Children’s performer says she was asked to pay 400,000 shekels for a role

Children’s entertainer and singer Hila Harari says she was stunned after being offered a part in a major Chanukah production only on condition that she pay 400,000 shekels to take part. In an interview with ynet, Harari said the call came during a meeting with her manager last week, and that she initially thought she had misunderstood the producer on speakerphone.

According to Harari, the producer told her that the payment would allow her to appear alongside some of the biggest names in the children’s industry and that it would “take you up a level” and boost her standing in the field. She rejected the offer immediately, saying that in her previous Chanukah work she had always auditioned and, if cast, had been paid per performance.

Harari said she felt humiliated by the proposal and called it a “degrading” experience. She added that many people online described it as “protection, stage version,” but said the strongest support came only from fellow children’s star Miki, also known as Michal Mokhtar. Harari said she expected a wider reaction from colleagues but received mostly silence.

She argued that such arrangements are not about recouping the fee through performances, but about paying for marketing in the hope of future popularity. Harari said she has been contacted by industry insiders confirming that the practice exists, but she refused to name the person or production, saying she is not seeking revenge or to hurt anyone’s livelihood. Instead, she wanted to highlight what she called a serious problem in a field that should remain innocent, especially when it involves content for children.