Madonna Visit Israel on Spiritual Quest

[LeVeL]

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) -- Israel was abuzz with excitement Wednesday over the arrival of Madonna, its biggest celebrity visitor in years.

The pop star came to the Holy Land on a spiritual quest, including visits to the graves of revered rabbinical sages. Yet some were perplexed by the raunchy diva's interest in the esoteric Jewish mysticism called cabala or Kabbalah, and rabbis said she had no business studying holy texts.

Raised a Roman Catholic, Madonna has adopted the Hebrew name Esther, wears a red thread on her wrist to ward off the evil eye and reportedly refuses to perform on the Jewish Sabbath. She also has incorporated Jewish symbols into some of her music videos, much to the consternation of religious leaders.

The organization hosting her in Israel ordered news reporters to wear white clothes and not to take notes when covering Madonna's appearances during the New Year's holiday, or Rosh Hashanah.

"This is entertainment, not Judaism," said Uri Orbach, a popular talk-radio host and Orthodox Jew. "I think the general public will celebrate this, but the religious public will be indifferent."

Madonna and friends flew into Tel Aviv Wednesday evening on a private jet and drove straight to their downtown hotel in a convoy of limousines escorted by police. They did not speak to journalists, who were kept well away from the celebrities.

Fashion designer Donna Karan and Marla Maples, an ex-wife of Donald Trump, were other celebrities among some 2,000 students from 22 countries, according to the Kabbalah Center, sponsor of the trip. The Los Angeles-based center teaches Jewish mysticism as a spiritual tool regardless of religion.

Liora Goldenberg-Stern, a culture writer at the Maariv newspaper, said Madonna would be welcomed by Tel Aviv's rich and famous, which has embraced cabala. "It's a social thing, very trendy," she said.

Madonna's picture appeared on the Maariv back page, while the mass circulation Yediot Ahronot announced the visit on the front page.

Inside Yediot, a half-page spread included a photo of Madonna's luxury hotel suite as well as the special holiday meal she would be eating, including salmon mousse, steak and chicken in mustard sauce and honey cake.

Madonna was not scheduled to perform during the five-day visit. Earlier this year, she canceled three Israel concerts, citing security concerns after Israel assassinated the leader of the Hamas militant group.

Israeli police spokesman Gil Kleiman said more than 1,000 officers were being deployed to protect the Kabbalah delegation, although no special precautions were being taken for Madonna, who has a private security detail.

On Sunday, Israeli Tourism Minister Gideon Ezra is expected to give Madonna an ancient oil lamp and a coin from the Byzantine period. The ministry also hopes to use images of Madonna to promote the country abroad.

But not everyone was so welcoming.


A small group of peace activists demonstrated at Rachel's Tomb in the West Bank -- one of the stops on Madonna's itinerary -- to draw attention to the plight of Palestinians living under Israeli military rule.

"I hope she's aware of where she is going," said Angela Godfrey-Goldstein, one of the protesters.

The itinerary also includes stops at the Western Wall in Jerusalem; the northern city of Safed, a center of Kabbalah; Rachel's Tomb, the traditional burial place of the biblical matriarch; and the grave of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, author of the Zohar, the core text of Kabbalah.

Rabbi Yaakov Silber of the Merkaz Harav Jewish seminary in Jerusalem said it was hard to imagine a rabbi would be willing to teach Madonna.

He said religious study frowns upon raunchy, materialistic values the singer has promoted in the past.

"Maybe she has changed," he said.

[web_norah]

i think thats what i am doing next, joining the Kabbalah cult so i can get Orthodox jews upset with me :

thats a hell of a trip, not anyone can dish the $$ out for something like this.

wonder what Abe would say about this..?

[Cosmigonon]

How stupid this whole thing is... :-X

[cutchemist]

Originally Posted by web_norah

i think thats what i am doing next, joining the Kabbalah cult so i can get Orthodox jews upset with me :

thats a hell of a trip, not anyone can dish the $$ out for something like this.

wonder what Abe would say about this..?

yea right it's like a couple g's for a flight...if ur joining u just missed the happy new year holiday (Rosh Hashanah)

[pod]

I wonder if we leave her over there if the Jews and Arabs will stop fighting?

[bcnjunkie]

who cares ???

[cutchemist]

Originally Posted by bcnjunkie

who cares ???

bitter?

[Tim]

Did anyone see Will & Grace? All their "Kaballah" talk was very funny...

[bcnjunkie]

Originally Posted by cutiechemi

[quote author=bcnjunkie link=board=6;threadid=7031;start=0#msg79523 date=1095446319]
who cares ???

bitter?
[/quote]

not really !, I just think a lot of things celbrities do are sheer fads... I'm not very impressed with celebs. or their lives, I work with them all the time, they're odd. They say they want privacy but if you don't give "proper recognition" they are bothered and offfended. Very few celebs I have respect for. believeme me, I'm not very star truck....

[bcnjunkie]

the only person I recognized that I went up to talk to was Frank Gehry, he's amazing ! but even he was a bit of a recogniton hungry borderline celeb. what a dissapointment