Those who followed social media star Aaron Morali during his days as a Love Island Israel contestant may have been a little surprised when the Austrian-Israeli began posting about Jews, Judaism, and religion.
While the notorious reality show brought him a lot of fame and media attention, it didn’t reflect his Jewish soul and need for meaning, he told the Magazine.
“My story is very unique, but I want to tell the story from my side, because whenever articles came out, they would go through my [social media] page and just write whatever they wanted and just make stories up.”
Morali was born in Germany to an Israeli mother and was raised in Austria before making aliyah at 18.
He then went to IDC University and became “very big in the nightlife scene in Tel Aviv, always at parties and very much in a different type of genre of life than where [he is] now.”
This path eventually led him to the Israeli version of the British show Love Island, which takes 10 singles to a Greek villa, who then take on various dating tasks with the aim of finding love.
“It is a very controversial show, and all the people around me were like, ‘Why are you going?’ Because when I grew up, I was a big part of Bnei Akiva, going to youth groups, like all that.”
From a very young age, Morali shared how he’d had to make some decisions in order to fit in.
“The whole club scene and the whole Love Island was a way to kind of prove to people that I can be famous and known,” although he soon realized “that actually wasn’t the case, that I felt a little bit empty inside.”
“I wasn’t ultimately happy; I had everything, people were adoring me, but deep inside I felt like this is not what I want to do.” Even among the other Love Islanders, Morali felt different. They would always make plans on Friday nights, while he would stay at home and make kiddush alone in the villa.
A huge 180
So, following the show, Morali made a “huge 180” by making reels about Judaism and funny sketches about Israel.
“So now the whole cast and everyone in the production [of the show] are texting me, telling me the story is so interesting because most of the people that were on the show went with a career involving that show.
“I think I could be an inspiration for many people to make that switch and become a little bit more Jewish or like to find their Jewish identity.”
Morali aims to show the “fun side of Judaism” and “how it can be so enjoyable.”
So is social media reach still important to him?
“I think it’s become less important to me because I believe more in the value of the actual videos that I’m producing. Like, sometimes I even post videos that don’t do so well, but they’re so funny to me that it’s still rewarding.
“I want to show that Judaism can be fun. There’s so many people that I know that have been raised Jewish but decided to become a little less religious, and these videos are showing them in that funny way that we have so much in common. It’s just to inspire other people and show them, like, ‘Hey, you can be Jewish,’ even if they don’t keep certain things.”
Morali’s social media has grown to the point that it has become a full-time career.
We asked if he feels the pressure from followers expecting him to talk about the war or politics in Israel and the like.
“No, I’ve always been a person that if I want to say something that’s on my mind, I’ll say it. But my main focus is to shift people away from it as much as I can because there are a lot of news outlets and people whose profession is talking about politics. So I think they would be much better sources than just me posting whatever is on my mind, you know? I’m not a politician,” he said.
“But whenever it’s about defending Israel and defending Jewish people, I do that. I’m a very big Zionist myself. I always defend Israel whenever I can, obviously.”
War with Iran breaks out
We first spoke to Morali at the beginning of June. However, not long after, on June 13, the Iran-Israel War broke out, and Morali redirected his attention to helping Israelis in need.
“When the attacks began, like many others, I felt helpless,” he told the Magazine on June 22. “I was watching my own streets, my own friends and neighbors, living in fear, without access to even the most basic essentials.
“I realized that with the platform I’ve built over the years, especially among younger, global Jewish communities, I had a responsibility to act. So I launched a fundraiser, not through any big organization, just through my own initiative, reaching out to my followers and asking them to help.”
Over the two weeks, Morali managed to successfully raise thousands of euros and delivered over 100 aid boxes directly to families, elderly people, and children who had been forced into shelters or relocated to temporary housing. Every box was packed with food, water, hygiene supplies, baby items, medication, and even mattresses when needed.
But more than that, “every delivery is a reminder to these families that they are not alone,” Morali said. “That Jews all over the world are standing with them.”
He shared every step of the process on social media with his followers, partly to be transparent, but also to inspire as many as possible to take action and to help.
“This fundraiser isn’t just about aid. It’s about using our voices and platforms to spread light in dark moments and showing what we, as a united community, are capable of when we care for each other.” ■
Aaron Morali, 27
From Vienna, Austria, to Tel Aviv, 2016