Israel has once again proven to be the multi cultural society it wants to the world to know it is. Rose Fostanes, the Filipino caregiver from the Levinski district in Tel-Aviv went to audition for The X-Factor and against all odds won the competition and in the process became a global role model.
Ron Jacobsohn, JN1 Correspondent:
So once again Israel has proven to be the multi cultural society it wants to the world to know it is. Rose Fostanes, the Filipino caregiver from the Levinski district in Tel-Aviv went to audition for The X-Factor and against all odds won the competition and in the process became a global role model.
Bar Rafeal: The big winner of X-Factor is… the big winner is Rose!!!!
The production of X-Factor surprised Rose when they arranged for her longtime life-partner, Mel Adel, to come to Israel for the finale and reunite with her sweetheart after three-years the two have not been able to meet.
Mel Adel, Rose’s Girlfriend:
Rose is very known in the Philippines, I am very happy that I could come for the finals, so very very happy.
Standing tall and proud at one meter and fifty centimeters, Rose Fostanes, was beyond words after she was pounced the winner.
Rose Fostanes, X-Factor Israel Winner:
I am speechless, I cannot say anything now, I don’t… I really, I can’t believe that it happened to me. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, thank you so much for all the Israelis and all the Filipinos around the world whose working in care givers like people like me, thank you so much for all the support and I really love you. Question: Did you expect the Israelis to embrace and love you as much as they did?
Rose Fostanes, X-Factor Israel Winner:
No, I don’t believe it, but when I’m seeing on the street, they love, they care about me, I start to believe it.
The Filipino Ambassador to Israel, Generoso DG Calonge, who has been following Rose throughout the whole competition, admits that Rose has become a national hero to Filipinos all around the world.
Generoso D.G. Calonge, Filipino Ambassador to Israel:
We helped her in meeting her sister and the girlfriend, we assisted her somehow and we are proud with her achievement, we’re happy that she had this chance to prove herself in her singing talent, because she’s some kind of a late bloomer in a way and this added a new dimension to her personality as a skilled person and also as a talented person, it’s a social pride, we’re happy that she did it.
Shiri Maymon, who herself started her career on an Israeli talent show many years ago and rose to international stardom after representing Israel at the Eurovision Song Contest, served as Rose’s mentor on the show — claims she truly feels proud of being an Israeli following Fostanes victory.
Shiri Maymon, Rose’s Mentor on X-Factor:
A foreigner in Israel, she didn’t speak Hebrew , she didn’t sing in Hebrew but yet they audience in Israel voted for her, it means that they just took everything aside and they believed in her, in her voice, in her story and it’s so, you know, it’s emotional for me. I was so excited today.
It doesn’t matter how old you are, you know. For her it was like her last chance to do that, to fulfil her dream. That was her dream since she was like 3 years old but she was somewhere, taking care of people for the last 30 years and it was sad, it was sad for me to hear it because her dream is to be a singer, so she came all the way to Israel to have the dream come true, it’s crazy and I’m proud of Israel, I’m proud of the voters that they voted for her, It’s amazing.
Ron Jacobsohn, JN1 Correspondent:
So Rose, her sister and her girlfriend are now celebrating now out on the town and Israel has a new hero in the winner of X-Factor. For JN1 I am Ron Jacobsohn in Tel-Aviv.