‘Draft Dodger’ Bar Refaeli Slammed for Ad Campaign
A member of the Knesset Finance Committee criticized an Israeli clothing chain for hiring supermodel Bar Refaeli to represent it since she dodged military service.
Elazar Stern of the Hatnuah Party berated Fox clothing chain CEO Harel Wizel during a Knesset Finance Committee meeting on April 21, during a debate on a proposal to reduce the import tax on textiles.
Stern, who is a former Israel Defense Forces general, told Wizel that Fox had no right to ask the government for tax breaks after hiring someone who avoided military service.
“Don’t you talk about reductions and the good of the people while you employ a draft dodger,” Stern said, Israeli media reported.
Wizel called Stern “disrespectful” and pointed out that his son finished basic training and his daughter also served in the military.
Refaeli married, and shortly after divorced, a family friend in order to leave the IDF and pursue her modeling career.
Last month, IDF officials criticized the Foreign Ministry for releasing a public relations campaign starring Refaeli.
A message from our Publisher & CEO Rachel Fishman Feddersen
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.
We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.
If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO