Mor Maman

Maman was born and raised in Beersheba.[2] Her mother, Ilana Maman, had previously held the title of Miss Beersheba, giving the family an early connection to the world of beauty pageants.[1] Maman has described growing up overweight and developing associated health problems, including high cholesterol.[1][5] She began seeing a dietitian at around age 10, and at 13 became independently motivated to change her habits, exercising twice daily and carefully following a prescribed diet.[2] While her parents were away in Morocco, she lost approximately 30 kilograms; when she returned to school, classmates were reportedly shocked by her changed appearance.[1][2]

Maman has spoken publicly about being bullied at school during her childhood.[2] Her family also faced serious difficulties during her teenage years.[1] When she was around 14, her mother suffered a fall that caused memory loss; her father later had a heart attack.[1] She described taking on greater household responsibilities while continuing her studies, ultimately graduating with honors.[1] Motivated by her own experience, she launched a Facebook group to support girls seeking to lose weight without developing eating disorders.[1]

Maman's mother, herself a former beauty titleholder, registered Mor for Israel's national competition.[2] At 18, Maman won the 2014 Miss Israel crown at the 64th edition of the pageant, sponsored by women's magazine Laisha and held at the Haifa Congress Center.[1] The outgoing titleholder, Yityish (Titi) Aynaw, placed the crown on Maman's head at the ceremony.[1]

The competition drew thousands of registrants, from whom 20 candidates were selected; judges then narrowed the field to 10 finalists through a series of meetings before choosing the winner.[1] Maman and three runners-up were designated to represent Israel in international beauty pageants.[1] She subsequently competed in Miss World, though she later said she did not recall her placement.[2] Following her win, she told interviewers, "I want to devour the whole world."[5]

After winning Miss Israel, Maman enlisted in 2014 and later completed service in the Israeli Air Force.[5][3] During her time as Miss Israel, she was released from her base on weekends and when required for launches and photo shoots.[5] At age 23, after her military service, she became more religiously observant and removed bikini photographs from her Instagram account.[3]

Maman met Frank Amsalem through Instagram and married him in January 2018 while three months pregnant.[6] Their son Joseph was born later that year, and the couple subsequently had a second child, a daughter named Luan Esther.[7] Maman has described the period after the wedding as one of severe financial difficulty, which became a driving motivation for her entrepreneurial ambitions.[6] She later described deciding to divorce Amsalem during her second pregnancy, and the two established a co-parenting arrangement.[2]

Maman said in 2014 that she had long intended to become a businesswoman and had learned about suppliers and retail operations through relatives who owned shops and retail chains.[5] Seeking a way to support her family when her son Joseph was about two years old, she developed her first cosmetics product, a liquid tint designed for use on both lips and cheeks.[6]

Maman opened Mor Maman Cosmetics on July 30, 2019, her birthday, taking her young son with her to factory meetings during the development process.[6] The initial product sold out quickly, with more than 20,000 units sold in the company's first month, and Maman reported making close to one million shekels on the opening night.[6][2] The company eventually marketed dozens of products, sold online and through retail outlets around Israel and duty-free shops.[3]

In 2020, Maman founded a second brand, Le Bébé Pur, focused on baby, child, and maternal care and launched in Israel and France.[4] The idea grew from her encounter with French baby-care products after Joseph's birth. She described the products as handmade and said development of their formula took nearly a year.[4]

Pandemic-related disruptions complicated the launch: European regulatory approval took about six months, and Israeli Ministry of Health approval required about three months per product. Maman said one sea-freight charge rose from 12 to 30 shekels, while air freight rose from about three to twelve dollars per kilogram.[4] By 2022, she was heading two brands—Mor Maman for makeup and skincare and Le Bébé Pur for baby care—and said a rice exfoliant for babies and mothers was in development.[7]

Despite early commercial success, Mor Maman Cosmetics ultimately faced serious financial difficulties. A pricing error on one product left her unable to cover costs, contributing to the business's collapse and debts of approximately one million shekels.[3] Annual sales had peaked at around six million shekels, according to figures attributed to ICE.[3] Maman has said she remains interested in restarting the business. During the period of financial collapse, she recalled her son asking why she was crying and reassuring her: "Don't cry. Everything will be all right. I believe in you."[3]

Maman's public image has combined her pageant title, personal transformation story, and entrepreneurship. She said winning Miss Israel opened many doors and changed the course of her life.[2] She also used her weight-loss experience to create a Facebook group for girls seeking to lose weight without developing anorexia.[1] Her cosmetics launch and subsequent creation of a second care brand made business a major part of her later public career.[6][4]

Reports published at different times described changes in Maman's second marriage to David Azoulay. A 2025 profile said the couple separated about three months after their wedding and later reconciled; a 2026 profile said the relationship had ended again and that Maman was approaching a second divorce.[3][2] In the 2026 article, Azoulay's representative disputed Maman's account concerning his prior relationship and child, saying she knew those details before entering the relationship.[2]