In the late 1920s, a "
Queen Esther Beauty Pageant" was held in
Tel Aviv, centred on the holiday of
Purim. The first Miss Israel took place in 1950, two years after Israel's independence. From then onwards, Miss Israel was the national franchise holder for
Miss Universe,
Miss World, and
Miss International. The pageant's official winner represented Israel at Miss Universe and the runners-up at Miss World, Miss International, and
Miss Europe. The winner also occasionally competed at other international pageants, such as Miss World in 1953, 1968, 1992, 1996–1998; Miss International in 1963;
Miss Asia Pacific International; and
Miss Earth. In 2022, the original organizers (
LaIsha) cancelled the pageant amid controversies over its relevance to modern social standards. It was then restarted under new management, and in 2024, the Miss Universe Israel pageant was organized by Edgar Saakyan, owner of Edgar Entertainment.. Edgar Entertainment held the event in
Miami, Fl in 2024 and 2025, with participation by Israeli contestants.
Pageant rules As part of reforms introduced in the early 2020s, eligibility requirements for Miss Israel were expanded. Contestants must be at least 18 years old and hold Israeli citizenship. Restrictions related to marital status, motherhood, height, and weight were removed, allowing married and divorced women, as well as mothers, to participate. Candidates must not have a criminal record or be associated with explicit or erotic content. ==International crowns==