accumulated overload, loneliness or frustration. Such gestures may say, “I love you,” but they do not answer questions such as: How should responsibility now be divided? How do we address the gaps that developed? How do we begin functioning as a team again? When a couple is managing a household, children, work and reserve duty, love alone is not enough. They also need open communication, coordinated expectations and the ability to stop and discuss what is actually happening. Even when couples decide to talk, however, many fall into the same trap. They begin with one incident from the past week and within minutes are arguing about money, children, household chores and every frustration accumulated over the previous months. The two partners have been living in very different realities. Precisely for that reason, things must be said explicitly rather than assuming the other person already knows or understands. If I am struggling, need help or feel alone, I must say so. When 10 separate problems are raised in one conversation, none of them is truly addressed. Couples should instead hold a regular 20-minute “team meeting.” One partner receives five minutes to explain what was difficult, the other receives five minutes to share their experience, and the remaining 10 minutes are used to develop a practical solution together. The objective is not to assign blame or win an argument. It is to understand what happened and determine how the couple can handle it differently next time. Sometimes people simply need to be heard One of the greatest relationship difficulties during reserve duty is the feeling that no one truly understands what you are going through. The partner who remained home may describe the loneliness, pressure and exhaustion, only to receive an explanation, an argument or an attempt to minimize those feelings. Often, what that person needs most is simply for their partner to stop and listen. Do not immediately search for a solution, and do not argue with the feeling being expressed. Loneliness during reserve duty does not result only from physical absence. It also comes from the feeling that at the most difficult moments, the person who is supposed to stand beside you is not there. That moment may be a difficult evening with the children, an especially demanding day or a crisis in which all one wants is someone to share the responsibility. Sometimes the most important response is: “I understand how difficult that must have been for you.” Do not expect your partner to guess A common source of disappointment is the assumption that the other partner should already understand. The person who remained home may believe the burden and loneliness are obvious. The reservist may feel that the hardship, danger and distance from home should be understood without explanation. In reality, the two partners have been living through very different experiences. That is why they must speak clearly and avoid assuming that the other person knows what they are feeling. Not every conversation must happen the moment an issue arises. Sometimes one partner is simply not emotionally available for a meaningful discussion. In those cases, it is important to say honestly: “I want to talk about this, but not right now,” and specify when the conversation will take place. Knowing that the discussion has been postponed rather than dismissed creates security and helps prevent unnecessary hurt. Recognition strengthens more than criticism Another issue that appears in almost every conversation with couples is a lack of recognition. Many partners feel they are doing far more than usual but that no one truly sees their effort. During such periods, simple expressions of acknowledgment and appreciation become especially meaningful. This does not require extravagant compliments or dramatic gestures. It may be enough to say: “I saw how hard you worked,” “I know this was not easy for you,” or “I noticed how much effort you put in.” People need to feel seen. Often, that recognition strengthens a relationship far more than criticism or advice. Help should begin with listening Since the war began, many people have wanted to support reserve families, but the help being offered is not always what families actually need. Friends or relatives may suggest a romantic weekend or a night out, while the couple may need something much simpler and more practical. That could be a warm meal, help with the children or funding for a house cleaner once or twice a month. The most important question is not, “How do I want to help?” but, “What would actually help you right now?” Effective assistance begins with listening to the family’s real needs. Even when it is impossible to do everything, people can offer clear and concrete support. A small, focused and consistent form of help may create the greatest difference. Choosing to become a team again After nearly three years of war, recurring call-ups and constantly changing routines, many couples are discovering that the greatest challenge is not preserving love but preserving partnership. Love usually does not disappear in a single day. It can, however, gradually erode when each partner feels they are carrying their hardship alone, when painful issues are left unspoken and when both stop recognizing the daily effort of the person beside them. Ahead of Tu B’Av, it is worth remembering that a relationship is not measured only through grand gestures or beautiful words. It is also measured by the ability to stop, listen, make room for the other person’s experience and repeatedly choose to sit on the same side of the table. Sometimes that means a brief conversation. Sometimes it is a compliment, a request for help or simply the ability to say: “I understand you.” Those are the actions that restore a sense of partnership and allow couples to once again feel close, connected and united, even during the most difficult periods. Diana Eidelman is a couples and family counselor and an EFT instructor. She serves as a professional adviser to the support program operated by Habayit for reserve and career military families. message hkmapoungx The Duchess of Sussex reportedly returned to Los Angeles earlier than planned with Archie and Lilibet after no security was provided; sources say she was deeply saddened by how the family trip unfolded Inbal Hananel https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2022/09/10/HJCmPH5gs/HJCmPH5gs_0_0_1631_919_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/culture/article/hkmapoungx Thu, 16 Jul 2026 18:30:14 +03:00 Much has been said and written about Prince Harry’s visit to Britain. He arrived in his homeland alone during the first week of July, but several days later, after considerable hesitation, his wife Meghan Markle and their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, joined him. After four years without seeing his grandchildren, King Charles hosted the Sussex family at his royal residence together with his wife, Queen Camilla. The meeting was arranged under a heavy veil of secrecy, despite extensive briefings provided to the media. As of publication, not a single photograph from the emotional reunion had been released. After the meeting, which took place last Friday evening, Harry continued his royal tour, while Meghan and the children were forced to return home to Los Angeles earlier than expected because they were not provided with security. “The trip that was supposed to be enjoyable turned into a real nightmare for Meghan,” royal correspondent Russell Myers said. “Meghan felt humiliated when she was forced to stand on the sidelines while Harry and the royal institution argued over accommodations for her family,” another source said. “Meghan is very supportive of Harry, but she feels great sadness over how the trip unfolded.” Another source told Page Six that “Meghan always lets Harry take the lead when it comes to dealing with his family.” That account contradicts claims that Harry has lost his ability to make decisions in their relationship. Harry’s visit lasted only about one week. The Duke of Sussex traveled to Britain to mark one year until the opening of the 2027 Invictus Games in Birmingham. During the week, he met military veterans, won an exhibition wheelchair rugby match and met children who had lost a parent during military service. Hours after Harry landed in Britain, a court ruled that he and his co-claimants had lost their case against the publisher of the Daily Mail. At the same time, it was decided that Harry and his family would not receive taxpayer-funded security, and Buckingham Palace withdrew its offer to host the Sussexes at a royal residence. As a result, Harry spent most of the trip alone. The high point of the visit was his meeting with his father, which remained completely secret. “It is better that people know nothing about these meetings,” a source said. “That way, they will have a better chance of rebuilding their relationship with the royal family.” Still, it seems only a matter of time before more details about the visit emerge. message b1xdppnvmx The British model and actor says the partially nude shoot felt ‘defiant and rebellious’ because it was created by a women-led team, many of them queer, and allowed her to reclaim an experience that had not always felt empowering Itay Yaacov https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2026/07/15/ryH9vh44ze/ryH9vh44ze_0_31_1500_845_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/culture/article/b1xdppnvmx Wed, 15 Jul 2026 11:45:00 +03:00 Cara Delevingne is making her Playboy cover debut in what may be her most provocative photo shoot since she rose to fame nearly 15 years ago. The 33-year-old British model and actor appears on the cover wearing a black latex corset with a cigarette in her mouth, holding a lit match in one hand while partially covering her exposed body with the other. The issue is expected to reach newsstands at the end of the month. For Delevingne, the cover represents not only a personal career milestone but also a moment of LGBTQ representation. She is the first openly lesbian woman to appear on the cover of Playboy’s print edition. Singer Kehlani previously appeared on a digital cover in 2021. In an interview with the magazine, Delevingne said the decision to pose partially nude felt empowering because she was able to approach the shoot on her own terms. “Of course, Playboy is an institution aimed mostly at a heterosexual audience,” she said. “That is why it felt very defiant and rebellious to do it, especially with such an incredible women-led creative team, many of whom are queer. It felt very fun and different.” The shoot was photographed by Zoey Grossman and styled by Lana Jay Lackey. Delevingne said she had posed nude in the past for fashion projects and film roles, but those experiences had not always left her feeling in control. “I have been nude before, both for fashion shoots and in movies,” she said. “But there was always something uncomfortable about doing it for someone else. It was my choice and I agreed to it, of course, but it never made me feel empowered.” She said her relationship with her body and sexuality has changed significantly. “I have never felt more comfortable with my body and my sexuality,” she said. “I feel like I am at my peak as a woman and as a person.” Delevingne first emerged as a major fashion figure in 2009, becoming known for her thick eyebrows, androgynous appearance and irreverent public persona. She went on to appear in campaigns and runway shows for Chanel, Dior, Burberry, Fendi, Dolce & Gabbana and other leading fashion houses. She was named Model of the Year twice at the British Fashion Awards. She later expanded into film and music, appearing in productions including Paper Towns, Suicide Squad and Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets. Delevingne has also become a prominent advocate for LGBTQ rights, women’s causes and mental health awareness. A decade ago, she was among the most visible supporters of the Free the Nipple movement, which challenged what activists described as a double standard governing the exposure and censorship of male and female bodies, particularly on social media. Delevingne argued that women’s bodies should not be subject to different standards and incorporated the campaign into her public image. Her Playboy appearance continues that approach, using one of the world’s best-known men’s magazines as a platform for a shoot she describes as self-directed, queer-led and personally liberating. message sj522cnvze Rewild festival in County Kerry announced the blanket exclusion after artists and suppliers threatened to withdraw over a former Israeli soldier’s participation, drawing condemnation from Jewish groups and Ireland’s chief rabbi Itamar Eichner https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2017/08/07/7954270/7954270_0_0_1300_732_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/culture/article/sj522cnvze Wed, 15 Jul 2026 08:44:39 +03:00 An Irish music, arts and wellness festival has announced that anyone currently serving or who has previously served in the Israel Defense Forces will be barred from attending. Rewild festival, held in County Kerry, introduced the blanket ban following an online campaign against the planned participation of an Israeli citizen who previously served in the IDF. In a statement, organizers said they stood “in solidarity with the Palestinian people” and declared that current or former members of what they called the “Israeli Occupation Forces” were not welcome and would not be permitted to participate. The use of the term “IOF” instead of IDF is commonly associated with anti-Israel activists. According to Irish media reports, festival organizers initially said the Israeli would be allowed to take part. They later reversed that position after artists and suppliers threatened to withdraw from the event. The Campaign Against Antisemitism condemned the decision as “xenophobia disguised as progressivism,” noting that the festival presents itself as an inclusive space while excluding Israelis who completed mandatory military service. Ireland’s chief rabbi, Yoni Wieder, also sharply criticized the move, saying the organizers’ use of the term “IOF” reflected their ideological position. Wieder said Israel maintains compulsory military service because it faces security threats from terrorist groups committed to its destruction. He argued that the decision reflected a wider trend in Ireland in which Jews increasingly feel that their place in society is conditional on having no meaningful connection to Israel. Wieder cited protests outside Jewish community events, calls to rename sites with Jewish associations and reported incidents of harassment or assault targeting Hebrew speakers. The controversy comes amid a separate dispute within Ireland’s Jewish community. Twenty-one Jewish signatories issued a protest letter against the Jewish Representative Council of Ireland after it sponsored an online workshop titled “Anti-Zionism as the New Antisemitism.” The signatories argued that the council did not represent all Irish Jews, including anti-Zionist Jews, and said opposition to Zionism should not automatically be equated with antisemitism. The council responded that the workshop was intended to help Jews address cases in which anti-Zionist rhetoric serves as a cover for hostility toward Jewish people. It said Zionism, in its view, means support for the Jewish people’s right to self-determination in their historic homeland and does not require support for every policy of the Israeli government. Wieder likewise said criticism of the Israeli government is not inherently antisemitic, but argued that anti-Zionist rhetoric has increasingly been used in Ireland to justify hostility toward Jews. message ryzexlmvml The renovated Bombardier Global 5000 seats 13, offers Starlink internet, meeting and lounge areas and WWE’s signature black-and-red design, though its logos will be removed before delivery Asaf Rosen https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2026/07/13/BkgWhGUGVGl/BkgWhGUGVGl_129_135_1482_835_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/culture/article/ryzexlmvml Tue, 14 Jul 2026 10:02:49 +03:00 WWE is asking $10.495 million for its private jet, a renovated Bombardier Global 5000 equipped with room for 13 passengers, high-speed Starlink internet and the wrestling company’s distinctive black-and-red design. The 2008 business jet is being marketed by Hagerty Jet Group through the AvBuyer and Aviation Trader platforms. It is registered in the United States and is currently based in White Plains, New York. The aircraft underwent an extensive refurbishment at Bombardier’s facility in Tucson, Arizona, in December 2023. The project included upgrades to both the passenger cabin and cockpit, new seating, an advanced lighting system, a Rockwell Collins entertainment system, Starlink connectivity and technology designed to reduce cabin noise. The Global 5000 includes a fully equipped forward galley, a four-seat conference area, a rear lounge, two 24-inch screens and a baggage compartment. Although it is painted in WWE’s recognizable black-and-red color scheme, the seller says the company’s logos will be removed before the jet is handed over to its new owner. Since entering service in May 2008, the aircraft has accumulated 9,120 flight hours and 4,066 takeoff-and-landing cycles. According to the listing, it has been privately operated in the United States throughout its service life and has no history of damage. Its next major scheduled maintenance inspections are not due until 2028. Bombardier’s Global 5000 is a long-range business jet capable of flying up to about 9,630 kilometers without stopping and reaching a maximum speed of Mach 0.89. The listing has already caught the attention of social media star, wrestler and boxer Logan Paul, who wrote on X, “I’m buying the WWE jet,” alongside a link to a new video on his YouTube channel. It remains unclear whether Paul’s declaration was serious or simply part of the promotion surrounding the video. message bk4dwlxvmx Royal expert Kinsey Schofield says the Prince of Wales accepts that a father battling cancer would want to see his son and grandchildren, but believes Harry has not earned his way back into the family Inbal Hananel https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2026/07/01/ry9GHVGmze/ry9GHVGmze_0_92_864_487_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/culture/article/bk4dwlxvmx Tue, 14 Jul 2026 09:54:28 +03:00 Four days have passed since King Charles III met with his son Prince Harry, Meghan Markle and their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. Since that emotional evening, Harry has continued with the purpose of his royal visit to Britain. He met with children who lost a parent in military service, won a wheelchair rugby exhibition match and even found himself in a water balloon fight. In the coming days, Harry and his family, who were not seen in public, are expected to return to their home in Los Angeles, apparently without meeting his older brother, Prince William, or William’s family. “Prince William understands his father’s decision to meet with Harry and his family, but he has no plans to reconnect with his brother,” royal expert Kinsey Schofield said. “He understands that a father living with cancer wants to see his son and grandchildren, but he still believes Harry has not earned his way back into the family.” William is next in line to the throne, and some believe the future king’s top priority is to protect the monarchy at all costs. “The question William is asking himself is not, ‘Is Harry part of the family?’ but ‘Can he be trusted?’ One afternoon at Highgrove certainly does not answer that question,” Schofield said. “Charles can afford to think about legacy. William has to think about the future.” Buckingham Palace confirmed last Friday that King Charles and Queen Camilla had hosted the Sussexes. It was the first time in four years that Charles, 77, had met his grandchildren. “The meeting, emotional as it was, does not mean the past will be forgotten, and it certainly does not mean the palace should forget everything that has happened in recent years,” Schofield said. “A father can forgive, but a king still has to protect the crown. One meeting is easy. Rebuilding trust is much harder.” message hyqhvnfvgl Lynda Lopez joined her superstar sister at Paris Fashion Week and mounted a serious challenge for the cameras, but Jennifer returned the next day in an even more daring look Omer Daniel https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2026/07/12/Bkx8vJxZNzg/Bkx8vJxZNzg_0_492_2001_1127_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/culture/article/hyqhvnfvgl Mon, 13 Jul 2026 14:19:58 +03:00 Growing up alongside a future global superstar could not have been easy for Jennifer Lopez’s sisters, but it appears to have done little to weaken their close bond. The fact that both are talented, accomplished and striking in their own right probably helped. Lopez has two sisters, both of whom have pursued careers in the public eye. Her older sister, Leslie Ann, 58, is an opera singer and music teacher, while the youngest of the three, Lynda, 55, is a journalist, author and television presenter. Over the weekend, Jennifer and Lynda spent time together in Paris, attending several major Fashion Week events side by side. Jennifer rarely has to work hard to command attention, and this appearance was no exception. She arrived in a plunging, multicolored sequined dress paired with a feathered, fur-trimmed coat (hopefully it was made from high-quality faux fur). This time, however, Lynda was standing beside her and mounted a serious challenge for the cameras, as well as for the unofficial title of the sister wearing the deepest neckline. She put up a respectable fight, but the outcome was probably decided before the contest began. Jennifer appeared to take the challenge seriously. The following day, she stepped out in another dress with an even more dramatic plunge, prompting the question of whether it was truly a neckline or simply an outfit that had never been fully fastened. Lopez has previously spoken about her close relationship with her sisters, particularly Lynda, saying that when she moved to L.A., one of the things she missed most was the friendship with her sisters, especially Lynda, who was someone she could lean on. The three sisters grew up with their parents, Lupe and David, in a small apartment in New York’s Bronx borough, where they shared a bed. Jennifer previously described their mother as having grown up alongside her daughters. Lopez said her mother married at 20 and had her first daughter at 21, meaning she effectively grew up alongside her children, and it was like living with a teenager. She added that her mother taught them to be independent, rely on themselves and carve out their own paths in life. The Lopez sisters have also collaborated professionally over the years. They appeared together in the 2020 short film Draw With Me, while Lynda worked with Jennifer on the set of her 2019 film Hustlers. In 2023, she also accompanied her sister to a Met Gala after-party. message bjsoc006mzl Newly revealed images from the KKL-JNF archive capture Israeli children from the 1930s through the late 1960s playing on haystacks, riding tractors, swimming in small pools and gathering for accordion performances in the shade Tamar Trabelsi-Hadad https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2026/07/08/ByGDr1z2QGx/ByGDr1z2QGx_0_49_600_338_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/culture/article/bjsoc006mzl Fri, 10 Jul 2026 11:33:43 +03:00 Long before branded summer camps, ninja parks, TikTok and family vacations overseas, summer vacation in Israel looked much simpler. Children of that era made do with the open spaces around them. They spent their days in fields, played on haystacks, rode tractors, splashed in small pools under the trees and enjoyed improvised local performances and singalongs, with nature and community at the center of the experience. A series of photographs from the KKL-JNF archive, now being revealed for the first time, briefly brings back the Israeli summer of the pre-state period and the country’s early decades, showing a vacation that was simple, communal, rough around the edges and far less air-conditioned. In one of the earliest photos, taken in August 1930 by photographer Yosef Schweig, children from Tel Yosef are seen sitting on a large haystack on the threshing floor. There are no facilities, no decorations and no structured activity, just a group of children, summer sun and an open agricultural landscape. In another photo, taken by Avraham Malavsky at Beit Keshet in 1935, children from the community are seen sitting together on a large tractor. For children at the time, the tractor was not just a work tool, but an inseparable part of the landscape, daily life and play. “When you look at these photos, you understand how deeply summer vacation was connected to the space in which the children grew up,” said Efrat Sinai, head of archives at KKL-JNF. “The forest, the field, the tractor, the threshing floor and the local pool were all part of childhood. These were not staged moments of leisure, but life itself.” Another photograph, from 1940, shows children spending time in a small pool in the fields, with the homes of the community and the open landscape typical of summer life at the time in the background. Instead of water parks and giant swimming pools, a small reservoir, a few friends and plenty of imagination were sometimes enough. A jump forward to the late 1960s reveals a somewhat different Israel, but the spirit of summer remained similar. Photos from 1969, taken by Dafnai Ish-Shalom, show children from the Beit She’an Valley at a summer camp in Ben Shemen. In one image, they watch a performance in the shade of the trees, with a boy playing the accordion in front of children seated on the ground. In another, they stand near the camp building, where a sign welcomes the children of the valley. The country was already more than 20 years old, but summer vacation still moved at a slower pace, outdoors, in groups and mainly around human connection. “There is nostalgia in these photos, but also important historical documentation,” Sinai said. “They show what everyday childhood looked like in this country, not through major events or official ceremonies, but through small moments: play, summer camp, a pool, a field.” “These moments remind us of summer days before the screen era,” she added. “Days that seemed simple, but created meaningful, enriching and formative experiences.” According to Sinai, the importance of the photographs is not only nostalgic. “The archive preserves national history not only through ceremonies and defining moments, but also through everyday life,” she said. “When people see children sitting on hay or gathering around a small performance in the forest, they recognize something very Israeli, nostalgic and heartwarming.” message s1100g11aqfe Looksmaxxing influencer tours Tel Aviv with Rabbi Yossi Farro, receives a custom pendant and wins praise for switching restaurants so the pair could share a kosher meal together Ilan Levinsohn https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2026/07/10/HylCFZAQGx/HylCFZAQGx_0_29_414_234_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/culture/article/s1100g11aqfe Fri, 10 Jul 2026 08:58:20 +03:00 Internet provocateur Clavicular has made his first visit to Israel, appearing in a video posted Thursday by Rabbi Yossi Farro in which the rabbi presents him with a custom necklace combining the OpenAI logo with a Star of David. Farro joked that the gift was "basically ChatGPT mogging David" — a reference to Gen Z internet slang in which "mogging" means decisively outshining or dominating someone, usually in terms of appearance or status. The phrase has become a staple of the "looksmaxxing" online subculture that helped propel Clavicular to internet fame. The video shows the pair walking around Tel Aviv before Farro presents the pendant. During the conversation, Farro recounts that the two initially went to eat at one restaurant before Clavicular suggested moving after realizing the rabbi, who is Orthodox, could not eat there because it was not kosher. "It's his first time in Israel," Farro says in the clip, praising the influencer for being considerate of his religious observance. The appearance is notable given Clavicular's increasingly controversial public profile over the past year. The influencer, whose real name is Braden Peters, rose to prominence through viral videos centered on "looksmaxxing" — an online subculture obsessed with maximizing physical attractiveness through grooming, exercise and, in some cases, far more extreme practices. His over-the-top persona, unusual vocabulary and deliberately provocative stunts have earned him millions of views across social media. But Clavicular has also drawn criticism for repeatedly appearing alongside far-right internet personalities. In January, he was among a group that included streamer Sneako, white nationalist and Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes, manosphere influencer Andrew Tate and others at Miami's Vendôme nightclub, where members of the group were filmed singing along to the antisemitic song "Heil Hitler" by rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West. The incident sparked widespread condemnation, the nightclub apologized, fired staff members and banned those involved. Clavicular has also appeared in livestreams and public events with Sneako and Fuentes, whose antisemitic rhetoric has been widely documented by civil rights organizations and news outlets. message h1v5ydtxmg Sadiq Khan, one of Labour’s most prominent critics of Israel’s war in Gaza, met October 7 survivors and bereaved families at the London exhibition, then urged Britons to come and see ‘for themselves what happened that day’ Shirit Gal, London https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2026/07/09/B1gWhmraQMe/B1gWhmraQMe_0_11_913_514_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/culture/article/h1v5ydtxmg Fri, 10 Jul 2026 06:33:16 +03:00 More than six weeks after it opened in London, Mayor Sadiq Khan visited the Nova Exhibition London on Thursday, touring the memorial display dedicated to the massacre carried out by Hamas at the Nova music festival on October 7, 2023. During the visit, Khan met survivors of the massacre and bereaved families. He was accompanied by Andrea Simon, London’s victims commissioner. The exhibition opened in London in May and has recently been extended until July 15. According to Jo Wolfe, one of the organizers of the London exhibition, Khan’s office had been repeatedly invited to send the mayor for a visit, but the visit was not arranged for more than six weeks. Wolfe told Jewish News that only after the exhibition’s run was extended was the visit scheduled, just days before its planned closing. The exhibition was created by the producers of the Nova festival together with survivors and families of the murdered. It reconstructs the events of October 7 through installations, personal items collected from the massacre site, survivor testimonies and documentation from the first hours of the Hamas attack. According to the organizers, its purpose is to commemorate the victims of the massacre, tell the stories of the hostages abducted from the festival grounds and give visitors a direct sense of what happened that morning. Before arriving in London, the exhibition was shown in New York, Los Angeles and Miami, where it drew hundreds of thousands of visitors, including public officials, lawmakers, cultural figures and opinion leaders. In London, it has continued to attract visitors from across Britain, and demand led organizers to extend its run by several weeks. Against that backdrop, organizers attached special importance to Khan’s visit. They said his call for the British public to come and see the exhibition for themselves carried significant public weight, especially given his status as one of the country’s senior elected officials. The visit also drew attention because of Khan’s positions since the start of the war. The mayor, one of the most prominent Labour voices criticizing Israeli government policy in Gaza, has repeatedly called for a cease-fire and sharply criticized Israel’s conduct. In September 2025, he escalated his remarks, saying that in his view “what is happening in Gaza is genocide,” a statement that drew sharp criticism from Jewish organizations and pro-Israel figures in Britain. Since the October 7 attack, Khan has also faced criticism from parts of London’s Jewish community, who argue that he has not taken a firm enough stance against the sharp rise in antisemitic incidents in the British capital. Khan has condemned antisemitism on several occasions and said that “antisemitism has no place in London,” but criticism from some Jewish groups has continued throughout the war. For that reason, his visit to the Nova exhibition carried particular symbolic weight. “This is not about the religion you belong to, the God you believe in, your politics or your views on one issue or another,” Khan said during the tour. “It is about coming and seeing for yourselves what happened that day. And if you are lucky enough to meet a survivor, it will be an experience that touches you, I promise.” “What is clear is that these were people who came to a festival with only love and joy,” he added. “They wanted to have fun, and they lost their lives. Others survived, but their lives will never be the same. The bereaved families will never be the same families either.” Khan also described the images from the exhibition that would stay with him after the visit. “There are several things that will not leave me,” he said. “The children’s shoes, one of them was only 18, the clothes, the mobile phones. All of these remind you that these were human beings. You can watch a video or read an article, but here you understand that these were real people. But also what human beings are capable of, it is simply horrific. What will remain with me is also the hope and optimism, but also the horror of what happened.” Khan compared the Nova massacre to the 2017 Manchester Arena terror attack, in which 22 people were murdered after a concert by singer Ariana Grande. “When you see the pictures of those who were murdered, you notice the range of ages, 18-year-olds, people in their 20s, 30s, 40s and even 50s,” he said. “What they all had in common was their love of trance music, dancing and parties. They left home and left their loved ones behind thinking they would return the next day, but they did not return.” “That also happened in other traumatic events around the world, such as the attack at the Ariana Grande concert, where parents never got to see their children again, and survivors’ lives changed forever,” he continued. “It is a reminder of all the things that connect us. There are too many people in the world trying to divide people and communities, while music, joy and gathering are things we all share.” At the end of his visit, Khan again urged the British public to come to the exhibition. “This is not about the religion you belong to, the God you believe in, your politics or your views on one issue or another,” he said. “It is about coming and seeing for yourselves what happened that day. And if you are lucky enough to meet a survivor or a bereaved family member, it will be an experience that touches you, I promise.” message ryb0ln6mzl From WAGs of the 2000s to fashion powerhouses today: soccer players’ partners including Georgina Rodríguez, Antonela Roccuzzo and Michelle Gerzig have built personal brands, turning fame, style and social media influence into careers of their own Itay Yaacov https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2026/07/10/By3FG9amzl/By3FG9amzl_0_126_3000_1689_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/culture/article/ryb0ln6mzl Fri, 10 Jul 2026 03:24:43 +03:00 The first decade of the 2000s, characterized by flashy fashion and a celebrity culture that gained popularity through reality TV shows and aggressive paparazzi coverage, also gave rise to the term WAG – an acronym for Wives And Girlfriends. The term was coined by the British media in the early 2000s to describe the wives and girlfriends of soccer players, including Coleen Rooney (wife of Wayne Rooney), Cheryl (then Tweedy, later Cole), who was in a relationship with England national team soccer player Ashley Cole, and of course, Victoria Beckham. They accompanied the rise of a new generation of England stars and became familiar faces in tabloids and holiday paparazzi photos. Around the national team, particularly during the 2006 World Cup, they carved out a place for themselves between the stands and gossip columns, becoming celebrities in their own right. However, they were often portrayed through a misogynistic and degrading lens, with many judged primarily by their partners’ status. During those years, WAGs marked the first close connection between soccer, celebrity culture and fashion. They were not merely “the partner of,” but part of a media machine selling a lifestyle: designer handbags, high-profile appearances, VIP parties and constant visibility in gossip columns. In many ways, this was the moment when soccer stopped being just a sport and became a full-fledged entertainment industry. With the return of early-2000s aesthetics and the resurgence of figures from that era, such as Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan, the conversation around soccer players’ partners has also become relevant again. In recent years, a new generation of “soccer stars’ wives” has emerged, no longer relying solely on their partner and his career but instead leveraging their fame into careers of their own through brand launches, online sales and collaborations with fashion houses. Some are even more famous than their partners. Alongside international names such as Georgina Rodríguez and Antonela Roccuzzo, Israel also has its own prominent young generation of “soccer players’ partners,” including Noa Kirel, Neta Alchimister and Coral Simanovich, who have positioned themselves as independent success stories, each in a different field: music, fashion and fashion and beauty businesses. As in the past, their clothing choices continue to receive extensive attention from fashion media. These are the leading figures. Esther Expósito The Spanish actress who broke out in the television series “Elite” joined the “soccer stars’ partners” club over the past year after rumors spread and footage emerged of her spending time with France national team soccer player Kylian Mbappé. Although the two have never publicly confirmed that they are a couple, videos from a romantic holiday that appeared in gossip outlets provided evidence of their relationship. Expósito (26), who has been compared to a blend of Scarlett Johansson and iconic Israeli-born international model Vic (Nina Brosh), was famous years before her romance with one of the world’s most talented soccer player. She has appeared in television series and films, led fashion and beauty campaigns for brands including YSL and Bulgari and graced the covers of numerous magazines. Her style choices reflect a deep understanding of fashion, with a wardrobe that is both effortless and subtly sexy. Antonela Roccuzzo Antonela Roccuzzo is perhaps the classic example of a contemporary WAG who has become a public figure in her own right. Roccuzzo (38) is the wife of No. 10 Lionel Messi and the mother of his three sons. She has accompanied Messi throughout his career, from Rosario, Argentina, to the peaks of world soccer: Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and today Inter Miami and the Argentina national team. The two are considered one of soccer's power couples, and Roccuzzo also maintains a close friendship with Coral Simanovich – a relationship that began when Simanovich’s husband, Sergi Roberto, played alongside Messi at Barcelona. Over the past decade, she has leveraged her fame to become a significant figure in the fashion world, with 40 million followers on Instagram alone. Gossip columns often focus on her glamorous appearances during family holidays, but a closer look at her fashion choices reveals a style that moves between relaxed, sporty looks and classic luxury pieces, with clean silhouettes, muted colors and luxury handbags from fashion house Louis Vuitton. Roccuzzo is regularly invited to fashion shows held by luxury conglomerate LVMH and has been seen on numerous occasions in the front row alongside Antoine Arnault, son of the group’s founder Bernard Arnault. Bruna Biancardi Brazil may have been eliminated from the 2026 World Cup by Norway, but Neymar still has a reason to celebrate after he and his partner, Bruna Biancardi, announced last month that they are expecting their third daughter. He will become a father for the fifth time, with a son and daughter from previous relationships. Biancardi (32) is a popular Instagram influencer with 16 million followers who promotes brands in fashion, beauty and parenting. She has also pushed back against rumors of infidelity involving her partner. Her Instagram account serves as a showcase for a luxury-filled wardrobe, featuring everything from Hermès, Chanel and Dior handbags to body-hugging dresses, tailored suits and eye-catching jewelry. Like many soccer stars’ partners, she cultivates an image of glamorous living, exotic holidays and designer looks. However, in her case, it can sometimes be difficult to distinguish where her personal taste ends and commercial partnerships begin. Mishel Gerzig Mishel Gerzig recently earned a spot on Vogue Singapore’s list of WAGs. The Israeli model has become an even more recognizable figure in recent years following her marriage to Real Madrid and Belgium national team goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. Gerzig (29) appears in campaigns and attends various fashion shows, and recently sat in the front row at Diesel’s show in Milan, alongside other Israeli celebrities including Eden Pines and Dana Zarmon. Although she has not established herself as a supermodel, Vogue praised her fashion sense, saying that Gerzig is identified with a polished casual style that appears effortless but is carefully considered. She often wears fitted pieces in neutral shades, alongside streetwear influences with a bold twist. A quick look through her Instagram account reveals a clear affinity for over-the-knee boots, which have become one of the defining elements of her style. In short, even away from the pitch – and certainly in the stands – her style is elegant and precise. Georgina Rodríguez Georgina Rodríguez is perhaps the figure most closely associated with the term “soccer player's wife” and one of the few who has successfully turned the title into a consistent and prominent career of her own. Rodríguez (32) has been in a relationship with Cristiano Ronaldo since 2016, when the two met while she was working at a Gucci store in Madrid and he walked in to shop. Whether the story is true or an urban legend, Rodríguez has since used her fame as an influencer, model and regular guest at international fashion events, from runway shows to the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Met Gala, where she was first invited in 2025 as a guest of fashion house Vetements. It is no coincidence that her path is often compared to Victoria Beckham’s – who was never merely a “soccer players' wife” but first became famous in her own right as one of the five members of the Spice Girls. Like Beckham, who became a designer, Rodríguez recently launched her own fashion brand, Mimoa – a sportswear and fitness label that she unveiled in a carefully timed marketing move during a Portugal national team World Cup match. Rodríguez wore a black shirt with the Mimoa logo centered on the chest and the number 7, a direct tribute to Ronaldo, along with matching leggings featuring the brand’s symbols. She completed the look with a hat featuring elements associated with the Portugal national team and a luxury Hermès handbag. message h111ymxhqml Students in the Brandon Korff Influencers Program learn storytelling, audience engagement and personal branding while documenting Israel for global audiences ynet Global https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2026/07/08/HyYNVXnQMg/HyYNVXnQMg_0_0_1280_721_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/culture/article/h111ymxhqml Thu, 09 Jul 2026 08:42:06 +03:00 Digital creator Nas Daily (Nuseir Yassin) visited Reichman University this week to speak with students participating in the Brandon Korff Influencers Program, an academic course focused on content creation and social media. The program, established with funding from American-Jewish businessman Brandon Korff, is described by the university as the world's first university-level influencer program. Yassin, who has tens of millions of followers across social media and billions of views on his videos, rose to prominence after publishing a one-minute video every day for more than 1,000 consecutive days, documenting stories from around the world. He later founded Nas Company, which focuses on content creation, creator education and digital media. During the session, Yassin spoke about his career, including his decision to leave the technology sector to become a full-time content creator. He discussed how content ideas develop into widely viewed videos and shared insights on storytelling, audience engagement, social media algorithms, personal branding and strategies for building an online following. The lecture was held as part of the Brandon Korff Influencers Program, an accredited course at Reichman University. The program includes 35 students from the university's International School representing countries including the United States, Brazil, South Africa, the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Australia. Throughout the academic year, participants receive training in content creation and influencer marketing while using their social media platforms to document their experiences in Israel for international audiences. Brandon Korff, whose family previously held a controlling stake in media company Paramount CBS, funds the program through the Brandon Korff Foundation. Isaac Daboush, head of the program, said inviting Yassin was intended to expose students to one of the digital media industry's best-known creators. He said the session was designed to provide participants with practical tools for creating content and building an audience on social media. Professor Moran Yarchi, head of Reichman University's Public Diplomacy Program, said the event reflected the program's goal of combining academic study with industry experience. She said the session gave students an opportunity to hear firsthand about using social media to reach large audiences and influence public discourse. message sjunom9mze The Duke of Sussex arrived without Meghan Markle and their children, hours after Buckingham Palace reportedly told his team he could no longer stay at a royal residence despite formally accepting the offer Inbal Hananel https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2023/06/06/r1we11c382/r1we11c382_0_57_3000_1689_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/culture/article/sjunom9mze Tue, 07 Jul 2026 09:16:05 +03:00 Prince Harry landed in Britain hours after Buckingham Palace reportedly withdrew an invitation for him to stay at a royal residence during his visit. A spokesperson for the Duke of Sussex confirmed that Harry arrived without Meghan Markle and their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. According to reports, King Charles had invited his son to stay at the palace and asked for a response by last Friday. Harry initially declined the offer, but several hours later decided to accept it. The palace then informed him that it was too late and that the offer was no longer valid. Harry’s spokesperson issued an unusual statement expressing “disappointment” and accusing Buckingham Palace of withdrawing the invitation “at the last minute,” a decision that made the duke’s visit even more tense. “I am aware of the numerous briefings that came out of Buckingham Palace last week, stating that the duke had not accepted the offer to stay at one of the royal residences,” the spokesperson said. “After the RAVEC committee decided not to provide security for his family, the duke spent last week finalizing alternative security arrangements. Once those arrangements were completed, he was able to formally accept the offer to stay by himself over the weekend. It is therefore disappointing that the offer has now been withdrawn, with the ruling in the case against Associated Newspapers Limited, expected today, cited as the reason.” The statement added: “However, Buckingham Palace had been aware of the timing of the ruling since last Thursday. It is therefore unclear why, after the duke formally accepted the offer of accommodation, it was withdrawn at the last minute.” As of publication, a meeting between Harry and his father, King Charles, is still expected to take place. message s1cxfntxgg More than 70 million Christians from 175 nations will join Eagles’ Wings’ annual prayer event for Israel, as heads of state, first ladies and over 500 Christian leaders gather in Jerusalem ynet Global https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2026/07/06/BJyTTNYmfx/BJyTTNYmfx_0_0_1280_721_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/culture/article/s1cxfntxgg Mon, 06 Jul 2026 17:48:27 +03:00 On October 4, 2026, Jerusalem will become the center of the largest annual Christian expression of solidarity with Israel. More than 70 million Christians from 175 nations are expected to unite in prayer during the 24th Annual Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem (DPPJ) - the largest prayer gathering for Israel in history. Hosted by Eagles' Wings and its President and Founder Bishop Robert Stearns, and broadcast live from the Tower of David Jerusalem Museum, this year's gathering comes at a defining moment for Israel, as the country continues to confront ongoing security threats while facing an unprecedented wave of global antisemitism. The event will bring together more than 500 senior Christian leaders from 50 countries, representing churches and communities across every continent. Among them will be official delegations from Nigeria, Kenya, and Togo, including senior government officials, the First Ladies of Nigeria and Kenya, and the King and Queen of Togo, underscoring the growing international coalition of leaders standing with Israel. The gathering will also welcome 175 Latin American Christian leaders, led by Reverend José Wellington Costa Jr., General Superintendent of the Brazilian Assemblies of God. Reverend Wellington leads Brazil's Assemblies of God, a denomination of more than 33 million members and part of the world's largest Protestant movement, comprising more than 90 million believers in 212 countries. The Latin American delegations will represent more than 51 million Christians across the region. Israeli leadership has been invited to address the global Christian audience on the enduring strength and strategic importance of the Jewish-Christian alliance. "This is far more than a prayer event. It is a global declaration that Israel is not alone," said Bishop Robert Stearns, Founder and President of Eagles' Wings. "At a time when the Jewish people face extraordinary challenges, tens of millions of Christians are choosing to stand publicly with Israel, pray for her peace, and reaffirm the unbreakable bond between our people." For twenty-four years, the Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem has grown into the world's largest annual prayer initiative dedicated to Jerusalem. This year's gathering is expected to set a historic milestone, uniting millions of believers across churches, denominations, and continents in a global broadcast live from Jerusalem. About Eagles' Wings Eagles' Wings is an international Christian organization dedicated to building bridges between Christians, the State of Israel, and the Jewish people through education, advocacy, and action. For more than three decades, the organization has mobilized millions of Christians around the world to stand against antisemitism, strengthen support for Israel, and deepen the historic relationship between the Christian and Jewish communities. For more information, visit www.daytopray.com message rkpgtkk7gx The Princess of Wales shared new photos from the end of her National Three Peaks Challenge, showing William, George, Charlotte and Louis greeting her after the 24-hour cancer charity trek Inbal Hananel https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2026/07/05/r1sxkXOXGx/r1sxkXOXGx_0_214_536_302_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/culture/article/rkpgtkk7gx Mon, 06 Jul 2026 13:54:42 +03:00 A week ago, the Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton, completed the National Three Peaks Challenge, climbing Ben Nevis in Scotland, Scafell Pike in England and Snowdon in Wales, the highest peaks in each of those countries. The route covered 37 kilometers, with more than 3,000 meters of total ascent and 740 kilometers of driving, all within 24 hours. The main goal behind the challenge was the fight against cancer. On Sunday night, about a week after finishing the challenge, the princess shared new photos from the finish, where she was surrounded and embraced by her family. “This time last week, completing the National Three Peaks Challenge. A huge thank you to everybody who has supported The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity,” she wrote alongside the photos. The first photo in the post shows Prince William wrapping his wife in a huge bear hug. The following images show the princess embracing Prince George, who now appears to have overtaken her in height, Princess Charlotte, who seemed to have cried from emotion, and, of course, Prince Louis, who also starred in the photos while holding tightly to his mother’s hand. The final photo in the sequence showed the Wales family together with Kate’s proud parents and her brother James. Kate, 44, appeared in red shorts, a cap and a backpack, beaming in the images released after the challenge. After completing the challenge, the princess published a message on social media and stressed its importance. “Every year, hundreds of thousands of people in this country hear the words no one wants to hear, What follows is a path that tests every part of who we are: physically, emotionally, psychologically and spiritually. The challenges ripple outwards, touching families, friendships, work and the quiet moments we spend alone with our thoughts,.” “Cancer doesn't just affect the body. It changes how you think and feel and profoundly affects every aspect of life. I know this personally, and that the journey through and beyond treatment requires more than medicine alone,” she added. Kate went on to share that she embarked on the National Three Peaks Challenge “not simply as a physical endeavor," but “as a chance to explore life beyond diagnosis and to give something back.” The Princess of Wales was diagnosed with cancer in 2024 and later said she was in remission. The Royal Marsden is the hospital where she received treatment, and her climb was meant to raise support for the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity and its work with patients. The princess added: “Through this challenge, I want to raise awareness of the deep effects of serious illness and the importance of holistic medicine. Every person is a world unto themselves, and when treatment addresses the whole person, it allows those coping with cancer to better face the personal and profound challenge that comes with diagnosis.” “This challenge will support the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity and help expand access to holistic care and deepen the understanding of its importance, in order to support the recovery and rehabilitation of patients across Britain.” message r1bmbrsxfe Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce wed at Madison Square Garden in a tightly guarded ceremony officiated by Adam Sandler, with celebrity guests, fans outside in the heat and a ‘JUST&T MARRIED’ message lighting up the arena Associated Press https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2025/08/17/S1mAwm1Kgl/S1mAwm1Kgl_0_0_3000_1688_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/culture/article/r1bmbrsxfe Sat, 04 Jul 2026 03:38:55 +03:00 Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce married Friday night at Madison Square Garden, where actor Adam Sandler was the surprise officiant at a star-packed ceremony. The marquee outside the Midtown Manhattan arena read “JUST&T MARRIED” once the deed was done. The couple did not have bridesmaids or groomsmen, instead opting for Swift’s brother to serve as her man of honor and Kelce’s brother, Jason, to serve as his best man, Swift’s publicist Tree Paine said in an email. The bride and groom’s outfits were designed by Christian Dior Haute Couture and its designer Jonathan Anderson, with shoes custom-made by Christian Louboutin. Swift wore Cartier jewelry. The wedding between the superstar singer and the football player took place as fans and spectators gathered outside MSG in the blistering heat, eager to be part of the occasion, even though the event was almost entirely hidden. The buildup to the wedding weekend was secretive. A permit obtained by The Associated Press this week and other sources helped confirm that the high-profile event would indeed take place at MSG over the July Fourth weekend, with its own set of festivities amid a massive heatwave. The long-anticipated union of sports and song brought the hype to new heights at a venue better known for historic NBA games and bucket-list concerts. Singer Camila Cabello, actors Hugh Grant, Ethan Hawke and Jason Sudeikis, and model Karlie Kloss were among those who arrived. Running back Kareem Hunt was among Kelce’s Kansas City Chiefs teammates in attendance. Seattle Seahawks receiver and recent Super Bowl champion Cooper Kupp, New York Giants receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, NFL announcer Joe Buck and Jenny Han, author of “The Summer I Turned Pretty” series, also entered the arena. In a culture obsessed with famous couples, it may be the apex celebrity wedding, with perhaps only royal unions receiving more attention. Holding such a ceremony in a huge, iconic space at the center of the U.S. media universe while keeping the details secret made for a surreal scene, but the mix of hype and hush was not out of character for Swift. An Associated Press camera outside the arena showed a long line of black SUVs dropping off wedding guests in tuxedos and evening gowns, surrounded by New Yorkers in shorts and Swifties gathering for the occasion. Celebrities, athletes and friends posted on social media about getting ready or heading to a black-tie event, including Brandon Borders, producer of the “New Heights” podcast starring Kelce and his brother Jason; Beau Allen, a retired defensive lineman for the Philadelphia Eagles; and Jessica Chastain. There was a notable lack of social media posts from guests once they had entered the arena, after reports that phones would not be allowed. A city permit obtained by the AP showed that the ceremony and celebration could last until 4 a.m. Guests appeared as though they were arriving at a major awards show, but their entrances were obscured by tents and gazebos. There was a chance of rain hitting the area before the night was over. Weddings have been a constant subject in Swift’s songs since she was a teenager, and her actually walking down the aisle for the first time at age 36 added to the drama. It was also the first marriage for Kelce, the 36-year-old three-time Super Bowl champion who could have been one of the jock characters in Swift’s early hits. Outside the arena, some frazzled tourists joked that it was a bad weekend to visit as they navigated strict road and sidewalk closures, while others appeared happy to catch a glimpse of the spectacle. Police cut off most access to the area where guests were being dropped off, but some people gathered in nearby businesses and peered out windows. Diana Warshavsky, who lives in New York, headed to MSG on Friday to celebrate Swift and Kelce’s wedding with fellow Swifties and “send her good vibes.” “We’re relatively the same age. I’m a year older than her and I just got married this year as well,” Warshavsky said. “I’m just so happy for her.” The relationship between the pop star and the football player has continued to thrill and fascinate millions around the world, particularly Swifties, the pop star’s enormous and devoted fan base, since the pair first started dating in 2023. The weekend is jam-packed even by New York standards. The city is celebrating the nation’s 250th birthday, a parade of dozens of tall ships is set to sail the Hudson River, and a World Cup game is scheduled in New Jersey. Earlier this week, Swift and Kelce donated $26 million to 20 local and national charities across the U.S. Many of the organizations were located in areas where the couple has deep ties, including Nashville, Los Angeles, Kansas City and New York. message skcrobbmmg Prince Harry's upcoming return to Britain has reignited interest in the bitter eight-year feud with Prince William, marked by public allegations, family tensions and repeated failed attempts at reconciliation Inbal Hananel https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2019/08/19/9431728/9431728_0_28_1715_966_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/culture/article/skcrobbmmg Fri, 03 Jul 2026 13:36:35 +03:00 Princes William and Harry were far more than just brothers — they were best friends. The death of their mother, Princess Diana, when they were still young boys, combined with life under constant public scrutiny and the strict demands of royal life, forced them to rely on each other. When Kate Middleton entered the picture around 2007, the two became an inseparable trio. Kate became an important figure in Harry's life, providing warmth and affection amid the cold formality of palace life. "When Prince Harry needed a shoulder to lean on or a comforting meal, he turned to Kate," one source said. "After Princess Diana's tragic death, Harry was left with a huge emotional void. He grew up without a maternal figure to rely on and when Kate joined the family, that changed." That dynamic, of course, unraveled after Meghan Markle — Harry's future wife — joined the royal family. As Harry prepares to return to Britain with Meghan and their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, it's worth revisiting one of the royal family's most complicated relationships. 'Kate is the sister I never had' William, Harry and Kate were exceptionally close. Harry often referred to Kate as "the sister I've never had and always wanted," fueling hopes among royal watchers that he might one day return to those feelings and repair the relationship. When William and Kate announced their engagement in 2010, Harry said: "I've known Kate for years, and it's fantastic that she is becoming part of the family." The first cracks in the royal bubble appeared in 2016 when Harry and Meghan began dating. By 2018, just months after their royal wedding, tensions had erupted. Early reports claimed Markle and Middleton had fallen out, with the dispute allegedly escalating before Harry and Meghan's wedding. According to reports at the time, Meghan made Kate cry after criticizing Princess Charlotte's bridesmaid dress. From there, relations only deteriorated. Harry sided with his wife and his relationship with William and Kate steadily unraveled. Today, the Sussexes and the Prince and Princess of Wales are said to have no relationship at all. There have been several opportunities for reconciliation, all prompted by family tragedies. The first came after Prince Philip's death in April 2021, the second following Queen Elizabeth II's death in September 2022, the third after King Charles announced his cancer diagnosis in February 2024 and the fourth a month later when Kate revealed she was also undergoing cancer treatment. None of those moments led to a lasting reconciliation. Meghan, Kate and the growing divide The reported tensions between Meghan and Kate intensified despite repeated efforts by the late queen to ease relations. "Meghan and Kate are two very different women," a source close to the royal family told the Daily Mail. "They simply don't get along." According to those reports, Harry and Meghan moved out of Kensington Palace and into Frogmore Cottage on the Windsor estate, despite both brothers having residences within the royal estate. Reports also claimed Meghan was unhappy with the late queen's housing decision and wanted the couple to move into another royal residence, now occupied by the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, who reportedly refused to vacate it. The queen ultimately intervened and is said to have spoken to Harry about Meghan's approach, which she believed was causing significant disruption within the palace. Stepping away from royal life In January 2020, Harry and Meghan stunned the royal family by announcing, without prior notice, that they would step back from their royal roles. The decision had not been coordinated with Charles, William or Queen Elizabeth. The couple reportedly expected to retain some royal privileges, including taxpayer-funded security, despite leaving official duties. Instead, Queen Elizabeth ended those security arrangements and required the Sussexes to repay 2.4 million pounds (about 3,205,548 dollars) in public funds used to renovate Frogmore Cottage. Harry and Meghan reacted publicly. Their criticism of the royal family began with their bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey, where they accused unnamed members of the family of racism. It continued with several documentary series and culminated in Harry's memoir, Spare, a 407-page account filled with deeply personal revelations about royal life. Harry's allegations against William In Spare, Harry described a confrontation with William in 2019 at Nottingham Cottage, where Harry and Meghan were living at the time. According to Harry, William called Meghan "difficult," "rude" and "abrasive," echoing descriptions Harry said had appeared repeatedly in the media. Harry said he confronted William, telling him he expected better from his older brother. The exchange escalated into shouting. Harry accused William of behaving "like the heir" and failing to understand why Harry refused to accept being the royal "spare." William insisted he was trying to help. "Are you serious?" Harry said in reply. "Help me? Sorry — is that what you call this? Helping me? According to Harry, William became enraged. "He grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and he knocked me to the floor. I landed on the dog's bowl, which cracked under my back, the pieces cutting into me. I lay there for a moment, dazed, then got to my feet and told him to get out." Harry said William later urged him to hit back, reminding him of childhood fights between them, but Harry refused. William allegedly returned later to apologize before calling Harry and saying, "You don’t need to tell Meg about this." Harry replied: "You mean that you attacked me?" "I didn't attack you, Harold," William allegedly responded. Harry said he did not immediately tell Meghan but instead contacted his therapist. When Meghan returned home and noticed scratches and bruises on his back, he told her what had happened. "wasn't that surprised, and wasn't all that angry," Harry wrote. "She was terribly sad." A relationship beyond repair? William was reportedly the first to cut off contact despite Harry's repeated attempts to repair the relationship. "Part of this role, part of this job, this family, being under the pressure which it’s under, inevitably stuff happens," Harry said in one of several documentaries about the family rift. "But we’re brothers, we’ll always be brothers. I’ll always be there for him and as I know, he’ll always be there for me. We don’t see each other as much as we used to because we’re so busy but I love him dearly." Harry acknowledged that their relationship was no longer what it once was but insisted he still loved William, while also blaming much of the conflict on media coverage. Since then, however, the distance between the brothers has only grown. Last June, Harry reportedly sent invitations to both Charles and William for the 2027 Invictus Games, deliberately sending them two years in advance to avoid scheduling conflicts. Neither responded. Meanwhile, reports have claimed that Kate struggled emotionally over the estrangement. "She wishes she could speak to Harry. She misses him and fears she'll never be close to him again," a source told Us Weekly. Another source claimed Kate had suffered anxiety because of the family breakdown, though those reports have not been independently verified. Harry and Meghan, however, have continued to speak publicly about the royal family. Meghan has discussed private exchanges with Kate in media interviews, including revealing that Kate once sent her flowers in an attempt to make peace, which Meghan said was not enough. According to sources close to William and Kate, "the door is bolted shut right now." Harry's return to Britain Although King Charles has reportedly invited Harry and Meghan to stay at a royal estate during their visit, sources say William strongly opposed the idea and has no intention of meeting either Harry or Meghan. Rroyal commentator Dan Wootton told Fox News that William and Kate have no interest in reconciling with Harry and his wife. Another source close to the Prince and Princess of Wales said their position has not changed since January 2020. "If the king wants to host the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, that's entirely his decision," the source said. "It has no bearing on William and Kate." Harry's visit is expected early this month, though reports suggest he may once again travel alone because his family will not receive taxpayer-funded security. Although Charles reportedly offered accommodation and has explored possible security arrangements, Harry and Meghan have yet to publicly respond. A source close to Harry said he could not bring Meghan and the children because his request for publicly funded security had been rejected. Another source accused Britain's Home Office and the committee responsible for royal security of creating conditions that make it impossible for the family to visit Britain safely. Harry has repeatedly argued, including during an unsuccessful legal challenge, that he cannot safely bring his family to his homeland without official security. After stepping back from royal duties in January 2020, he lost his entitlement to taxpayer-funded protection. Once, William and Harry were the two brothers who captivated the world. Together they faced relentless media attention, comforted each other after their mother's death and seemed to understand each other without words. After eight years of explosive interviews, a tell-all memoir, mutual accusations and repeated reconciliation attempts that failed to produce results, the distance between them appears greater than ever. The story of two inseparable brothers has become an ongoing family tragedy with no clear ending in sight. message b1mtixnxgx Director Yuval Shani says he hid behind a macho persona to fit in after enduring years of bullying; his debut feature, 'Youthful Grace,' reimagines the vulnerable, feminine boy he once was as the film's strongest character Amir Kaminer https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2026/06/28/S1lSLUAGfe/S1lSLUAGfe_0_571_2625_1478_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/culture/article/b1mtixnxgx Fri, 03 Jul 2026 03:49:46 +03:00 When director and screenwriter Yuval Shani was a handsome teenager in Jerusalem in the early 1990s, he decorated his bedroom walls with posters of Maccabi Haifa, the reigning champion team, and one of its stars, Tal Banin. “I knew the entire lineup by heart,” Shani says with a laugh. “I would fake an interest in soccer just so I could talk about players with the boys in class. I went all in. I even went to matches, I knew statistics, I really worked at it. Even today I can recite the entire Maccabi Haifa lineup from the 1993-94 championship season, when they went unbeaten.” But you were from Jerusalem. “Everyone supported Maccabi Haifa back then and I wanted what everyone wanted. In reality I felt a lack, like I wasn’t masculine enough, not the man I was supposed to be. So I constantly tried to be a man and imitate masculine behavior. I tried to be someone I wasn’t in order to survive and belong. I played soccer and was a goalkeeper. People always say Jerusalem belongs to everyone, but I never felt it belonged to me in any way. I felt I couldn’t become what was expected of me. I tried to imitate masculine behavior and always failed. I couldn’t become that man.” Despite Shani’s efforts to be like everyone else and “be a man,” he quickly became a target of bullying and abuse. “People always say bullies rely on physical strength, but that’s not true. Their real power is identifying weakness. They spotted my weakness immediately. They marked me. They saw me before I saw myself. They called me ‘transvestite’ before I even knew what it meant. The first time I heard that word was in sixth grade on a soccer field. It followed me throughout my childhood. Wherever I went, I felt identified.” Did you get beaten up? “Yes, I was hit.” Did you tell your parents? “I hid a lot of my pain from them.” Today, at 45, he is a successful content editor in the television industry, a acting coach and an active director who remains close to his childhood friends from Jerusalem. “I’m lucky. These are wonderful people who have been with me since fourth grade. I don’t have to put on a mask around them.” Have you ever run into the bullies who hurt you? “I still see some of them and I even like some of them. They were children back then. I’m not looking for revenge against them. Through the cinema I make, I try to strengthen the weak.” And that is what Shani does in “Youthful Grace,” his first feature film, which arrives in cinemas across Israel this weekend. The film, which won the ensemble prize at the Jerusalem Film Festival, is set in the capital but Shani has moved the story and its characters away from the elite milieu he grew up in and away from his own intellectual family. The plot follows Amir (played by Itay Turgeman, one of the hottest names in Israeli cinema right now) and Eliyahu (breakout actor Amitay Shulman), two adolescent boys trying to survive in a world of dysfunctional adults. Amir works in his uncle’s grocery store while his mother is hospitalized in a psychiatric ward. Eliyahu is a beautiful, feminine and delicate boy devoted to his drug-addicted mother. A chance encounter between the two on the eve of Passover leads them on an unexpected journey. Also starring are Hilla Vider, Moris Cohen, Adam Gabay and Hitham Omari. “At the end of the day, it’s a story about a gay boy who saves another boy and is saved in return,” Shani says. “It’s a film about compassion, friendship and being seen. I deliberately did not simplify the connection between them into a homosexual romance.” Shani does not recreate his own childhood here, but he does express the distress he felt in those years. “The film is a product of my imagination. My idea was to bring Eliyahu into Jerusalem, a wondrous creature, half feminine and half masculine. In this film, I wanted to take the boy everyone sees as weak and turn him into the strongest character in the story. When I was a child, I didn’t have that figure. I had no role model like that. I thought there was only one way to be a man, to move through the world. I created Eliyahu to save the lost child I once was. That is the purpose of ‘Youthful Grace,’ to give strength to myself and to others.” Casting Eliyahu took a long time. “I wanted to find someone who wouldn’t be easy to digest, someone who wouldn’t be overly ‘nice,’ who would create some discomfort. I saw many actors and none fit. Then I moved to non-actors. When Amitay Shulman, who is androgynous, arrived, I understood he was the real thing. Today Amitay is undergoing gender transition.” 'My bisexuality was a transitional stage' Shani is the son of a diplomat and ambassador and a mother who lectures on Islamic art. Because of his father’s work, he grew up in London and returned to Israel at age 10. “I came back to Jerusalem with an annoying British accent and European mannerisms. That also drew attention,” he recalls. Over the years, Shani struggled with his identity and sexual orientation. “Until age 27, I was bisexual,” he says. “At 18 I had a girlfriend. After we broke up I told my friends: ‘I am attracted to boys too and I’m going to date men.’ Everyone immediately embraced me, and my first date with a man happened in front of my entire class of friends. They came along to support, tease, joke and hug me. It was an act of acceptance. With my family it was more complicated.” In the army, Shani served in military intelligence and after completing his service moved to Tel Aviv (“Jerusalem felt limiting and suffocating. I needed to break free”) and began studying film and television at Tel Aviv University. “Cinema was always more than an escape for me. It was a fantasy of an alternative refuge.” “I found there what I couldn’t find in my immediate environment in terms of identity. In Jerusalem, when I had no models of masculinity around me, cinema always provided one. For example, ‘My Own Private Idaho’ by Gus Van Sant or films by John Cassavetes. Film school felt like a partial return to the closet because of the social dynamics. I was ‘straight-acting,’ ‘straight-looking,’ I had a girlfriend, but my films were very gay.” Did the women you were involved with know you were bisexual? “Yes. One of the great loves of my life was a woman who knew I was bi and accepted it. I understand women better than men, but bisexuality was a transitional stage for me, because I struggled to say the word gay and struggled to commit to something definitive.” One of Shani’s student films, “Segal,” focused on an aging, lonely trans woman (Yosef Carmon) visited by her estranged daughter, a doctor played by Alma Zack. The film won at the San Sebastián Film Festival and was selected for the prestigious student competition at Cannes 2009. Just before his family traveled to the French Riviera, Shani came out to his parents. “My family was the last to know,” he admits. “My parents didn’t realize I was gay because I always had girlfriends. Our family circle was warm and supportive, but the barriers were inside me. I was trying to be the man I could never become. I was good at pretending, and it was easy for me because I loved women and my relationships with them. It wasn’t a feeling of deep depression. But eventually things came to a head and I understood I was far from what I truly wanted. I misled my parents for a long time.” How did the conversation go? “I took my parents aside and told them I am also attracted to men. It was the hardest conversation of my life. They were in total shock. The acceptance process was both immediate and gradual. The door was open right away and they accepted it, but understanding took time because they are from a different generation. Their acceptance means a lot to me. It is complete.” After graduating, Shani entered the industry. He is now editing a short film based on a script by actress and screenwriter Swell Ariel Or, who also appears in “Youthful Grace.” The story takes place near the iconic Metzitzim Beach where she grew up. The two are also developing a series set in the same location. At the same time, Shani works as a content editor on “The Race to the Million.” Are you in a relationship now? “Right now I’m not in a relationship. It’s much easier for me to direct than to be in a relationship,” he says with a wide smile. “As a director, I always want to beautify, edit, organize and clean up reality. In a relationship, you sometimes have to tell the truth directly, to defend your needs and desires, and I often struggle with that. I have only had one significant relationship with a man.” Shani says he once spent time going out to clubs. “I had a wonderful, intense period of clubs like Breakfast and The Block, but nightlife leaves you empty in the morning. Today Tel Aviv nightlife is less appealing to me. I am addicted to only one thing: intimacy, but that intimacy is often fleeting.” How does your search for intimacy fit with the age of dating apps? “The era we live in makes intimacy harder for me. The scrolling on apps is a recycled conversation of worn-out phrases. I feel a lot of alienation there. Everything is categorized and sorted. I don’t like those categories. I feel that in the gay community, there is something more conservative than meets the eye. In my experience, I’m trying to open boxes, not close them.” Would you like to be a father? “I have gay friends who have children. I’m happy for them. But I don’t want that. I don’t have a biological urge and I’m not interested in reproducing or having children. I have no problem being with a partner who has a child and being a parent to someone else’s children. I understand the urge to reproduce is natural, but I’m not connected to it.” message b1anqc7qml Following Daveigh Chase’s death at 35, a 2003 MTV Movie Awards clip has resurfaced showing Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs asking the young actress whether she would attend an after-party; the exchange has sparked renewed anger online Omer Daniel https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2026/06/17/BkayqPezGl/BkayqPezGl_8_0_1503_846_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/culture/article/b1anqc7qml Thu, 02 Jul 2026 10:41:03 +03:00 Former child actress Daveigh Chase, who starred as Samara Morgan in the horror film The Ring and voiced Lilo in Disney’s Lilo & Stitch, recently died at the age of 35. This week, Los Angeles authorities said she died of AIDS, with “chronic polysubstance abuse” listed as a significant contributing condition. Since news of her death emerged, many online users have criticized her parents for failing, in their view, to protect her from the dangers facing child actors in Hollywood. Her father recently said she had cut ties with him and her mother years earlier, had been homeless and began using drugs when she was 13. In recent days, a video has resurfaced online that apparently did not attract much attention when it first aired, but now feels especially disturbing in light of recent events. The moment took place at the 2003 MTV Movie Awards, where Chase, then 13, won Best Villain for her role in The Ring. She received the award from Ashton Kutcher and Sean “Diddy” Combs, who was then 33 and handed her the award after giving her a kiss on the cheek. After they left the stage, Diddy spoke with Chase in front of the cameras and asked whether she would be going to an after-party later that night. Chase nodded yes, and Diddy laughed and said, “Yes!” with visible enthusiasm. It is not clear whether she actually attended the party that night. But the exchange, which may have been viewed at the time as a lighthearted moment, is now being seen in a far more painful and frightening light. Many social media users pointed out that nothing about the interaction seemed appropriate, from a 33-year-old man presenting an award so closely to a 13-year-old girl to the invitation to join a party later that night. “Why did they let two men be around her at all? They could have chosen someone her age or an older teenage girl,” one user wrote. Another urged parents: “Please keep your children away from the entertainment industry. These are predators in human form. She’s a child!” Others expressed sorrow. “Poor girl. Diddy was creepy then just like he is today,” one person wrote. “Seeing this now as an adult is much more disturbing and sick,” another added. “No one that young could handle what she went through. Heartbreaking,” read another comment, echoing many similar reactions. Representatives for Diddy, who is currently in prison after being convicted of sex offenses and has drawn headlines over the large sex parties he hosted, have previously responded to the clip and dismissed the criticism. “It’s disappointing to see the media and social media commentators twisting things and making them into something they were not,” they said. After Chase’s death, her mother, Cathy Chase, told the Daily Mail that her daughter’s decline began several years later, after she was involved in a car accident at 16 and began using powerful painkillers. “She was looking for drugs and partying with the wrong people,” Cathy said. “She wanted freedom and these people trapped her with drugs. That was the beginning.” She also insisted: “I never kicked my daughter out of the house.” From 2018, Chase was arrested and jailed several times for offenses that included drug use and breaking into homes. Her mother said she visited her several times in jail. “She was completely gone, out of her mind,” Cathy said. “I thought something was wrong with her. My daughter was never diagnosed with mental health issues other than PTSD, but the drugs took over.” Cathy said Daveigh had also expressed a desire to come home, and that she once went to pick her up from jail. “But when I got there, she was never waiting. She went back to the streets and I couldn’t find her.” The last time she saw her daughter was in 2025, Cathy said. After that, contact was lost. She learned of her death online. “I hoped they were lies, but then major sites started publishing it,” she said. “I went out to the backyard and screamed, ‘No, no, no, no!’ It hurts me so much, but I hope her soul heard me.” message rydmy9bqfg Bad Bunny’s London show proved his appeal goes far beyond chart-topping hits; blending Puerto Rican pride, intimate fan interactions, nostalgic musical influences and surprise guest Damon Albarn, he turned a stadium into a celebration of identity and belonging Einav Schiff, London https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2026/06/29/Hyz511Bemze/Hyz511Bemze_1_249_3000_1689_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/culture/article/rydmy9bqfg Wed, 01 Jul 2026 01:50:24 +03:00 During the second part of Bad Bunny’s concert, which takes place in the “casita” (Spanish for little house) that everyone has wanted to be in since his iconic Super Bowl performance, the setlist is interrupted and the music stops. This is not a technical malfunction. Bad Bunny sings and dances and will return to it shortly but first he needs to move through the front rows, shake hands with enthusiastic fans and hug and take selfies, like a politician on a campaign trail. Then one fan hugs him tightly for what feels like an eternity. From the singer’s expression, it sounds like she is whispering the story of her life into his ear. No one urges him to move along and he does not seem to be in any rush. It ends with a gentle kiss on her cheek and he moves on to the next fan. Several more minutes pass before the music resumes. It seems that this moment explains why, for the hundreds of thousands attending Bad Bunny’s rare European tour, this is about more than just a show by the hottest name in pop music. For many Spanish-speaking fans at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, Bad Bunny has become more than a hit machine but a symbol of pride and identification: in language, in the homeland of their families in Latin America, in the music their parents and grandparents grew up with that did not always receive a warm welcome in the mainstream. The personal, physical and sustained contact with him gives the show the feel of a popular street celebration, as if it were truly a Puerto Rican block party rather than a stadium concert in one of the most expensive cities in the world. If the beautiful line “Debí tirar más fotos” (“I should have taken more photos”), the name of his excellent album released in early 2025, leaves a bittersweet taste of longing for the safe and warm space of home, then Bad Bunny’s show seems to fill the archive with new, defining and above all very joyful memories. Two hours earlier, Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio takes the main stage in a tan brown suit and glasses with a bridge that make him look as if he was pulled out of a 1970s rhythm club. This is the classic segment of the show, continuing the loving tribute of “DTMF” to the musical roots he grew up on — salsa, rumba, bomba and more — built on infectious rhythms and excellent musicians. All that is missing is a Latin version of Israeli presenter Shimon Peres to declare a perfect Latin night. In these songs, which are not familiar stadium anthems, it becomes clear that English is largely a non-issue in the show: not in the songs, not in the transitions and not in the level of audience participation. Even the instrumental performance on a cuatro guitar of Oasis’ “Wonderwall” (an unofficial anthem of the English national team at the World Cup these days), while Bad Bunny catches his breath, does not trigger uncontrolled hysteria. In contrast, the roar for the opening of “NUEVAYoL,” which closes this part of the show, can be heard all the way to New York. At this point, after a lesson in Puerto Rican slang via a video featuring a frog, the heat wave that had just left the city returns thanks to the “casita”: a replica of an average Puerto Rican home with a satellite dish and an air conditioner unit on the roof that many would steal if they could. At the entrance stands a large number of male and female dancers in the show’s official dress — almost nothing — raising the temperature in the stands as well. Bad Bunny has shed the suit and now wears shorts, a loose Adidas tracksuit and sunglasses. In his hand is a red plastic cup that never leaves him. The message is clear: he is the host and everyone is invited to lose themselves in the dancing. Unexpectedly, that is exactly what happens the moment the opening of “Tití Me Preguntó,” also known as Bad Bunny’s “selfie song,” begins, which also opened his Super Bowl performance. This is the looser, wilder and more overtly sexual part of the show, not only because of a barrage of reggaeton tracks from albums and collaborations but also due to a fish-eye camera capturing dancing bodies. The star himself frequently grabs his groin and moves in ways that have already earned names the internet can barely handle. Yet even within the sense of abandon, it is hard not to be impressed by how these songs have fused old and new traditions into a virus that has infected tens of millions around the globe. The powerful yet elegant beat, Bad Bunny’s addictive cadence as a rapper, the nostalgic wink and the melancholy tone that occasionally creeps even into the most danceable hits have updated the familiar portrait of a pop star, expanded its boundaries and revealed a vast audience hungry for this moment. That is why it is not entirely clear why Israeli singer Omer Adam is so eager to imitate him, given that in Israel he already did something similar for Mizrahi music even earlier. The grand finale is led by Bad Bunny again from the main stage, this time with some of his biggest hits and a surprise guest, Damon Albarn. Albarn used the Gorillaz networking platform to signal Bad Bunny and now receives his due with a joint performance of two songs: “Tormenta,” on which Bad Bunny originally appeared, and the iconic “Clint Eastwood,” in which he sings a verse in Spanish. “This guy, I’m telling you,” Albarn says and nothing more needs to be added. But even Albarn knows he is only a guest and nothing would have changed had he not been there: the stadium would still have been lifted to the sky hearing “DTMF” live, with images of audience members taken before the show and glow sticks shaped like cameras casting shifting colors of light. “EoO” closes the night with a kiss and fireworks, sending the crowd off to scroll through the many videos that captured two and a half hours of comforting heat. After a Bad Bunny show, no one walks away saying, “I should have taken more photos.” message sjfssqkmgl Monthlong arts festival will bring dozens of performances to Jerusalem, the Western Negev and northern Israel, including a highline show over Gei Ben Hinnom Valley and a first public performance by former hostage Sagui Dekel-Chen ynet Global https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2026/06/28/HyvhSoAMGg/HyvhSoAMGg_0_1_850_479_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/culture/article/sjfssqkmgl Tue, 30 Jun 2026 05:55:08 +03:00 The Israel Festival will celebrate its 65th anniversary this summer with a monthlong program of original performances exploring themes of resilience, coexistence and the search for a shared future, organizers announced. Running from July 28 through August 20, the festival will present dozens of productions in Jerusalem, as well as events in the Western Negev and northern Israel, bringing together hundreds of artists, musicians, dancers and cultural figures at a time organizers say public spaces for dialogue remain especially important. Opening the festival is Held By a String, a large-scale aerial performance suspended above Jerusalem's Gei Ben Hinnom Valley. The production revisits a memorable moment from the 1987 festival, when famed French high-wire artist Philippe Petit crossed the valley on a tightrope. This year's performance features four highline artists walking simultaneously between East and West Jerusalem, accompanied by the Jerusalem East and West Orchestra and the Jerusalem Youth Choir. Festival CEO Ori Vaknin said the event aims to provide a space for artistic creation amid years dominated by crisis. "The Israel Festival is first and foremost a live meeting between artists, creators and audiences," Vaknin said. "Its very existence cannot be taken for granted today. Continuing to create and gather is itself an expression of our commitment to one another." Artistic directors Michal Vaknin and Dafna Kron said this year's program examines the idea of "tomorrow" through works that step back from the immediacy of current events while remaining rooted in Israel's social reality. "Our program is built on art as a survival tool and as an invitation to activate a shared imagination," they said. "Rather than imagining that everything will simply be fine, we wanted to open possibilities for action." Among the festival's marquee productions is Hip-Hop Talpiot, which pairs producer Tamir Muskat, the Jerusalem Street Orchestra and leading Israeli hip-hop artists. Several productions directly engage with Israel's current social and political realities. VERSE, created in partnership with the Aner Shapiro Association, combines performances, discussions and public art inspired by the legacy of Aner Shapiro, who was killed while saving others during the October 7 massacure. Another project, Drishat Shalom 2026, pays tribute to late graphic designer David Tartakover by inviting artists, writers and members of the public to create postcards reflecting on the idea of peace. Meanwhile, Temporarily Removed offers guided tours through absent international productions that were canceled amid the ongoing cultural isolation facing Israel. One of the festival's most anticipated events will take place outside Jerusalem. At Kibbutz Nir Oz, former hostage Sagui Dekel-Chen will perform publicly for the first time nine songs he composed and memorized during his 498 days in Hamas captivity. The performance, held on the kibbutz lawn where he grew up, will combine music with personal stories and guest appearances by fellow musicians and former captives. Proceeds will benefit organizations supporting bereaved families. Other productions include Peter Is Leaving, an artificial intelligence-driven theatrical adaptation inspired by Franz Kafka; Nitzavim, a darkly comic work about film "extras" repeatedly cast in death scenes; The Thinking Heart, inspired by the wartime diaries of Dutch Jewish writer Etty Hillesum; and As One, an immersive participatory performance examining collective action and social solidarity. Many events will be staged outdoors or in public spaces, continuing the festival's recent emphasis on making art more accessible. Organizers also said the festival will maintain its social ticketing policy, with several free performances and paid events priced between 50 and 140 shekels. Founded in 1961, the Israel Festival has become one of the country's premier multidisciplinary arts events. This year's edition seeks not only to celebrate that legacy, organizers said, but also to reaffirm the role of culture in a society grappling with war, recovery and an uncertain future. message syamf2kmgx After Red Rocks and a nine-state tour, Israeli entertainer Raphael Nathan says young fans dressed like him and families dancing across the world turned his videos into something far bigger than YouTube numbers Alexandra Lukash https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2026/06/29/HktuihyQGg/HktuihyQGg_0_294_512_289_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/culture/article/syamf2kmgx Mon, 29 Jun 2026 19:25:10 +03:00 For DJ RAPHI (Raphael Nathan), the moment his YouTube channel became something much bigger than a collection of dance videos didn't come from watching view counts climb. It came when families from around the world began sending him videos of children dancing along at home, in schools and community centers. Seeing hundreds of messages from people outside Israel convinced him his content was reaching a global audience and inspired him to invest fully in building his online platform. That journey recently reached another milestone as DJ RAPHI surpassed 1 billion YouTube views and completed a successful tour across nine U.S. states, including a performance at Colorado's iconic Red Rocks Amphitheatre. Standing before a crowd of 10,000 people singing along to his songs was, he said, the realization of a dream he had carried since his teenage years. As an Israeli performer, he described the experience as surreal and deeply meaningful, saying he remains grateful and still "buzzing" from the show. The success has also brought unforgettable encounters with young fans. Children regularly arrive at performances dressed as the entertainer, complete with his signature glasses, hat and all-black outfit. Families have traveled across the United States, including from Hawaii, to attend his shows, while parents have shared stories of how his videos helped children cope with illness or other personal challenges. Those moments, he said, transformed his understanding of his work, showing him that the music provides encouragement, confidence and joy far beyond entertainment The past two years have also brought challenges. Since October 7, DJ RAPHI said he has faced online hostility because of his Israeli identity, including management companies that declined to work with him and calls on social media to boycott his content. At the same time, he said he found strong support from industry leaders, signing with major talent agency WME and a new management team that embraced both his work and his Israeli identity. Rather than discouraging him, the criticism strengthened his determination to continue creating. He recalled a recent moment at New York's JFK Airport when a TSA officer recognized him, told him his children love his songs and greeted him with "Shalom." Encounters like that, he said, remind him that many people connect with Israel through music, dance and positive experiences. Looking ahead, DJ RAPHI is preparing another U.S. tour in November, with plans for 10 additional shows, an expanded production and an even bigger stage as his global audience continues to grow. message hj8v0ohfme Thirty-five years after ‘Thelma & Louise,’ the 6-foot actress is drawing fresh attention with sculpted gowns, easy confidence, old-Hollywood shine and a youthful presence that has the internet debating how she looks so good Erez Amiran https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2026/06/26/HyvhDzofzg/HyvhDzofzg_1_0_850_478_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/culture/article/hj8v0ohfme Sat, 27 Jun 2026 01:52:05 +03:00 At 70, with eternal dimples and tons of class, Geena Davis has become one of the most talked-about women on the red carpet. Her successful fashion choices immediately drew praise, but it was her youthful appearance that sparked a flood of online reactions and speculation: Did she have work done? Injections? If so, how much and what kind? Doctors and self-appointed experts weighed in, social media users analyzed every angle, and in the end a fairly broad consensus emerged: Even if Davis has had some facial interventions, they appear minor compared with the frozen-mask look favored by many women in Hollywood. Davis has wrinkles, and she is photographed with them, without filters or forgiving Photoshop, but with all 6 feet of height she was born with and, apparently, some especially successful genetics. Thirty-five years after her iconic role in “Thelma & Louise,” she still has the same innocent charm, the same smile, the same built-in elegance and, in Netflix’s “The Boroughs,” Carlos Miranda as the handsome young lover, a worthy substitute for Brad Pitt, who spent one unforgettable, destructive night with her in that film. What else does she have? One Oscar, one Golden Globe, four marriages that ended in divorce, three children, a stint as a professional archer and a film and television career that has zigzagged between major successes and embarrassing failures. Two films directed by her third husband, Renny Harlin, “Cutthroat Island” and “The Long Kiss Goodnight,” were among the biggest flops in American cinema and sent her into a painful and prolonged exile from the screen. But even if she never acts in another film, her place in the pantheon of mythological roles is already assured. She will forever be Thelma, racing toward an uncertain end in a car, hand in hand with Louise, teaching the world a lesson in female friendship and feminism. How does she dress? Like the visual translation of effortless elegance, stretched over 6 feet of height with dimples serving as the perfect accessory. In a red-carpet world dominated by Demi Moore and Lauren Sánchez Bezos, Davis proves that it is possible to look wonderful without pretending to be 20 and without chasing every fashion trend. The problematic cliché of “dressing for her age” functions here as a huge compliment. In practice, that means she does not strip down to the minimum possible amount of fabric, nor does she hide beneath layers trying to project a fake, overloaded boho chic. You could call it sexy elegance, and Davis has plenty of it precisely in her eighth decade. She has come a long and stylish way since her 1992 Oscars horror show, which featured a puffy, asymmetrical ball gown, accessorized with long gloves and lace-up shoes, as if someone had stolen all the world’s bad taste and loaded it onto Geena Davis. From there, her aesthetic became steadily more refined, turning into a blend of strength, intelligence and glamour. Classic Hollywood meets 2026, if you like. Along the way there was a blue dress with metallic lacing by designer Zac Posen at the Bentonville Film Festival, which Davis co-founded, in 2019; a black dress with pockets, a winning combination by any measure, by Romona Keveža at the 2020 Oscars; and a long turquoise gown in the style of a Greek goddess, with a high neckline and scarf-like waist belt, which she wore at the Council of Fashion Designers of America awards earlier this year. At the Netflix premiere of “The Boroughs,” she offered a current, shorter version of old-school Hollywood glam: a black minidress with baroque white pearl embroidery. But Davis’ journey to the peak of classic style reached its high point at the most recent Cannes Film Festival. There, she starred on the red carpet in a spectacular “fireworks” dress, fully embroidered with sequins and gemstones in shades of red, reinforced with a corset and a pointed neckline by designer Pamella Roland. But the best look of all belonged to the festival’s gala evening: a white dress with a plunging bell-shaped neckline, bare shoulders and a long train, all of it looking sculpted onto her body. What comes next? Davis and the rest of us probably will not get another “Thelma & Louise,” but a late television career may yet follow her charming appearance in “The Boroughs,” the series whose cast reminds us that growing older can be completely sexy. Davis appears there in tight jeans and a T-shirt, looking no less hot than Brad Pitt did in a similar outfit alongside her 35 years ago. Applause or tomatoes? Davis is a Hollywood lesson in how to age with style and decisive proof that real charm does not disappear with age. Also, apparently, the world is more beautiful when viewed from a height of nearly 6 feet, in heels. So, admiring applause, of course. message