For the past few days, four Colombian beauty queens have been taking in all that Israel has to offer – and sharing it with their fans online. The Israeli Embassy in Bogota and the Foreign Ministry's public diplomacy department invited Daniella Alvarez, Lucia Aldana, Laura Barjum and Stefania Fernandez Krupij on an all-expenses paid vacation to the Jewish state. View this post on Instagram Un pequeño resumen de nuestro viaje ✨ @stefaniafernandezk @danielaalvareztv @danielaalvareztv #BellezaColombianaEnIsrael #VisitIsrael ph: @dudisalem A post shared by Laura Barjum (@laurabarjum) on Oct 17, 2018 at 11:44am PDT Since arriving earlier this week, the four women have floated in the Dead Sea, prayed at the Western Wall, visited Yad Vashem and took in cultural sites in Tel Aviv. The Foreign Ministry said on Thursday that the goal is “to present Israel to young audiences around the world – through celebrities whose experiences in Israel enhance Israel's image and contribute to the promotion of tourism and commerce.” And the trip has certainly been photogenic. “I'm happy to have this great opportunity!” wrote Alvarez, Miss Colombia 2012, on Instagram to her 430,000 followers. “I hope you follow me on this tour to learn together the beauty and culture of #Jerusalem.” View this post on Instagram Feliz de esta gran oportunidad ! Espero que me sigas en este recorrido para conocer juntos la belleza y la cultura de #jerusalem. #visitisrael #bellezacolombianaenisrael @israelencolombia @smartsimcolombia A post shared by Daniella Alvarez (@danielaalvareztv) on Oct 14, 2018 at 8:26am PDT Fernandez Krupij, a Venezuelan model who was crowned Miss Universe in 2009 and now lives in Bogota, has shared more than a dozen photos of her trip so far with her 1.1 million Instagram followers. View this post on Instagram Hace meses, @luciaaldana me llamó para formar parte de esta increíble aventura. Teníamos guardado como un tesoro la sorpresa. Mientras, ella no paró de trabajar como hormiguita para hacer posible el viaje, para coordinar todo en conjunto con @israelencolombia . Gracias, Luci, por pensar en mi, por hacerme sentir en casa, por hacer lo que hacen los verdaderos hermanos: apoyarse y darse siempre la mano. Acá, una venezolana está orgullosa de formar parte de esta experiencia en medio de bellezas colombianas, con un corazón y una calidad humana increíble. ❤️ @israelencolombia #visitisrael www.sfklifestyle.com #sfklifestyle Wearing @gorettymedinac A post shared by Stefanía Fernández Krupij (@stefaniafernandezk) on Oct 15, 2018 at 8:12am PDT “They say that the people here talk to Him,” wrote Barjum alongside a photo of her at the Western Wall on Sunday. “I felt rather that He enveloped me, embraced me, supported me,” she told her 888,000 followers. “Now I will keep this feeling forever,” said the Miss Colombia 2017 winner, who was 1st runner up at the Miss Universe pageant that year. “It is a true honor and pleasure to be in this wonderful place with these women,” wrote Aldana next to a photo of the four visitors. “Thanks to the Israeli Embassy in Colombia for this great experience.”
Colombian beauty queens floating in the Dead Sea on their visit to Israel(photo credit: DAVID SALEM/FOREIGN MINISTRY)Updated: