HaMerotz LaMillion 5 is the fifth season of HaMerotz LaMillion (, lit. The Race to the Million), an Israeli reality competition show based on the American series The Amazing Race. Hosted by Ron Shahar, it featured fourteen teams of two with a pre-existing relationship in a race around the Eastern Hemisphere to win ₪1,000,000. This season visited four continents and ten countries and traveled over during thirteen legs. Starting in Tel Aviv and Yavne, racers traveled through Israel, Italy, Romania, Namibia, Tanzania, India, South Korea, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Australia before finishing in Melbourne and learning the results in Tel Aviv. This season premiered on 17 May 2016 on Channel 2 with the finale on 26 September 2016.
Father and son Amit and Raz Gal were the winners of this season. Amit, who was at the age of 63 at time of filming and turned 64HaMerotz LaMillion, season 5, episode 21, originally aired 2 August 2016 during the course of filming, surpassed David O'Leary of The Amazing Race 24 (59 at time of filming) as the oldest winner in any edition of The Amazing Race. At a combined age of 96, Amit & Raz are also the oldest team to win any edition of The Amazing Race. Friends Lee Hadad and Tal Alkobi finished second, and French New Olim Joezi Zirah and Alex Amar finished third.
Production Development and filming
This season traversed four continents and ten countries. Much like the previous season, the first leg began with fourteen teams that were split into two groups of seven. Both groups of seven teams would run a leg in Israel resulting in two teams eliminated. Unlike the previous season, both groups of seven teams were aware of each other. While in Vietnam, the normal red and yellow route markers were used, unlike the first season in which the route markers were replaced with yellow and white flags to avoid confusion with the former South Vietnamese national flag, following recent editions of The Amazing Race where the normal red & yellow route markers were used. Similar to last season, teams' overall placements were determined when teams checked-in at an empty Pit Stop mat at the Hedgend Maze in Australia, and teams had to return to Ariel Sharon Park to learn of their final placement.
Darryn Lyons, the mayor of Geelong, Australia at the time of filming, appeared as the Pit Stop greeter during the penultimate leg.
Cast
The cast for this season included actor and model Adriano Jauvel and former Hapoel Galil Elyon manager Amit Gal.
ContestantsAgeRelationshipHometownStatus (אבי) 29Childhood Friends NetanyaEliminated 1st(in Rishon LeZion, Israel) (אבי) 29 Herzliya (יוסי) 23Friends YagelEliminated 2nd(in Tel Aviv, Israel) (לי) 21 Herzliya (שירה) 22Co-Workers Petah TikvaEliminated 3rd(in Rome, Italy) (בר) 22 Ganei Am (דור) 24Met on a Dating App HolonEliminated 4th(in Rome, Italy) (ספיר) 24 Bat Yam (גלי) 24Dating 9 Years Kiryat MotzkinEliminated 5th(in Brașov, Romania) (דניאל) 24 Kiryat Bialik (נעמי) 30Sisters-in-Law JerusalemEliminated 6th(in Swakopmund, Namibia) (חן) 25 Tel Aviv (מונדה) 26DatingNetanyaEliminated 7th(in Nungwi, Tanzania) (אדריאנו) 30 (שון) 24Friends Tel AvivEliminated 8th(in Delhi, India) (קים) 22 Tel Baruch (בן) 25Brothers Brooklyn, New YorkEliminated 9th(in Hanoi, Vietnam) (אורי) 22 Tel Aviv (יעל) 27Cousins Tel AvivEliminated 10th(in Siem Reap, Cambodia) (יוסיאל) 23 Holon (ציון) 25Soccer Players Bat YamEliminated 11th(in Geelong, Australia) (אביב) 25 Holon (ג'וזי) 28New Olim from France Tel AvivThird Place (אלכס) 26 Netanya (לי) 26Friends RehovotSecond Place (טל) 27 Ashdod (עמית) 63Father & Son AmirWinners (רז) 32 Tel Aviv
Future appearances Ben and Ori and Yael and Yosiel competed on HaMerotz LaMillion 8.
Jonathan "Joezi" Zirah later competed on the ninth season of the Israeli edition of Survivor with Season 4 contestant Ruth "Alexa Dol" Dolgakov. Joezi was the seventh person eliminated after losing a duel and the first member of the jury. In 2020, Joezi competed on the eleventh season of the Israeli edition of Big Brother and finished as the runner-up.
Results The following teams participated in this season, with their relationships at the time of filming. Note that this table is not necessarily reflective of all content broadcast on television due to inclusion or exclusion of some data. Placements are listed in finishing order:
TeamPosition (by leg)Roadblocksperformed12345678910111213Amit & Raz1st8th6th7th2nd4th1st1st2nd3rd1st2nd1stAmit 1, Raz 3Lee & Tal4th1st7th8th4th8th5th5th3rd4th3rd1st2ndLee 3, Tal 1Joezi & Alex6th6th5th3rd1st1st3rd3rd2nd4th3rd3rdJoezi 3, Alex 1Tzion & Aviv2nd3rd4th4th2nd6th4th1st5th2ndTzion 2, Aviv 2Yael & Yosiel2nd9th9th2nd5th7th7th2nd4th1stYael 2, Yosiel 2Ben & Ori3rd10th8th9th7th6th2nd6th5thBen 2, Ori 1Shon & Kim5th4th2nd5th6th5th4thShon 2, Kim 1Adriano & Monada4th2nd1st1st3rd3rdAdriano 2, Monada 1Naomi & Hen3rd5th10th6th8thNaomi 2, Hen 1Gali & Daniel1st7th3rdGali 2, Daniel 0Dor & Sapir5th11th Dor 0, Sapir 1Shira & Bar 6thShira 0, Bar 0Yossi & LeeYossi 0, Lee 0Avi & AviAvi M. 0, Avi K. 0
Key A team placement means the team was eliminated. A team placement indicates that the team was the last to arrive at a Pit Stop in a non-elimination leg. An indicates that there was a Duel on this leg, while an indicates the team that lost the Duel and received a 15-minute penalty. A or indicates the team who received a U-Turn; or indicates that the team voted for the recipient. A , , or indicates the team who received a Yield; , , and indicates that the team voted for the recipient.
Notes
Leg 1 was split into two halves. Seven of the teams completed the first part of the leg in Tel Aviv, while the other seven completed the second part in Yavne. Those who were still racing from the first group would meet up with the second group in Tel Aviv. Naomi & Hen chose to forfeit the Duel against Joezi & Alex, but continued to compete afterwards.
Voting history Teams may vote to choose either U-Turn or Yield. The team with the most votes received the U-Turn or Yield penalty, depending on the respective leg.
U-TurnYieldYieldYieldYieldU-TurnU-TurnYieldU-TurnYieldLeg234567891011U-Turned/YieldedDor & SapirDor & Sapir Gali & Daniel Naomi & Hen Tzion & AvivGali & DanielYael & YosielLee & Tal Tzion & AvivYael & YosielLee & Tal Tzion & AvivYael & YosielYael & YosielYael & Yosiel Joezi & AlexJoezi & AlexJoezi & AlexJoezi & AlexResult4–3–2–1–1–12–2–2–2–1–1–12–2–1–1–1–1–1–12–2–2–1–1–12–2–2–1–1–13–2–1–1–13–3–13–2–13–2–13–1–1VoterTeam's VoteAmit & RazLee & TalLee & TalLee & TalLee & TalLee & TalBen & OriJoezi & AlexJoezi & AlexJoezi & AlexJoezi & AlexLee & TalDor & SapirNaomi & HenAmit & RazAmit & RazAmit & RazYael & YosielYael & YosielYael & YosielYael & YosielYael & YosielJoezi & AlexTzion & AvivTzion & AvivTzion & AvivTzion & AvivTzion & AvivTzion & AvivYael & YosielYael & YosielYael & YosielAmit & RazTzion & AvivDor & SapirDor & SapirJoezi & AlexJoezi & AlexNaomi & HenJoezi & AlexJoezi & AlexJoezi & AlexJoezi & AlexJoezi & AlexYael & YosielBen & OriBen & OriBen & OriBen & OriShon & KimBen & OriJoezi & AlexJoezi & AlexJoezi & AlexJoezi & AlexBen & OriYael & YosielYael & YosielYael & YosielYael & YosielYael & YosielYael & YosielTzion & AvivTzion & AvivTzion & AvivShon & KimDor & SapirDor & SapirYael & YosielYael & YosielYael & YosielYael & YosielYael & YosielAdriano & MonadaLee & TalGali & DanielGali & DanielLee & TalLee & TalLee & TalNaomi & HenLee & TalGali & DanielGali & DanielTzion & AvivTzion & AvivGali & DanielNaomi & HenNaomi & HenNaomi & HenDor & SapirTzion & AvivTzion & AvivShira & BarDor & Sapir
Episode Titles Translated from Hebrew from the official website:
Race summary
Leg 1 (Israel)
Group A Airdate: 17 May 2016 Tel Aviv, Israel (Sarona) (Starting Line) Tel Aviv (Yarkon Park) Tel Aviv (Rothschild Boulevard #1) Tel Aviv (Derech HaShalom Street #32–34) Rishon LeZion (Yes Planet – 4DX Cinema) Rishon LeZion (Yes Planet – Agamon Rishon LeZion)
Additional tasks At Yarkon Park, teams had to climb up a shaky rope ladder to a giant billboard which held a giant scratch ticket. Teams then had to balance on a pair of pegs that they had to move from slot to slot in order to reach the whole board. Using two giant Shekel coins, teams had to scratch off the board to reveal the message hidden underneath ("The world is waiting for you!") to receive their next clue. At Rothschild Boulevard #1, teams would find a large array of trash bins. Each trash bin had either a bottle or paper that they had to look for, but only some of them were marked with the show logo. If a team found one of the items but it was not marked, they had to properly recycle them in one of the recycling bins, and put the trash back in their original bin. Once the team found either the marked bottle or paper, they could exchange it for the next clue. After the trash task teams received only a piece of music sheet, which they then had to decipher using the help of the locals in order to play the song "Derech HaShalom" by Pe'er Tasi. At the bottom of the sheet teams would find written the numbers "32–34". Combining both informations, teams had to make their way to Derech HaShalom Street #32–34, where Pe'er Tasi in person would hand them their next clue. At Yes Planet's 4DX Cinema in Rishon LeZion, teams had to watch seven scenes of different movies with famous Hollywood actors on them. Then, teams had to correctly pick and arrange stars with the actors names written on them. If the teams correctly guessed all seven stars, they would be allowed in the cinema's VIP room, where they would see the location of the Pit Stop displayed on the screen. If teams were wrong, they would have to eat a full bag of popcorn in the 4DX cinema before trying again.
Group B Airdate: 22 May 2016 Yavne, Israel (Tel Yavne) (Starting Line) Yavne (Water Tower) Tel Aviv, Tel Aviv District (Dan Hotel) Tel Aviv (Paz Filling Station – Yellow Market) Tel Aviv (Ben-Gurion House) Tel Aviv (Ariel Sharon Park)
Additional tasks At Yavne's water tower, the second group of teams had to fill a bucket of water and bring it to the top of the tower while sitting on a suspended scaffold and using chains to go up and balance the scaffold. Once at the top, teams would have to fill an empty bucket, which would go down and then would release their car's keys. If teams didn't bring enough water to make the bucket go down, they would have to descend and bring another bucket of water. At the Dan Hotel in Tel Aviv, teams had to choose between two tasks. In the first task, one team member had to sit in a bathtub while the other team member had to fill the tub with ice in order to decrease the temperature to eight degrees celsius. In the second task, teams had to form the figure of two kissing swans using towels per the hotel's standards. Once teams completed either task, they had to bring a tower of coloured chocolates to the room of a Lady Gaga impersonator named "Lady Chacha" and give her a compliment before receiving their next clue. The clue instructed teams to make their way to the "nearby yellow", which teams had to figure out was a Yellow Market inside a Paz Filling Station. Once there, teams would receive a coffee with cream and a basket with their next clue, which instructed teams to convince a local to let them prepare "Ben Gurion Rice" in their house, while using the given oil, cooking pot and ptitim that teams either bought or got from the local. Once cooked, teams would have to take the Ben Gurion Rice to the Ben-Gurion House, where a man would approve or disapprove the meal. If the meal was correctly cooked, teams would receive their next clue. Teams received the instruction to make their way to the next Pit Stop, "the park named after the eleventh Prime Minister of Israel". Teams had to figure out that the largest park in Israel is the Ariel Sharon Park, formerly a waste dump in Tel Aviv.
Leg 2 (Israel → Italy)
Airdates: 24, 29 & 31 May 2016