Multinational insurance company, AIG have hired Assi Azar and his husband to become the first gay couple to front a major commercial in Israel.
Assi and Albert Escola have become the faces of a brand new advertising campaign in Israel by the Insurance giant, AIG.
The couple will be making adverts for the company for the next two years, the Jerusalem Post reports. The first advert is due to air next month.
Assi, who is one of Israel’s most sought after television hosts married his partner Albert in 2016. The couple met in 2012 at a Madonna concert in Barcelona.
In 2019 the couple announced that they were starting the process of looking for a surrogate mother so that they could start a family of their own.
Speaking to THEGAYUK Yifat Reiter, CEO of AIG said, “Assi and Albert bring to the screen authenticity, human warmth and credibility; they are perfect to lead AIG’s advertising in the coming years. We are excited to work together with the couple. “
The campaign, with the advertising agency Reuveni Friedan, is expected to launch next week. Assi Azar has been at the top of the Israeli entertainment industry for years, and Albert Escola, his spouse and an architect by trade, is a rising star in his own right since his participation in the reality show “yes Man“.
A spokesperson added “Assi’s and Albert’s relationship brings something new, fresh and relevant to the screen – both a warm, captivating and humorous dynamic. The couple will be an integral part of the company’s advertising strategy in the coming years”
Israel announced Monday that it would be lifting a ban on gay and bisexual male blood donors, a change that has not been made in the United States. Israel’s national emergency service Magen David Adom devised a “double testing” system that allows blood banks to screen donations twice, allowing gay and bisexual men to make immediate donations, according to the The Times of Israel. (more…)
Israel is a land full of contradictions, as both the birthplace of the world’s three major religions and the first country in the entire Middle East to legalise gay marriage. It’s part desert, part war-zone, part perpetual pride parade.
So here are a few things to expect should you decide to take a gay trip with a difference this year:
When people think of Israel, they think of the capital city, Tel Aviv. And while it may be the home of one of the world’s greatest and gayest pride celebrations, there is so much more to Israel than Tel Aviv.
As the birthplace of human civilisation, the history of the country is staggering. I swear our tour guide very rarely began a story that didn’t start 2,000 years ago. At least. Much of the ancient structures are still there, allowing you to experience what life was like before Jesus.
Locations like Jerusalem, the Dead Sea, and Galilee, should definitely be included on any history buff’s itinerary.
2. It’s VERY gay-friendly
Despite its profoundly religious background, Israel is THE most progressive and gay-friendly country in the entire region. Having accepted gay marriage long before the UK did, that’s made even more impressive by the fact that the region and the country are so deeply religious.
LGBT-friendly bars and clubs are everywhere in Tel Aviv, and there are plenty of LGBT tours that operate all year round for those wanting to see the sights with some fellow gays.
3. It’s hot… in a good way
In some of the mountainous areas, the winter months can see snow while the rest of the country is wearing shorts. We were hiking up mountains in shorts and floating in the Dead Sea in November, and it was GLORIOUS!
4. It’s not cheap … not in a good way
Despite the thrift market feel of some of Tel Aviv’s best shopping districts, the city and the country as a whole, are not cheap. So don’t go out expecting a bargain-basement break when you visit.
Seeing as Jerusalem was where all three of the major religions were started, it’s not surprising that religion is deeply ingrained in Israel’s society to this day. It was fascinating (if not a little creepy) to be the only atheist in a city where Jesus himself hung out; seeing the tomb where he was supposedly buried, and the countless churches, synagogues, mosques, and temples crammed into this tiny little patch of land.
Every region in Israel claims to be the inventors of hummus, and that they make the best hummus in the world. So be expected to eat a lot of it. From luxury hotels to tiny street cafés, there’s plenty of variations to try, paired with endless servings of freshly baked pita. Indulge! It’s only chickpeas!
7. They will talk about the war… and it will be awkward
When you tell your mum you’re going to Israel, she will invariably tell you to be careful. And with so much talk about the many wars that have taken place in this tiny stretch of land over the millennia, I can understand why. It took us five days of history lessons before we could finally grasp the intensely complicated history behind the civil unrest that is still taking place. However, there were times during our tour when we were a few scant kilometres from the action, and we never heard a thing.
There are signs and novelty t-shirts making jokes about Palestine, but in my experience, it’s probably best not to joke about it too loudly if you’re not a local.
I like to think I’m fairly well-travelled, and I have NEVER experienced anything like the check-in procedures when visiting Israel. I spent easily half an hour explaining every detail about my trip and my travel history to the woman at customs, all before I’d even checked my back. (It probably didn’t help that I grew up in the Middle East and have a load of Arabic stamps in my passport).
I arrived 3 hours early, and I certainly needed that much time. They will ask lots of questions, they may take your passport and make you wait for ages, but they’re doing that so that they can keep their country safe. Do you blame them?
Every day on his way to University, linguistics student Boaz stops at the Post Office to check his mailbox to see if there is a letter telling him he has been awarded a Scholarship to continue his studies in Jerusalem. One day however, inside the box he finds a letter he has not been expecting, is a note from a secret male admirer who says that watching Boaz from afar is the highlight of his day.
The place is Tel Aviv and the year is 1989 when homosexuality was secretive and closeted and encounters only happened in the dark shadows of night. It was also the time before computers and emails when the mail was still the main way to communicate. Boaz has been happily living with Noa his adoring girlfriend for over a year now, and his life is seemingly as perfect as it can get. Now when these unsolicited letters start arriving he gets thrown off kilter and they suddenly reignite memories he had chosen to forget when he almost hadam intimate encounter with another man during his Military service.By the time the third letter has arrived, Boaz’s curiosity to the author’s identity has turned into paranoia, as he believes that every man he encounters in the street, on the bus, in the library is staring at him in a lustful manner. The fact that Boaz is played by Yoav Reuveni a rather stunning ex-international male model turned actor would make this a totally feasible assumption. It is however Noa, who suspicious of Boaz’s sudden change in attitude at home, who finds the letters and correctly puts two and two together to work out who the real writer is.
Boaz is now desperately struggling with his sexual identity so much so that when the 4th letter arrives and demands that he agrees to a pre-arranged way of signaling if he is in fact interested in returning his admirers affection, that he gets in such a state that he is about to explode. Or do something to vent out his anger and confusion that he may somehow regret.
This rather intriguing drama about repressed homosexual feelings and desire acutely brings back an era when lust was often hidden and unrequited. The movie was based on a short story by Yossi Avni Levy who is (most intriguingly) currently the Israeli Ambassador in Serbia. It was directed and written by Yariv Moser (who co-starred in it too) best known for his two excellent documents ‘My First War’ and ‘The Invisible Men’. Moser’s decision to cast first-time actors paid off well as Mr. Reuveni in particular turned in a pitch perfect turn as the perturbed Boaz.
And knowing how to keep his audience completely glued to the screen Moser heightens the air of homoeroticism with having Boaz constantly take showers at the drop of a hat too.
More airlines have joined the suspension of flights in and out Israel as fear of missile launches rise.
A number of US carriers have already suspended their flights to Israel, but now some European airlines have followed suit after a warning from the European Aviation Safety Agency EASA, said it “strongly recommends” that airlines should avoid flights to and from Tel Aviv.
Air Canada, Air France, Alitalia, Austrian Airlines, easyJet, Germanwings, KLM, Lufthansa and Swiss have all cancelled flights to Israel for two days.
British Airways has said that is, ‘closely monitoring the situation’. Their flights are currently operating as scheduled.
Concern has mounted about the safety of aircraft flying over war zones since the downing of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17, which killed all 298 people on board. On Tuesday Delta Airlines diverted a flight with 273 passengers and seventeen crew members, after reports of a ‘rocket or associated debris near the airport in Tel Aviv.’
Amongst the victims of flight MH17, it is reported that there were at least 6, but up to 100 HIV/AIDS experts who were on their way to the 20th International AIDS conference in Melbourne, Australia.
A candlelight vigil was held for the victims of MH17 and HIV/AIDS in Melbourne in Federation Square on the 22nd July 2014.
The Foreign Office in the UK has issued a strong warning saying, ‘The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) advise against all travel to Gaza. The British Information and Services Office in Gaza is closed until further notice. The FCO can no longer offer any consular assistance in Gaza. Rocket attacks from Gaza into Israel and Israeli air strikes on Gaza continue.’
If you are concerned about your flights you should contact your carrier.
Major airlines across the globe have started to pull flights from Israel over missile fears.
Delta, United and US Airways has confirmed that it has cancelled two flights to and from Tel Aviv, whilst American, KLM and British Airways have confirmed that they are monitoring the situation.
A statement on the Delta Airlines website said, ‘Delta flight 468, a Boeing 747 from JFK with 273 passengers and 17 crew, diverted to Paris-Charles de Gaulle Tuesday after reports of a rocket or associated debris near the airport in Tel Aviv. Delta is working to reaccommodate these customers.’
The move to cancel flights has come amid the concerns over the safety of civilian aircraft flying over war zones. Last week a Malaysian Airlines Boeing 777 was downed killing all 298 passengers and crew on board.
Amongst the victims, it is reported that there were at least 6, but up to 100 HIV/AIDS experts who were on their way to the 20th International AIDS conference in Melbourne, Australia. On board was Joep Langer who was a pioneer of HIV research. He was killed along with his partner Jacqueline.
A candlelight vigil was held for the victims of MH17 and HIV/AIDS in Melbourne in Federation Square last night.
The Foreign Office in the UK has issued a strong warning saying, ‘The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) advise against all travel to Gaza. The British Information and Services Office in Gaza is closed until further notice. The FCO can no longer offer any consular assistance in Gaza. Rocket attacks from Gaza into Israel and Israeli air strikes on Gaza continue.’
If you are concerned about your flights you should contact your carrier.
Born in Kiryat Gat, and currently living and working in Tel Aviv, Adi Nes is one of Israel’s leading photographers.
His work has been exhibited widely across Europe and North America and can be found in collections throughout the world. His work has won numerous awards and a print of his 2005 depiction of a group of soldiers, which echoed Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper”, sold for an unprecedented amount, changing the way the world views of Israeli art.
