An Israeli celebrity influencer said she was observing the laws of Jewish family purity. Courtesy of YouTube

This article originally appeared on Haaretz, and was reprinted here with permission. Sign up here to get Haaretz’s free Daily Brief newsletter delivered to your inbox.

Multiple non-observant Israeli celebrities have been paid by a pro-religion organization to promote observance of Judaism’s “family purity” laws – and have failed to disclose that remuneration.

The organization, “She’asani Isha” – a reference to a morning prayer in which Jewish men thank God for not making them women – launched the campaign to encourage women to adhere to menstruation-related rules.

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

In one video, for instance, recently married celebrity influencer Shai Mika was covertly paid to say, “I’m observing the menstruation laws because I really want to.” She said in the video that she decided to get closer to religion due to difficulties she experienced during the pandemic and around the wedding.

The conversation with another celebrity, Yael Bar Zohar, was posted on She’asani Isha’s website, and Mika has been quoted similarly on multiple news sites and TV shows.

The menstruation laws refer to Jewish Orthodox women traditionally refraining from physical contact with their husbands during their period, after which they immerse in a ritual bath, or mikveh, before resuming sexual relations.

“Everything that happens today starts with internet stars,” said She’asani Isha’s head, businesswoman Ruthie Leviev-Yelizarov, during a TV interview on Tuesday. “It does not matter if it is a product, or yogurt or anything else. We paid them, as they are supposed to be paid.”

Leviev-Yelizarov is the daughter of Russian-Israeli billionaire Lev Leviev, a major financial supporter of the ultraorthodox Chabad Hasidic sect who is wanted for questioning on financial irregularities and has been sheltering in Moscow for the past four years. Leviev is otherwise best known for his real estate dealings and for cracking the world diamond market in the 1980s.

The Forward is free to read, but it isn’t free to produce

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward.

Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda.

At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse.

Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.

This is a great time to support independent Jewish journalism you rely on. Make a gift today!

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.

$90 $180

$360

Other amount