(Tablet) Daniel Estrin - Ethiopian-born Yityish "Titi" Aynaw, 21, was just crowned Miss Israel. Almost 30 years since the first clandestine Israeli airlift of Ethiopian Jews, Israel has anointed one of them Israel's most beautiful woman. The past few years have been trailblazing ones for Ethiopian-born Israeli women. In 2011, Hagit Yaso was the first Ethiopian-born winner of the Israeli version of "American Idol." In 2012, Belaynesh Zevadia was appointed Israel's first Ethiopian-born ambassador - to Ethiopia. In January, Pnina Tamano-Shata (of the Yesh Atid party) became the first Ethiopian-born woman to be elected to the Knesset. In 1952, Yemen-born Ora Vered became the first Miss Israel of Middle-Eastern Jewish descent. In 1993, in the midst of post-Soviet immigration, Kiev-born Jana Khodriker won, and in 1999 judges crowned Rana Raslan the first Arab Miss Israel.
2013-03-13 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive