Check out our interview with Top Israeli model, former software engineer in the IDF (Israel Defense Force,) entrepreneur and social media superstar Yael Cohen Aris who is truly a one-of-a-kind star in the making. Having already amassed 2+ million followers across all major social media platforms.
Yael’s entrepreneurial aspirations having launched her own magazine “HolyLand,” as well as her new “YC Group” multi-media and tech company. Celebrating the female body “HolyLand” was created out of the idea that the phrase “holy land” refers to the human body as a temple.
Follow Yael @yael1c
Hi Yael, please tell us a little about you?
Hey! I never really know where to start so I’ll go back as far as I can. I grew up in a “Moshav” in the south of Israel, to the most amazing family I could ask for. A “Moshav” is a cooperative Israeli settlement, sort of a combination of a farm and a suburb. Nowadays I’m living in my own apartment with my 2 sweet and crazy, adopted Siamese cats.
I have so many interests, hobbies, and things I love. I’ll try to share some of them.
I love to create, especially write and draw. I love enriching my knowledge and acquiring new skills. I love nature, animals and extremes. In theory I love to go out and party, mostly because I really love to dance, but in reality, I stay at home and play games on my PC (or work!). I love to code as well as organize my goals and tasks for the next few days. I LOVE to progress my projects! I love to think and discuss society norms, philosophical questions, future, technology, and human nature. I don’t like to discuss politics and gossip.
I joined the IDF at 18 and I served as a software engineer in the army for 4 years. While I was a soldier, I started using social media and sharing more often. I can’t really pinpoint the exact moment it happened, but suddenly, I found myself nurturing an amazing and diverse community of people from all over the world, who found me to be a person who can give value to them (way more than I found myself to be at the beginning). When I finished my army service, I decided to take a bold step. Instead of going the regular direction, like all of my unit buddies- straight into the prestigious world of high tech- I chose to try the power of media and focus on my community. This decision came from many different reasons including my childhood dream to become an actress. But mainly because I knew that having a full-time tech job, as much as I love to code, means staying behind the scenes. In that direction I wouldn’t have the proper ability to promote the things that matter to me and my bigger goals.
I have so much more to tell you about myself, and I’m so excited to do so by taking a part in your interview!
Name one your strengths?
Curiosity.
Best advice ever given?
There are many, but most relevant for me is, “Pick your battles” and “Be smart, not right”.
Who has been the biggest influence on your life?
My family.
How and when did you start into modeling/influencer?
While I was a soldier, I wanted to have a little place to express myself. So I started using Instagram. I never planned to be a model, but I always had a passion to perform. Whether it’s creating content for social media or professionally modeling, I feel very lucky to share and express myself the way it feels right for me.
What is fun and rewarding about modeling? And what is not?
Since I mostly model for my own projects (such as my digital magazine “HolyLand”), I was able to pick the right production team and go wild with my imagination and creativity. That was lots of fun! Also, I found it very rewarding to capture my beauty and youth.
What did you learn from your biggest failure?
I don’t know if it’s much of a failure, but the hardest period of my life taught me how my freedom is the most important thing I could ever have. It also strengthened my doubts regarding norms we live by. It drove me to try to open people’s minds and promote my own agendas to make good changes and be a good example.
The most important thing when you are shooting is?
The vibe & energy on the set! All the rest comes naturally.
What’s your advice for the newer models/influencers?
I always said that alongside the fakeness in the world, particularly in the social media world, there is a place for truth. Your truth.
What would you say are the greatest lessons you learned so far in this business?
Trust your instincts!
Now tell us about your projects “HolyLand,” and your multi-media and tech company “YC Group”?
I’ve just launched my own company called, YC Group, which mainly focuses on media and tech aspects (a creators platform I developed, my own community website, etc.). Taking an innovative step of making the world better, as part of a brand new initiative, I’m about to launch, “Newmanity”. For me, it’s another step in this crazy adventure that started 2 years ago when I finished my army service and chose an untraditional path in life in order to fulfill my dreams and goals.
One of the things I tried to change with my platforms is how we perceive women that feel comfortable with being sexual and expressing it. Their sexuality doesn’t contradict their ability to be intelligent, good, strong, talented or have values and achievements. That led me to launch my magazine, “HolyLand” in order to support the ideas of freedom, acceptance and the ability to contain.
What actor/actress/model do you admire the most, and why?
I’ll keep it a secret until I meet him/her 🙂
What’s next for Yael Cohen Aris in 2021?
There are so many ideas and options to count. I hope to get into new adventures (maybe getting into acting & merchandise) and keep progressing my current projects. I hope I’ll be able to free more time from business matters to pursue content creation and get even more involved with my community!
If you are a book, what would be the title of the book and why?
“The Girl from the Future”. I don’t mean it to sound cocky, but I just heard it a lot about me and I like it. Haha!
Which magazine or project is still on your bucket list?
I hope to get into interesting acting opportunities and maybe work with a big brand that goes hand in hand with my agendas.
In five years from now, where do you see yourself and your career?
In every new project I’m getting into, it’s important for me to focus on at least one big one that I’m hoping to achieve, change or promote. Hopefully I’ll start collecting the fruits from my hard work in the present. I love to influence people and the world for the better and hope to be able to do it on a larger scale in the future. It might sound a bit ambitious, but five years from now, I also hope to see the plot that I’m writing these days turn into a global hit trilogy (!!).
Now talking about Instagram, can you share some tips for keeping your account interesting?
I’m trying to bring good energy, hopefully brighten up people’s day and stay authentic to myself. I also try to ask my community questions about topics that I find interesting and also share my opinion about these topics.
You are followed by so many people. How do you feel about that pressure of always doing the right thing, and encouraging people to follow their dreams?
I don’t feel this kind of “doing the right thing” pressure, I’ve always been different in my approach and attitude to life. For me, doing the right thing is being myself and encouraging people to be themselves too, do what makes them happy, be open minded, and question what is “the right thing” in the first place. I feel pressure sometimes when I’m not in the best mood but want to bring a good vibe to my followers.
What is your favorite healthy food?
Probably nuts.
And your favorite cheat food?
Too many to count, but my biggest addiction is chocolate.
What is your own definition of happiness?
I’m still learning it and trying to figure it out. My own definition is probably to feel self-satisfaction from doing what you believe in and make an impact. Experience, love, being loved, having a good partner for life… and EXPLORE!
How would your best friend describe you?
I asked him, in his own words: “Incredibly gentle and good-hearted person. Super open minded and creative. Insanely intelligent with the craziness to match.”
And no, I didn’t force him to say these nice things!
If you could meet someone living or dead, who would it be and why?
Einstein, but not necessarily for his inventions and physic discoveries, but for his life philosophy, social views, and self-perception.
What would be the dream holiday, and who would you go with?
My family and best friend to a place with a great nature and landscapes. Somewhere to connect with the beauty and joy of the simplest human experiences in life.
What do you like to watch on Tv?
I prefer video games. But a good sci-fi movie with a great twist will do the work 🙂
What music do you like?
My taste is very varied, it depends on the situation. I like listening to jazz when chilling, electro swing while coding, mainstream and pop when cleaning or working out, Latin and funk when dancing… etc.
3 things you can’t leave home without?
My best friend, plans for the next meal, and my phone.
Idea of a perfect Sunday?
In my country, Sunday is the first day of the working week, but a perfect Saturday would be spending time with my family, hopefully going out to nature, chilling, playing on my pc and doing some tasks I didn’t have time to do during the week.
Where can we follow you?
Instagram / TikTok / YouTube / Twitter
Favorite Drink: Coffee
Images courtesy of Yael Cohen Aris
