“The discourse is violent, hurtful and lacking compassion”: Viki from “Wedding at First Sight” responds to criticism

Trouble has begun to appear in the paradise of Viki Halmi and Omer Bar from “Wedding at First Sight,” and it refuses to go away. After a particularly difficult string of events in the show’s latest episode, the bride is now facing plenty of backlash online. She is responding now, saying, “The need to talk about it burned in me.”

Lilach Markovich, mako Published: 10.06.26, 15:38 | Updated: 10.06.26, 20:50 Photo: From “Wedding at First Sight,” Keshet 12

Viki Halmi, the bride on “Wedding at First Sight,” has been taking a lot of heat since the show’s latest episode aired, with the next episode set for Thursday on Keshet 12. After a dream honeymoon with the groom she was matched with, Omer Bar, the two returned to Israel to a series of difficult events, which led the bride to request an emergency meeting with psychologist Dr. Kalanit Ben Ari.

It all began during the couple’s meeting with Omer’s brother and his partner, where the reason the bride chose to participate in the show was questioned. “His brother said to me, ‘Honestly, you’re here for publicity, right? You’re a dancer, a singer, you came to promote yourself, you want to get famous, to gain followers,’” Viki told the expert. “If I wanted to become famous, I probably would have chosen any other reality show. That doesn’t interest me,” she explained.

But more than anything, according to her, what hurt her most was what her groom Omer added: “Omer told me, ‘You’re insanely hot, it’s not a problem for you to find someone.’”

Today, Wednesday, Viki shared on her Instagram account the reactions flooding in since then, and decided to respond. “I was exposed to harsh and violent reactions online, and instead of letting it affect me, I chose to take it in another direction and talk about it with my students. I showed them how words written behind a screen reach a real person, someone they know, love and appreciate, and how much power our words have. Unfortunately, as a teacher, I witness hurtful behavior toward one another, so the need to talk about it burned in me. If I managed to convey even one small message that will stay with them going forward, then I feel I did my part,” she shared.

“I came to ‘Wedding at First Sight’ not because I’m perfect, and not to present a perfect life,” she added. “In the end, a situation happened and there are no culprits here, it is not Camp Viki and Camp Omer, but two people at the beginning of a complex journey, dealing with a situation that can happen to a couple. You can love, you can criticize, you can disagree. But there is a limit. The violent, hurtful and compassionless discourse taking place online is terrible. After the episode I also received many embracing, moving and loving messages, and for that I thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

The difficult string of events on Viki and Omer’s first evening together did not end with that conversation, since afterward the groom accidentally locked the bride out of her home and fell asleep. Viki found herself locked out of the house and spent the night at a friend’s place.