ISRAEL: Pop star Madonna visits grave of Kabbalistic Rabbi, in an overnight trip to northern Israel

Record ID: 397241

  • Title: ISRAEL: Pop star Madonna visits grave of Kabbalistic Rabbi, in an overnight trip to northern Israel
  • Date: 7th September 2009
  • Summary: RELIGIOUS JEWISH BOY BLOWING THE SHOFAR (A RAM'S HORN) NEAR THE GRAVE OF THE ARI, YOUNG JEWISH BOYS DANCING
  • Embargoed: 22nd September 2009 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Israel
  • Country: Israel
  • Topics: Entertainment
  • Reuters ID: LVA4R7AP2MRNGLH3SE1QMCPY1LCB
  • Story Text: Pop diva Madonna, still in Israel after concluding her "Sticky and Sweet" tour with two concerts in Tel Aviv earlier this week, was spotted in northern Israeli early on Friday (September 4), arriving to genuflect at the grave of a Jewish Rabbi, known as one of the biggest Kabbalists of all times.
    The tomb of Rabbi Issac Luria, know as "The ARI", is situated in the old cemetery of the city of Safed, an ancient Jewish town not far from the Sea of Galilie.
    The ARI is considered to have come to Safed in 1530 fro Egypt, and legeand says he has learnt some valubale Kabbalistic insights together with the Prophet Elijah, in a cave where today a synagogoue is standing nere the cemetry.
    "Today for 30 minutes I take Madonna, Ester, first to the old sinagogue, it means to the Sefaredic synagogue and then to the grave, the grave of Ha (the) ARI," Amiel David, a tour guide who waited to escort Madonna in her visit told Reuters television.
    Some young religious Jewish boys waited for the diva at the site, blowing a ram's horn and dancing to traditional music. Not everyone, however, addmitted they were impressed by the unusual visit.
    "It is very good," said Yitshak Shakhrur, a Safed resident who was present at the site late at night. When asked if he was excited by the visit, Shakhrur said "Not me, maybe someone else is".
    Several paparazzi waited near the tomb for the star, who arrived close to 0200 AM local (2300GMT) wearing a baseball cap and surrounded by body guards. Madonna and her entourage stood close to the tomb where they started praying and quietly singing in Hebrew.
    The region, and especially the woods surrounding the ancient city of Safed, is dotted with grave sites of sorts, some considered to belong to important Jewish figures. Jewish pilgrims arrive to pray at the different tombs, believing their wishes will be answered.
    Madonna is the most famous celebrity member of the Kabbalah Centre, who provoked a growing public interest in the originally Jewish study era when she began studying it about a decade ago.
    In 2007, the star held a private visit to Israel, celebrating the Jewish New Year in a Kabbalah centre in Tel Aviv.
    Madonna arrived to Israel early on Sunday (August 30), and has since been largely avoiding the media. None the less, the star was caught on camera during a brief visit to Jerusalem's Western Wall on Sunday night. She was also filmed meeting Israeli opposition leader Tzipi Livni for dinner in Tel Aviv.
    Organisers reported 60,000 ticket holders attended the first of her Tel Aviv shows, and fewer arrived to the second concert.
    Earlier in August, Madonna cancelled her concert in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Local media cited poor ticket sales as the main factor, although promoters denied this was the reason.
    It is the second concert Madonna has cancelled since July. A performance in the southern French town of Marseille was scrapped after the stage being built for it collapsed, killing two workers.
    Initially, Israeli media have announced Madonna will be joined in her visit by Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore, and possibly Justin Timberlake, who share her passion for Kabbalah, a mystical strand of Judaism. So far, the three have not been spotted in the country.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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