Celebrity grapevine

Neta Garty caused a flutter of excitement, at a recent premiere, when she had to leave due to labor pains.

By GREER FAY CASHMAN
neta garty 88 224 (photo credit: )
neta garty 88 224
(photo credit: )
ALTHOUGH THEY had planned to attend Zvika Hadar and Liat Ganon's wedding last Thursday, Yael Bar Zohar and Guy Zuaretz didn't make it. Instead they had a celebration of their own - the birth of their first son, who made his lunchtime entrance into the world at Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv two weeks before he was actually due, and weighed in at 2.34 kg. Hadar and Ganon were married at Tel Aviv's Ohel Moed Synagogue by Tel Aviv Chief Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau and later joined hundreds of guests at the Theater Club in Jaffa. The guest list naturally included all the winners and runners up of A Star is Born, the popular television show hosted by Hadar. The top brass from Teddy Productions, which produces Hadar's various shows, were also present. The couple originally met at the production company where Ganon worked as a bookkeeper. It was the second time under the bridal canopy for both bride and groom. She has two children from her first marriage, and he has three from his. THE ISRAEL Broadcasting Authority has yet to find a replacement for Haim Yavin to present the Mabat News alongside Geula Even. Yavin, who was originally scheduled to leave at the end of August, is still presenting the news - albeit not every night. In an interview with The Jerusalem Post a month ago, Yavin said of his Israel Broadcasting Authority bosses: "They're talking now about [me leaving in December]. The question is: 'Which December?'" Meanwhile one of the people whose name is being bandied about for the job is political commentator Yaron Dekel. But with the IBA's ever dwindling finances, it is doubtful that there will be any major changes to Mabat in the foreseeable future. Each month there is an announcement that payment of IBA salaries will be delayed, and this month there were strong doubts expressed that they would be paid at all. At this rate, there doesn't seem to be much likelihood that the 40th anniversary celebrations of Israel Television will be a gala affair. In fact the promos for the 40th anniversary of the launch of regular television broadcasts in Israel are seen on Channel 2, which hasn't been in business for nearly as long. ALTHOUGH HE was only an infant when his family came from Germany to Israel, Yavin is still considered to be a yekke, and will join fellow yekkes such as Hannah Meron and Tel Aviv City Council Member and former MK Mordechai Virshuvski at the 75th anniversary celebrations of the Association of Central European Jews at the Herzliya Center for Performing Arts today. Also joining the program is Shlomo Gronich. FANS OF Dudu Fisher will be pleased to know that he has two new CDs coming out shortly. One is devoted to Shabbat songs and the other to songs in Yiddish. Fisher is also continuing with his highly successful series of videos for children. On one of his trips abroad he was sitting in synagogue and noticed that a child kept staring at him curiously. When he engaged the child in conversation, the youngster, who had never previously seen Fisher in the flesh, wanted to know when he was going to go back into the television screen. ITALIAN DIRECTOR Dario Argento, who has worked on his trilogy for the better part of three decades, has completed the final film in the series The Third Mother, featuring Israeli actress, television personality and fashion model Moran Atias. Atias has become a household name in Italy, where she spends most of her time. The film was shown at the Rome Film Festival. This is not the first time that Atias appeared in a film in the Rome Film Festival. Last year she appeared in Flower of the Desert. POP STAR Ivri Lider has never made a secret of his sexual orientation, nor has film director Eytan Fox, which explains in part why the two Israelis were listed among the 100 most important gays by the influential American gay magazine Out. CONSIDERED TO be one of Israel's leading experts on pop music, Yoav Kutner is leaving the 24 hour music channel to return to his first love - radio. Kutner, who began his radio career with Army Radio, is going to Radio Tel Aviv as head of its music department and regional editor-in-chief of music programs. AT THE birthday party that Yehuda Levy hosted for his significant other Ninette Tayeb, guests noticed that the guest of honor was wearing a sparkling piece of jewelry that looked suspiciously like an engagement ring. As of yet there is no confirmation - but if that's what it is, fans can expect the wedding of the year. MEMBERS OF Knesset such as Limor Livnat and Eitan Cabel mingled with socialites such as Nava Barak, prominent business people and a large representation of the entertainment industry at the cocktail reception at Cinema City that preceded the premiere of Only Dogs Run Free. Ayelet Zurer, one of the stars of the film, came especially from Los Angeles. Neta Garty caused a flutter of excitement when she had to leave due to labor pains and gave birth soon afterwards. Also present were Menachem Golan, one of the producers of the movie, Assi Dayan, one of its writers, director Arnon Zadok, Lior Ashkenazi, Alon Abutbul, Elana Bakier, Michal Zua'aretz and a host of other celebrities.