‘Kosher Barbie’: Winning over hearts and minds in NYC
“This is a responsibility for me to influence others and inspire them to embrace who they are. It has given me the opportunity to bring attention to issues close to my heart."
Raised in a Hasidic home in Jerusalem, Ayelet Raymond was taught that women’s beauty should be concealed “like a precious diamond kept inside its box.”
Life, she explained, centered on good deeds and prayer, with no exposure to television or fashion. “Pageants were foreign to me—I never imagined stepping on a stage,” she told JNS.
Raymond was recently crowned Miss World Influencer 2025, competing against contestants from 71 countries. She described the pageant as an “incredible experience” spanning five days, with intense photoshoots that formed part of the scoring process and ultimately led to her victory.
“It really projects who you are, and I think it’s a big deal for the Jewish people,” she said, noting that pro-Israel Instagram accounts are often blocked or suspended. “For me to stand out among so many influencers as an Israeli is really a big deal.”
Her self-designed “Jerusalem of Gold” costume—featuring a golden Menorah, a large Star of David and olive leaves—left a lasting impression on the judges.
“I’m proud to show my Jewish identity on a global stage,” she said. “The golden Menorah represents our eternal connection to the Holy Temple, and my faith that one day the Third Temple will be built. The olive leaves honor the timeless Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, where Israelis and rabbis are buried, and the big golden Star of David shines as a symbol of devotion to my faith.”
Growing up in a Hasidic community, Raymond noted, she did not receive a secular education and attended a very different school system than secular Israelis. “We were never allowed to go to university, we couldn’t talk to men or socialize with the outside world. The ultimate goal was to get married, have kids and be a housewife—the highest mission for a woman,” she said.
In her twenties, Raymond moved to New York to study at the New York Film Academy, which marked a turning point.
Prior to her move, Raymond produced children’s films that adhered to rabbinical guidelines, including A Sweet Moment, a film about a Jewish boy who ate too much candy, was sent to the dentist, and was told he could eat as much candy as he wanted—but only one day a week.
“How it relates to the Torah is that there is a special blessing for eating food on Shabbat. So I connected eating candy with Shabbat, but without forcing religion on children. There is no reason to force religion—do it the way you like, enjoy it. I found a way of showing that religion and ambition can go hand in hand,” she said.
Her creativity and love of performance also led her to produce Hasidic musical shows, composing, writing songs and choreographing productions that featured 50 girls on stage.
Raymond stressed that she still maintains close ties with the Hasidic world. Her decision to step away, she explained, was not due to questioning Torah or losing faith but to pursue higher education and a career. “I love the Torah and the Jewish tradition. That’s what made me who I am, all these values. It gave me double power—knowing the religious world and the secular one. I have both perspectives, especially in the United States, working with different communities. I understand the modern world and the spiritual world,” she said.
Raymond, who goes by the nickname “Kosher Barbie,” explained how the concept first came to her. After moving from Israel to the United States, people often struggled to pronounce her name. “Once, at the New York Film Academy in a ballet class, the teacher looked at me and said I looked like Barbie. The name stuck,” she recalled.
Though she had no background in pageants, Raymond competed in Miss Universe Israel 2024 and holds the title of Miss Netanya 2024. She has since used her platform to advocate for Israel—a mission she says will take on new significance now that she has been crowned Miss World Influencer 2025.
“Miss World Influencer is the most valuable and modernized title in the global pageant industry today,” she said. “It represents more than recognition—it reflects global relevance, impact and the power of influence in the modern world.”
She described the title as a responsibility. “This is a responsibility for me to influence others and inspire them to embrace who they are. It has given me the opportunity to bring attention to issues close to my heart, such as Jewish identity, women’s empowerment, and supporting those raised with strong Jewish values but also restrictions, who want to fulfill their dreams,” she said.
Raymond said much of her impact comes through meetings with community leaders, including the archbishop of Miami, government officials and federal judges, as well as capturing key moments such as the first meeting of U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff with hostage families in Miami.
She also marches weekly in Central Park with hostage families and works to engage others in their cause.
“I walk with the Kosher Barbie dress in New York City, connecting with people on a personal level,” she said. “Muslim kids run toward me asking for pictures. People look at me almost as if I were a Disney princess. I bring a smile to people’s faces.”
Although she faces backlash on Instagram, where critics have labeled her “genocide Barbie,” Raymond said she chooses love over hate. She avoids arguments, she explained, instead responding with blessings for Israel.
She added that her broader mission is to inspire people of all religions, showing that faith does not have to limit them but can elevate them.
“Believe in yourself and follow your dreams,” she said. “Find one thing you like to do and be the best at it.”
Posts
