Miss Universe Israel 2025 Crowned Melanie Shiraz Takes the Title

Israel has a new face of beauty and inspiration: 26-year-old entrepreneur Melanie Shiraz from Caesarea has been crowned Miss Universe Israel 2025. The announcement came Thursday during a dazzling ceremony held at the Hilton Miami Aventura Hotel, where Shiraz triumphed over ten other finalists from across the country.

Outgoing titleholder Ofir Korsia passed the crown to Shiraz, marking Israel’s second consecutive year of holding its national competition in Florida rather than on home soil. With her victory, Shiraz will now represent Israel at the Miss Universe pageant in Thailand this November, where she will aim to bring the crown home for the first time since Rina Mor’s historic win in 1976.

Shiraz is more than just a beauty queen. An entrepreneur and artist, she is dedicated to uplifting women, giving a voice to underrepresented communities, and promoting pride in her heritage. “My connection to Israel is central to who I am,” she shares in her bio. “I grew up between cultures, always carrying my Israeli identity with pride, and spent years involved in Jewish and Israeli communities both in Israel and abroad. This platform isn’t about being perfect it’s about showing up authentically, standing for something meaningful, and representing Israel in a way that is bold, beautiful, and deeply human.”

Israel’s history in international pageantry is rich with success. Rina Mor brought home the Miss Universe title in 1976, while Linor Abargil made history by winning Miss World in 1998. Gal Gadot, who won Miss Israel in 2004 before rising to global fame as Wonder Woman, remains one of the country’s most iconic beauty queens, despite not placing in that year’s Miss Universe competition.

Shiraz’s win ensures Israel’s second consecutive appearance on the Miss Universe stage after the country’s absence in 2022 and 2023. Last year’s representative, Ofir Korsia, competed in Mexico City but did not place.

The 2025 Miss Universe competition will be held on November 21 at the Impact Challenger Hall in Thailand. Current Miss Universe Victoria Kjær Theilvig of Denmark will crown her successor at what promises to be one of the most-watched pageants of the year.

As Melanie Shiraz prepares to represent Israel on the global stage, her journey is already inspiring young women across the country to embrace both their identity and their dreams.

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