Fauda’ Star Marina Maximilian Explains Decision to Stay in Italy and Not Return to Israel
Marina Maximilian-Blumin, the renowned Israeli singer, composer, and star of the hit series *Fauda*, has issued a statement regarding her decision not to return to Israel in the near future. In an extensive interview with *La’Isha* magazine, conducted alongside her brother, Rabbi Vadim Blumin, the artist shared deeply personal reasons for her prolonged stay abroad. Marina, her husband Guy Mentash, and their two daughters departed for Italy prior to the start of the major escalation (referred to as the “Lion’s Roar” campaign), seeking peace following heavy losses and the chronic stress of the ongoing military conflict.
The artist offered a highly emotional description of her perception of life in Israel in recent years. She employed a stark metaphor, comparing the Israeli reality to a feeling of suffocation: “It’s as if your head were being shoved into a toilet, allowed a brief moment to breathe, and then immediately plunged back down.” According to Marina, she is desperately seeking a way to reconnect with life and feels that, in Italy, she is finally able to breathe. Her choice underscores a significant truth: every individual has the right to decide where to live based on their internal state, mental health, and personal values, without conforming to societal expectations.
Despite her sharp remarks, Maximilian emphasized that this is not a permanent emigration or an official relocation. She maintains her love for the country; however, at this stage, she describes her connection with Israel as a “toxic” relationship. The primary factor remains the well-being of her family; Marina admitted that previous military operations had too strong a negative impact on her children. Currently, her priority is to ensure their tranquility, exercising her right as a parent and a free individual to choose a place of residence that is, for now, the most healing for her soul and her children’s future.
