Bar Rafaeli, Israel’s golden girl, was married last night. So I want to wish her and her husband, Adi Ezra, every happiness. I want to thank her for being such a beautiful and positive spokeswoman for Israel, for always standing up against pressure and for showing the world what beautiful people Israelis are.

I’m happy she decided to come home to marry a local, Jewish man even though I’m sure she had her pick of gentiles who were very, very rich and very, very famous. I’m happy for her parents and siblings that they will have her close to home, and I’m happy for us, her fellow citizens, that she’ll be spending more time modeling here, lighting up our advertisements and billboards.

I know there will be some out there who will jabber on about this crime or that crime that the poor girl has supposedly committed (I never heard anything, I’m just imagining that gossip columnists must have said something over the years, just as they do about every public figure.) I’m already hearing about Israeli air space being closed off over her wedding venue. So what! No planes needed to go over the Carmel Spa that night! Leave her alone! She’s worked very hard for many years and deserves her success.

If you are wondering if I ever met her, the answer is no, although we were once on the same flight. She’s a Jew, an Israeli, and a shaine maidel. That’s my only motivation.

I think it’s great that the girl who could have had anyone, lived anywhere, decided to come home to stay.

Mazal Tov Bar and Adi! May you live to be 120, in health and happiness and and enjoy every good thing.