Just when it looked like the soft core porn industry was on its knees, choked by the explosion in online adult entertainment sites, Playboy returns to swallow the competition.
The glam rag has been available in Israel for years but this week marks its debut in Hebrew with Israelis providing the female fodder for the first time. The magazine's launch in the holy land is a bold step that will court controversey and publicity in equal measure. Religious conservatives regularly destroy images of women on posters and billboards which they deem offensive and the Playboy people could face a backlash.
Owner and publisher Daniel Pomerantz came up with the idea whilst living in the United States. He wants Israeli Playboy to rekindle the fire of the magazine's heyday in 1960's America, when it was the go-to publication for style, glamour, fiercely intelligent writing and heavyweight interviews. It will feature both Israeli and foreign writers and the first edition has an interview with Israel's former internal security boss Avi Dichter.
Whilst the magazine has previously been celebrated as a leader in the female liberation movement in the US, founder and sugar daddy Hugh Hefner has been charged with objectifying women and promoting an impossible feminine ideal in his magazines. Glancing at the cover of this latest launch, his tried and tested formula looks set to continue in the holy land.
