Court Rejects Chef Tom Aviv's Bid to Delay Defamation Judgment

Model agent Shi Avital has secured a legal victory against chef Tom Aviv, as the Tel Aviv District Court rejected Aviv's request to delay the enforcement of a previous ruling. This decision means the original judgment, which ordered Aviv to pay 360,000 shekels for defamation, remains in full effect. The case began in November 2025 when Avital filed a libel suit following a social media video in which Aviv made various accusations against him. In February, a default judgment was issued against Aviv for failing to submit his defense on time, obligating him to pay the full claim amount plus legal fees.

Aviv had previously approached the Magistrate's Court seeking to overturn the judgment. Judge Dan Saadon ruled that the lawsuit had been properly served and that Aviv's chances of a successful defense were not high. However, the judge allowed Aviv to reopen the case, conditional on paying 10,000 shekels in expenses by September 24th, otherwise the original judgment would stand. Instead of making the payment, Aviv filed an urgent request for leave to appeal to the District Court on the final day, challenging the expense order. Avital's legal representative then urged the Magistrate's Court to confirm that the non-payment of expenses reinstated the original judgment immediately.

In response to Avital's demand, Aviv submitted an urgent request to the District Court to delay the enforcement, citing technical delays due to the Sukkot holiday. Judge Yechezkel Eliyahu dismissed this request outright, without requiring a response. The judge noted that Aviv's request contained factual claims but lacked a proper affidavit. He emphasized that appellate courts generally do not interfere with decisions on court costs made by lower courts. The judge also found that the appeal's chances were slim and that the balance of convenience did not favor Aviv, as the financial obligation could be repaid and would not cause irreparable harm.

The dismissal of the delay request leaves the original judgment against Aviv intact. He is now required to pay Avital 360,000 shekels, plus linkage and interest from November 2025, and legal fees of 21,977 shekels plus VAT and linkage. Enforcement proceedings, which were halted, will now resume in full. Aviv's attempts to cancel the financial penalty imposed due to his failure to defend himself have been exhausted, and the defamation award is now due for full collection.