Yael Shelbia

Yael Shelbia Cohen was born on August 31, 2001, in Nahariya, Israel. She began her career in modeling by uploading selfies to Instagram before her 16th birthday, which led to an offer from professional photographer Marina Moskowitz. Hailing from a national religious family, Shelbia maintained her Orthodox Jewish background, observing Kosher and Shabbat, which initially caused some controversy within her religious community regarding her modeling career. Despite these challenges, her family supported her, and after consultation with Israel’s Education Ministry, she continued her studies while modeling under specific guidelines. Her early career saw rapid success both in Europe and Israel.

Shelbia gained significant recognition as a leading model for major Israeli brands such as Castro starting in 2017 and Renuar from 2018. Her international presence expanded in 2018 when she modeled for Kim Kardashian’s brand, KKW Beauty, with Kim Kardashian herself selecting her photos. In 2019, she was chosen to lead Kylie Jenner’s Biotic Skincare range. The same year, Shelbia made her acting debut in the Israeli television series “Palmach,” a teen adventure period drama set in 1946, portraying the character Ruth Hirsch from 2020 to 2022. She also appeared on the August 2020 cover of Harper’s Bazaar Bulgaria.

In 2020, TC Candler named Yael Shelbia the most beautiful woman in the world, following her previous appearances on their “100 Most Beautiful Faces” list in 2017, 2018, and 2019. Beyond her professional achievements, Shelbia has fulfilled military service in the Israeli Air Force within the Israel Defense Forces. Her career progression highlights a successful transition from online presence to a prominent figure in both the modeling and acting industries.