Biography
Bar Refaeli — supermodel with roots in the Russian Empire
Bar Refaeli rose to international prominence as a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover model and became Israel's most recognized supermodel. She fronted campaigns for L'Oréal, Rampage, and Passionata, and hosted Israel's Next Top Model.
"Grandparents fled Eastern Europe amid 20th-century Jewish emigration waves, settling in Israel."
Migration storyRussian Connection
Tracing the roots — Poland / Lithuania
Her grandparents emigrated from Russia and Eastern Europe, part of the Jewish diaspora that resettled in Mandatory Palestine and early Israel. That immigrant drive shaped a family that pushed Bar toward modeling from childhood.
Her mother Tzipi Levine has roots in the Empire.
Family Tree
Subject
Bar Refaeli🇮🇱 Israel
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Origin
Poland / Lithuania🇷🇺 Russian Empire
Historical context
Russian Empire · c. 1721–1917
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Poland / Lithuania. At the time, this region lay within the Russian Empire, which spanned from Poland to the Pacific.
Map: Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA)
Key Achievements
A career defined by ambition
01
Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue cover 2009
02
Forbes top-earning models list multiple years
03
L'Oréal Paris international spokesperson
04
Host of Israel's Next Top Model
05
Cover of over 500 international magazine editions
Sources