ANTE UP: From left, Dani Yochtman, Oded Paz and Eden Harel, three contestants on the Israeli version of ?Celebrity Poker.?

It’s a form of *tzedakah *that the Sages probably didn’t have in mind: cash winnings from the Israeli version of “Celebrity Poker.”

ANTE UP: From left, Dani Yochtman, Oded Paz and Eden Harel, three contestants on the Israeli version of ?Celebrity Poker.?

Nevertheless, a number of Israeli charities and not-for-profit organizations stand to benefit from the November 1 premiere of “Poker Cochavim,” the Tel Aviv-based edition of the American series broadcast on Bravo. Participants in the Israeli version of the show include a mix of TV actors, athletes and musicians, with the series airing on Ego, a cable channel aimed at “hot-blooded” men between the ages of 18 and 45, according to the broadcaster’s Web site. Among the high-profile Texas Hold ’Em players will be Harel Moyal, second-season winner of the Israeli version of “American Idol,” and Eden Harel, a TV host who served as the first Israeli video jockey on MTV Europe.

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)

Eden Harel’s husband, TV personality Oded Menashe, will be master of ceremonies for the new gambling show, following his successful stint on the Channel 10 cooking competition “Knife Fight.”

The Hebrew-language edition of “Celebrity Poker” follows a steady stream of foreign reality shows adapted for Israeli audiences. An Israeli version of “Survivor,” shot in the Caribbean, proved a hit earlier this year, and the ratings are currently dominated by the first Israeli edition of “Big Brother.”

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