Ethiopian-born contestant wins Israel's 'Big Brother'

Tahunia Rubel, a 25-year-old model from Beit Shemesh, trumps fifth season of reality TV show, winning grand prize of NIS one million.

Tahunia Rubel was named winner of the fifth season of Israel's "Big Brother" reality TV show, it was announced Tuesday at the season's finale.

Rubel, an Ethiopian-born 25-year-old model from Beit Shemesh, palmed the first prize, worth NIS one million. She is the second woman to win the show, the first being Shifra Cornfeld, who won the first season.

Second place was awarded to Levana Gogman, and third went to Leon Shwabsky. The other two contenders who made it to the season's final episode were Dor Damari and Itay Wallach.

Rubel was considered a prominent contender from the season's start, in much part due to her stormy countenance and the many squabbles that surrounded her- many of which were related to issues of race and identity. Earlier in the season, such tensions led to the eventual disqualification of two contestants, father and son Roni and Gili Miley.

The fifth season of the show received relatively low rating, in comparison with earlier ones- apparently due to its being broadcast in the summer.