Celebrity Grapevine

If the rumors are true, pop singer Miri Mesika is set to become the highest paid performer at this year's Festigal, the annual tour of children's shows performed each Hanukka.

By GREER FAY CASHMAN
miri mesika 88 (photo credit: )
miri mesika 88
(photo credit: )
THE BUSINESS and philanthropic activities of billionaire investor Lev Leviev never cease to amaze. Chairman and controlling interest holder in Africa Israel, Leviev has engaged in a number of big-money overseas acquisitions in recent months, include the purchase of the Manhattan Clock Tower on New York's Madison Avenue. Now, according to Ma'ariv, Leviev is in an advanced stage of negotiations with Robert De Niro to build luxury apartments and hotel rooms together in the Clock Tower building. De Niro, who owns a successful restaurant chain and a film production company, is expanding his business interests to include property development. So is Africa Israel, which in addition to shelling out $200 million for the Clock Tower building in May also purchased the New York Times building for $525 million the same month. FORGETTING YOUR ID won't help you on a pay-for-the day Tel Aviv beach, even if you're famous. Celebrity hairstylist and frequent TV talk show guest Miki Boganin recently wanted to soak up a little sun, but made the mistake of leaving his documents in the car, including the one attesting to his residency in Tel Aviv. The beach's NIS 5.10 admission fee for non-residents bothered him on principle, but his efforts to get his money back failed, even after he returned to the ticket booth with papers in hand. HELL HATH no fury like a woman unknowingly caught on camera. Cosmetics Queen Penina Rosenblum is suing Channel 10 and broadcaster Amnon Levy for allegedly sullying her reputation with a hidden-camera segment filmed at Rosenblum's office. Rosenblum, who has plenty of broadcasting experience, quickly realized what was happening and stopped the taping, but demands for some professional courtesy from Levy failed, as did an appeal to the Tel Aviv District Court to stop Channel 10's broadcast of the program. Rosenblum is nevertheless going forward with her lawsuit, and stands to gain some NIS 2.5 million if she comes out the winner. IN A survey commissioned by SuperPharm drug stores, 40-ish film star Yael Abecassis was named first among Israel's most attractive women, beating out model Bar Refaeli, stage actress Yona Elian and model Miri Bohadana. Gila Almagor, a senior star of the Israeli screen, finished out the top five. SuperPharm's survey indicated that Israeli women continue to consider beauty vital for success, with 82 percent of secular women and 62 percent of religious women naming physical appearance an important personal attribute. IF THE rumors are true, pop singer Miri Mesika is set to become the highest paid performer at this year's Festigal, the annual tour of children's shows performed each Hanukka. Mesika will reportedly receive NIS 800,000 for 100 performances - not much, on a concert-by-concert basis, compared to what she normally commands for a single performance, but still not bad for a full month of guaranteed sell-out shows.