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| Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
| "Miss Holocaust Survior" crowned in Israel |
| 2012-06-30 |
| Not sure exactly where to file. HAIFA, Israel (AP) -- Grinning and waving, 14 women who survived the horrors of World War II paraded Thursday in an unusual pageant, vying for the honor of being crowned Israel's first "Miss Holocaust Survivor." Billed by organizers as a celebration of life, the event also stirred controversy. In a country where millions have been touched by the Holocaust, many argued that judging aging women who had suffered so much on physical appearance was inappropriate, and even offensive. "It sounds totally macabre to me," said Colette Avital, chairwoman of Israel's leading Holocaust survivors' umbrella group. "I am in favor of enriching lives, but a one-time pageant masquerading (survivors) with beautiful clothes is not what is going to make their lives more meaningful." There's a whiner in every group. Pageant organizer Shimon Sabag rejected the criticism, saying the winners were chosen based on their personal stories of survival and rebuilding their lives after the war, and physical beauty was only a tiny part of the competition. ..... Nearly 200,000 aging survivors live in Israel today, and the country's annual Holocaust Day is one of the most solemn occasions on the calendar. Restaurants and cinemas close, and the country comes to a standstill as sirens wail for two minutes. Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, frequently make references to the Holocaust when discussing the threat they believe a nuclear-armed Iran would pose to the Jewish state. Thursday's contest was among the many unconventional beauty pageants that have sprouted up over the years. The war-torn countries of Angola and Cambodia have held "Miss Landmine" contests for survivors of land mine explosions, Star Trek fans enjoy the "Miss Klingon Empire" contest in Atlanta, and plus-sized women in Thailand compete for the honor of "Miss Jumbo Queen." There are also a senior citizens' pageants in the U.S. Jeebus, the mind boggles at some of these other pageants.... |
| Posted by:BA |
| #4 To raise awareness. |
| Posted by: gorb 2012-06-30 09:52 |
| #3 Er, WHY? |
| Posted by: Bright Pebbles 2012-06-30 08:52 |
| #2 Barf. |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2012-06-30 05:19 |
| #1 Star Trek fans enjoy the "Miss Klingon Empire" contest in Atlanta A fitting home for alien events. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2012-06-30 04:16 |