Linor Abargil

Linor Abargil was born in 1980 in Netanya

Abargil was born in Netanya on February 17, 1980, the eldest child of Aliza and Jackie Abargil. Her family is of Moroccan Jewish origin.

She began modeling in 1996 with the Look agency. In 1998 she was crowned Miss Israel and then won Miss World, the first Israeli to hold that title. Weeks before the contest she was raped in Italy. Her attacker was later arrested in Israel, convicted and sentenced to 16 years in prison, and she campaigned against his early release.

She studied acting at Beit Zvi and appeared in plays and television series, including the roles of Rabbanit Rivka Korkos in "The 80s" and "The 90s". In 2009 she became Orthodox and stopped modeling. She then studied law at Netanya Academic College, was admitted to the bar and worked for the Tel Aviv District Attorney.

In 2008 she began filming the documentary "Brave Miss World", directed by Cecilia Peck, which was nominated for an Emmy. In 2017 she launched the modest fashion label LYA with Yafit Attias. In December 2023 she spoke at the UN about sexual violence in the October 7 attacks.

She married basketball player Šarūnas Jasikevičius in 2006, and they divorced in 2008. In 2010 she married manager Oron Calfon. She lives in Netanya.