Celebrity Schadenfreude: Hating on the stars

By Danielle Berrin
Published on July 11, 2012

On the flight back from a recent trip to Italy, I took a slight flight risk and decided to watch Madonna’s critically maligned movie “W.E.” Since I had not heard a single positive thing about it (save for Andrea Riseborough’s performance as Wallis Simpson) I was not particularly excited about my choice.

Celebrity Schadenfreude: Hating on the stars

By Danielle Berrin
Published on July 6, 2012

Madonna under fire as Israel concert draws heavy media flak [VIDEO]

Published on June 4, 2012

France's far-right National Front is considering a lawsuit against Madonna over a video she used during her concert in Israel on Thursday night. The clip showed party leader Marine Le Pen with a swastika on her forehead.

Madonna appeals for world peace at Israel concert

Published on June 1, 2012

Launching her world tour in Israel, Madonna appealed for Middle East and world peace.

Kicking off tour, Madonna shows she’s no lady (Gaga)

Published on May 31, 2012

Pop superstar Madonna kicked off a new world tour on Thursday wishing peace on the Middle East even as she showcased grim dance routines depicting violence and bloody gunmen among her more colorful numbers.

Music moguls to artists: Don’t boycott Israel

By Danielle Berrin
Published on April 25, 2012

Madonna to perform ‘Concert for Peace’ in Israel

Published on March 22, 2012

International pop star Madonna, who will launch her upcoming world tour in Israel, has added a second concert date in Tel Aviv for a "Concert for Peace."

Don’t strike Iran before Madonna concert, Facebook page begs Bibi

Published on February 13, 2012

A new Facebook page is calling on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to refrain from striking Iran's nuclear sites until after Madonna performs in Israel.

Madonna to begin world tour in Israel

Published on February 7, 2012

Madonna will go on tour from May for the first time in three years, starting in Israel before moving on to Europe, with legs in South America and Australia, where she has not performed for 20 years, tour promotion company Live Nation said on Tuesday.

Madonna and Moore lean on Kabbalah

By Lauren Bottner
Published on November 23, 2011

Mikveh time for Oprah?

By Lauren Bottner
Published on November 10, 2011

The Kabbalah Centre in Los Angeles under IRS investigation

Published on May 6, 2011

The Los Angeles-based Kabbalah Centre is under investigation by the Internal Revenue Service's criminal division. The probe reportedly also involves two charities that are connected with Madonna, the nonprofit center’s most high-profile celebrity supporter. The Los Angeles Times reported that the Internal Revenue Service is looking into whether funds were diverted for the personal use of the Berg family, which has run the Kabbalah Centre for more than 40 years.

Wanna die happy? David Guetta’s Tel Aviv track

By Danielle Berrin
Published on April 13, 2011

Madonna celebrates Purim in Charlie Chaplin costume

By Lauren Bottner
Published on March 21, 2011

For top stars like Madonna, Israel gig becoming more common

Published on September 8, 2009

Madonna managed to sprinkle some of her fairy diva dust on Israel during her recent tour, calling the Jewish state the world's "energy center," wrapping herself in the flag on stage and even lighting Shabbat candles with Sara Netanayahu.

Madonna visits Western Wall

Published on September 2, 2009

Madonna made a late-night visit to the Western Wall. Accompanied by bodyguards, Madonna on Sunday night visited Judaism’s holiest site and toured the attached underground tunnels. Madonna arrived in Israel, accompanied by her children, for two concerts in Tel Aviv.

Will Britney Become Jewish?  Has She?

By Rob Eshman
Published on July 14, 2009

Madonna, McCain & Hitler

By Danielle Berrin
Published on August 25, 2008

Joan Hyler’s condition stabilizes

By Danielle Berrin
Published on August 19, 2008

Hollywood talent manager Joan Hyler’s critical condition has stabilized, three days after she was struck by a car on the Pacific Coast Highway and nearly lost her life.

Kabbalah blamed for A-Rod marital breakup

Published on July 8, 2008

A former trainer for Alex Rodriguez said the star ballplayer's interest in Kabbalah caused the break-up of his marriage.

Annapolis, Chanukah, Jerusalem, Not So Weird

Published on December 13, 2007

Letters to the Editor

In defense of Madonna

By Lisa Frydman Barr
Published on September 27, 2007

Many of those holier-than-thous who are bad-mouthing Madonna were once themselves on the wrong side of the tracks before they rediscovered Judaisim

Briefs: Olmert numbers rise after mystery Syria raid, Bolton backs Iran attack

Published on September 20, 2007

News briefs.

Safed banking on Rosh Hashanah visitation by Madonna

By Larry Luxner
Published on August 30, 2007

When it comes to spirituality, Safed lacks nothing. But the Israeli mountain town (also spelled Tzfat) has been struggling economically since last year's war with Hezbollah. That's why local tourism authorities are hoping a Rosh Hashanah visit by the Material Girl will bring real material benefits to its 30,000 residents. Madonna, returning to Israel for the first time since September 2004, plans to visit Safed - the world center of Jewish mysticism - along with Jerusalem, the Golan Heights and other points of interest as part of a tour being organized by the Los Angeles-based Kabbalah Centre.

VH-1 Declares Jews ‘So Jewtastic’

By Keren Engelberg
Published on December 15, 2005

It's official. According to VH-1, it is now hip to be Hebrew. The music television channel premieres "VH-1 All Access: So Jewtastic" on Dec. 19, making a case for the current trendiness of our tribe.

Madonna and the Elusive Isaac

By Gaby Friedman
Published on December 1, 2005

Now, on her latest album "Confessions on a Dance Floor," the track that is receiving the most attention and critical acclaim is one called "Isaac." About a month before the CD's release on Nov. 15, rabbis in Israel claimed the song was about Rabbi Isaac Luria, the 16th-century kabbalist better known as the Arizal, and they blasted Madonna for using his holy name for profit.

Holy Knots

By Esther Hecht
Published on December 30, 2004

My 90-year-old mother-in-law, who was born in Jerusalem, says that when she was a child no one had heard of red string. It was red ribbon then, and a bit was tied around her wrist after she recuperated from typhus.

You Go, (Material) Girl!

By Joan Hyler
Published on September 30, 2004

A few weeks ago I had the privilege of spending some time with high-level members of the Knesset. Much was on the agenda: security, elections, the wall, the settlements and Madonna's proposed trip to Israel. These leaders were abuzz with the possibility that she would be coming to Israel and now that she has, I say to her, "You go, girl!"

Our Madonna

By Rob Eshman
Published on September 23, 2004

Madonna's just-completed visit to Israel has been called a lot of things: scandalous, threatening, inspiring, encouraging, cheap.

Madonna, Marla Do Tashlich in Tel Aviv

By Dina Kraft
Published on September 23, 2004

Pop diva Madonna was among the praying, swaying and singing masses of kabbalah enthusiasts who made the pilgrimage to Israel for the High Holidays, seeking spiritual transformation through a brand of Jewish mysticism.

Material Girl Nixes Israel Dates

By Gaby Wenig
Published on May 27, 2004

Has the Material Girl become the new target for terrorists? According to Britain's The Sun, Madonna cancelled the Israel leg of her Reinvention Tour after terrorists allegedly threatened to kill her and her children, Lourdes and Rocco, if she performed in Israel.

The threats reportedly came in the form of a series of poison-pen letters that were sent to Madonna's Los Angeles office. According to The Sun, Madonna first thought she was being targeted because of her kabbalah beliefs, but then she realized that she was being threatened because she represented all the things that these terrorists hate about the West. The terrorists were reportedly Palestinian, and Madonna took them seriously enough to cancel her three September concerts at Tel Aviv's Bloomfield Stadium -- her first concerts in Israel since 1993 -- because they knew intimate details about members of her staff.

World Briefs

By JTA Staff
Published on March 4, 2004

World Briefs

Dude, Where’s My Kabbalah?

By Gaby Wenig
Published on September 4, 2003

It's official. The Kabbalah Centre has usurped the Church of Scientology's status as Hollywood's hottest creed of choice. These days, it seems like every celeb looking to add meaning to his or her glittering but empty life of fame and fortune is joining the red-string-wearing, holy-water-selling, quasi-Jewish group.

Kabbalah Fashion Statement

By Mica Rosenberg
Published on January 23, 2003

David Shamouelian believes he has tapped into what he thinks is a sure-fire marketing tool: 4,000 years of Jewish mysticism.

A Kabbalistic Material Girl

By Gaby Wenig
Published on October 31, 2002

Madonna doesn't like to explain her music videos, but in her newest one, "Die Another Day" (the title track for the soon-to-be-released James Bond movie), while wearing a dirty, white tank top she sneeringly sings to the camera, "Analyze this, Analyze this." So we will.

Sex, Drugs and…Lots of Jews?

Published on November 9, 2000

In the introduction to his new book, Guy Oseary - the maverick Maverick music exec responsible for signing Alanis Morrissette and Prodigy onto Madonna's label (which he now runs) - writes, "I was born in Israel and moved to the United States when I was 8 years old. I can still remember how excited I was when I learned that some of my favorite musicians were Jewish - it made me feel proud of my Judaic background and where I came from."

Madonna, Motherhood and Judaism

By Yosef Israel Abramowitz
Published on November 20, 1997

Dear Madonna:
Is it possible that I saw you at Sinai? The Jewish mysticaltradition, which you have been exploring, teaches that the souls ofall Jews for all generations -- including converts to Judaism --stood at Mount Sinai when our covenant with God was affirmed. Couldthe Jewish soul of Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone be trapped in thebody of a rebellious Catholic?

L.A.'s Kabbalah Learning Center seems to attract many searching Jews, but criticism of it is widespread

By Rob Eshman
Published on February 14, 1997

Mike Gold* had a successful small business, a nice home, a wife and two kids when he began to wonder about his soul. Questions about life's meaning, about God and spirituality and his Jewish heritage would not go away. "I started studying Judaism by myself, and I realized," he said, "I didn't know anything."