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Britney's stream of consciousness.
Category: Kabbalah.

In a posting on her official website on Friday March 4, Britney Spears tells fans the last few months have been trying for her, but her belief in all things Kabbalah have helped her cope. In the Internet message you can read below, Britney credits Madonna for turning her onto Kabbalah.

[Rumours] Madonna Promoted To Highest Kabbalah Honour.
Category: Kabbalah.

MADONNA PROMOTED IN KABBALAH

Pop superstar MADONNA has been promoted to the highest level at the controversial Church of Kabbalah she can achieve without being ordained. The singer, who has followed the mystical offshoot of judaism for some years, was anointed in secret to an upper category of Kabbalah followers in a ceremony conducted by Kabbalah Centre founder RABBI BERG. A source reveals, "Her teachers think she has reached the pinnacle of spiritual understanding. To Madonna this is the best achievement of her life."Since joining the Kabbalah Centre, Madonna has recruited her husband GUY RITCHIE as well as a number of new celebrity followers, including DEMI MOORE and BRITNEY SPEARS.

Source: female first.co.uk

[Rumours] Madonna to visit Istanbul?
Category: Kabbalah.

BREAKING NEWS - One of Turkey’s biggest newspapers, Hurriyet, has published a news story today on a possible visit by Madonna and Yehuda Berg in junction with a book launch party for the Turkish edition of Berg’s The Power Of Kabbalah.

The paper reports that the launch - scheduled for March 13 - will be preceded by a fashion show by Donna Karan, which again will be held in Istanbul.

Thanks to Deniz for bringing the news to our attention.

[The First Look] New reportage on Kabbalah In New York Post.
Category: Kabbalah.

From today's edition of the New York Post:

[Gossip] Relocated rabbi.
Category: Kabbalah.

 Madonna’s Kabbalah rabbi — who made those controversial comments about the Holocaust victims bringing on their own fate — has been relocated out of London

One source says that Madonna, who was close to Rabbi Eliyahu Yardeni but is “furious” about his comments, was “instrumental” in getting him out of London, but the source insists that the move was unrelated to the statement, which has caused a huge controversy in England. “It’s my understanding that things just weren’t going well for him and he was relocated to L.A.” says a U.K. source. “But that all happened before this blow up over what he said was made public.” Madonna’s spokeswoman says that she doesn’t know whether the Rabbi’s relocation has anything to do with his comments, and says that she hasn’t been able to get a comment from Madonna regarding the flap because she’s been busy rehearsing for the tsunami fundraiser. A Kabbalah spokesman confirmed that Yardeni has been relocated, but when asked if Madonna has a hand in it, said, “The Kabbalah Centre does not comment on behalf of its students.”

source: MSNBC/ THE SCOOP

[Gossip] The New York Post on the ''Chernobyl gossip''.
Category: Kabbalah.

The New York Post takes up the "Chernobyl gossip" again, which was launched by Star magazine on October 2004, refreshed by The Daily Mirror and recently brushed up by The Daily Telegraph.

Here is the gossip published on PageSix of January 12, 2005 issue of The New York Post:

An undercover BBC reporter who infiltrated a London Kabbalah group witnessed Madonna and Guy Ritchie chanting mystic spells to cleanse Chernobyl, the site in Ukraine of the nuclear disas ter in 1986. Tony Donnelly, who used a hidden camera, claims the Kabbalah dinner turned into "a weird religious service, which started with prayer readings and chanting that culminated in everyone turning to the east, pushing the air with their hands, and crying out ’Cher-er-er-er-nobyl’ at the top of their voices. They thought they were curing Chernobyl of radiation, using the power of Kabbalah to drive away the evil." Donnelly, a recovering cancer patient, says he was charged $1,500 for the dinner with Madonna and her husband, some "healing water" and several Aramaic texts — the Zohar — he was unable to read. He was told that just running his hands over the text and drinking the water could cure his cancer. He also had a session with Rabbi Eliyahu Yardeni, who told him, "Just to tell you another thing about the 6 million Jews that were killed in the Holocaust. The question was that the Light was blocked. They didn’t use Kabbalah." Donnelly wrote in the London Telegraph, "It sounded as though he was blaming the Holocaust on its victims . . . I’m not Jewish, but his unprovoked rantings about Hitler’s victims left me questioning his sanity." Kabbalah followers also include Paris Hilton, Britney Spears and Demi Moore.

Previous related news:

 Is Madonna’s Kabbalah a Cult?

 MADGE HAS A MEL OF A NIGHT

 Daily Telegraph on happenings at the London Kabbalah center

Carnival For Kids.
Category: Kabbalah.

RUSH&MOLLOY in today's edition of NYDailyNews

"The spirituality for Kids Foundation, a Kabbalah Center offshoot Madonna helps fund via her children's books, hosted a holiday carnival for 500 kids at Casita Maria in the South Bronx yesterday. Amid the games and facepainting, foundation volunteers also manned "spirituality booths" for the children ..."

Kabbalah or...?
Category: Kabbalah.

Today's ediiton of daily Mirror

Other articles on Madonna and Kabbalah.
Category: Kabbalah.

FIRST PUBLISHED ON A MADONNA WEBSITE

From today's Daily Express

From today's edition of La Stampa (Italian newspaper)

Heeb's editor Raquel Hecker wants back ''her'' old Madonna.
Category: Kabbalah.

Let us write a few words of introduction for the following article from today's edition of The Guardian.

As usual, we prefer to cover everything related to Madonna and we chose to report all different points of view and do not censor bad articles.

Give me back my old Madonna

Raquel Hecker used to worship at the same Kabbalah centre as the singer. Now she’s become disillusioned - both with mystic Judaism and with her favourite star

Sunday October 31, 2004
The Observer

A petite blonde steps into an unassuming five-storey building in midtown Manhattan, strides past a poster with her image on it, takes an elevator up a storey and steps out into a gleaming white chamber with rows of pews decorated in a Greco-Roman motif. A man leading a service for 200 worshippers glances up from a book. The entire room inhales at once. One woman’s jaw goes slack.
Madonna - Esther to her friends here at the Kabbalah Centre - has entered the building. Back before she was Esther, Madonna was my childhood idol. So I was curious how Kabbalah had inspired her - how she had gone from covering Don McLean to covering the Barry Sisters, as she did in July, performing at a private party for the head of the Kabbalah Centre, Rabbi Philip Berg.

The first time I went to the Kabbalah Centre was for a Friday-night Shabbat service. The place was packed, albeit unevenly. The men were seated throughout the left and centre sections, the women squeezed tightly into the right section, except for an empty front row. I slid in there and heard two women by the door whisper and point. Slowly it dawned on me: I had planted my ass in the designated celebrity row.

When Madonna walks into the Kabbalah Centre, chairs materialise out of thin air to form a new row in front of the celebrity row. A bearded man runs over with an electric fan and aims it at Madonna, who is flanked by two thin, attractive women in bad blond wigs. Sitting with one yoga-sculpted leg over the other, Madonna dismisses the man with a wave of her hand and he returns, humbled, to where he was sitting.

The service continues: rabbis take turns leading prayers, then when they’re finished step off the stage to shake Madonna’s hand. The Material Girl follows along nonchalantly, mouthing indiscernible nothings to her husband, Guy Ritchie, sitting across the room from her in the men’s section. Her daughter Lourdes comes over to sit with her mother, then runs out of the room. Men steal glances, women whisper among themselves. I look, too, and I’m both mortified and delighted to learn that, if you stare at Madonna for long enough, Madonna will look right back at you.

click on Read More

special thanks to our friend Vincy 

[Rumours] Will Madonna pose naked for Kabbalah?
Category: Kabbalah.

NEWYORKPOST: Inside Madonna's Religion.
Category: Kabbalah.

First published on a Madonna website

Today's edition of NYPOST

''Turn those f***ing mobile phones off!''
Category: Kabbalah.

By RICHARD SIMPSON, Daily Mail 10:19am 23rd October 2004

 One of the solemn religious themes of the evening was to make sure that in life you give as well as receive.

But then Madonna got up to speak - and what she gave was a four-letter outburst. Receiving it were her surprised audience.

Hearing ring tones emanating from the onlookers, the star shouted bluntly: "Turn those f***ing mobile phones off!"

Then she launched into an astonishing political speech, urging the onlookers to vote for John Kerry in the forthcoming US presidential election - and earned herself a round of applause.

Meanwhile, the theme about receiving was certainly being taken to heart - as around Ł10,000 worth of drinks were consumed at the free bar.

The bizarre scenes came at a gathering centred around Kabbalah, the religious sect based on Jewish mysticism which Madonna and other celebrities have embraced in recent years.

The event was hosted by Madonna and Hollywood actress Demi Moore at a private members' club in Portman Square, Marylebone, London.

Celebrity after celebrity streamed into the party at the Home House Club, thrown for the launch of a book, Becoming Like God, by the eminent kabbalist rabbi Michael Berg - whose teachings are sweeping the showbusiness world.

Rank-and-file kabbalists mingled with the likes of movie star Gwyneth Paltrow and fashion designers Donatella Versace, Valentino, Matthew Williamson and Alexander McQueen as well as the two hosts.

Guests listened to speeches about sharing and suffering while enjoying a Ł50-a-head canape menu of tuna wasabi, kosher beef carpacci with parmesan, saffron risotto balls and lamb kofta, and a free bar which dispensed an estimated Ł10,000 worth of cocktails and champagne.

Then Madonna - who was there with her film producer husband Guy Ritchie - took to the stand and launched into her impromptu four-letter outburst. Organisers were later banned from talking about the party.

But one source said: "Demi Moore gave a speech thanking everyone for coming. Then Madonna got up. Her speech was very amusing - even more amusing when people's mobile phones were going off when she was speaking. She was shouting, 'Turn those f***ing mobile phones off!'.

"Then she started ranting on, 'Vote for John Kerry,' which raised a round of applause from the crowd.

"Then it was Michael Berg's go. His speech was long and boring. It went on for about ten minutes and no one was really listening.

"He was banging on about his book and its role in trying to alleviate suffering in the world, and sharing and trying to negate the ego - and the fact that you are allowed to receive as long as it's not to receive just to yourself."

"There was loads of chatting and the chinking of glasses in the background. When it was over, no one could wait to get back to the free bar."

Organisers were keen to emphasise that the party was not thrown by Madonna. But sources revealed that the food, drinks and flowers were all organised by her assistants.

And photographs taken at the event had to be sanctioned by the star before they were released to the media.

In addition, the venue seems to have been chosen for its proximity to the singer's house - just two streets away.

It was also a short stroll from the Ł3.65 million Kabbalah centre in Bond Street which Madonna donated to accommodate the London branch of the sect.

[Gossip] GOSSIP AT YESTERDAY KABALLAH PARTY.
Category: Kabbalah.

TODAY'S EDITION OF DAILY STAR

Is Madonna's Kabbalah a Cult?
Category: Kabbalah.

From Star Magazine:

Madonna By Sharon Van Geuns It's 9 p.m. on Sept. 29, the beginning holiday of Sukkot, a day of judgment for followers of the religious sect, Kabbalah. I am standing with 60 other devotees in a crude wooden hut in London, where we've been chanting in Hebrew for almost an hour. The evening, which includes an alcohol-free dinner, cost me $57. Not bad considering that I've been promised I will soon be bathing in the light of mercy. As we sit to eat, a tiny figure is ushered into the room and seated at the top table. I realize I am less than 10 feet away from Madonna and her husband, director Guy Ritchie. Madonna is wearing no makeup and is dressed in casual clothes and a pair of Prada slippers. But I quickly learn that in the world of Kabbalah some followers are more equal than others. While we wait in line for water and a buffet of salmon, salad and hummus to be consumed from plastic glasses and plates, Madonna, 46, (who prefers to be known as Esther, her Hebrew name) sits at a table stacked with wine bottles and blessed water. She and Guy, 36, drink from elegant crystal glasses. While Madonna sits at a table with plenty of room, the rest of us sit cramped at crowded tables. The woman next to me, elbows me and whispers, "I spent all of yesterday preparing a special meal for her. I went to a kosher shop for marinated tofu, steamed vegetables and barley." But instead of eating her specially prepared meal, Madonna talks with the Kabbalah leader and his wife on the very spiritual issue of screaming children. "You look good," someone tells the singer. "No, I don't," she retorts. "I've been working hard and I look tired." I know the feeling. A SPIRITUAL JOURNEY It's three months since I became a student of Kabbalah, eager to find out the truth about the sect sweeping the celebrity world. Would I find enlightenment and happiness through the teachings of its leader, Rabbi Philip Berg? Or, as cynics warned, would I find the lessons of the former Brooklyn insurance salesman costly and meaningless? It had all started with a free lecture I attended this past May in London. Afterward, I signed up for a 10-week course, the Power of Kabbalah, for $323. From day one, we were encouraged to spend money. First, we were expected to buy a red string bracelet (cost: $45) which identifies followers. The string would protect me from looks of ill-will and envious stares. A staff member at the center tied it on my left hand, chanted Hebrew and told me to envisage light. At the classes I took, we were told we would experience miracles, find inner peace and enjoy financial prosperity. For homework, we were to study the 72 Hebrew names for God. As classes became more intense, there was little time for family, friends or even work, and some students began to drop out. Those who remained appeared to have undergone some sort of conversion: They spoke of miracles and said their lives had improved. I was having doubts. I was pressured to buy a copy of the Zohar, the 23-volume Kabbalah bible, (cost: $502); pressured to visit London's Kabbalah center on a daily basis (even if it meant missing work); and pressured to bring in new recruits. At one point, someone suggested that I get a second credit card or sell a family heirloom to pay for a Kabbalah- themed trip to Israel. I began to feel that I was losing a sense of identity. When I met with my teacher, he wanted to know about my job, my family and what worries I had. He asked when I was going to buy the Zohar; I told him I couldn't afford it. "Imagine it," he said, "and it will happen." During another Kabbalah event (cost: $47), we flung our hands in the air and shouted "Chernobyl" to send good energy to the Ukrainian city in the former Soviet Union, where in 1986, the worst nuclear accident in history occurred. We were told we could cure everything -- even cancer. After chanting for what seemed like forever, we ate a late dinner. Afterward, we had to study until 4 a.m. By 2 a.m., I was exhausted, and I left. MORE CLASSES,MORE $$ As the weeks passed, I found the courses increasingly invasive and expensive. I was frequently called at home by my mentor, Sarah. "Can't you visit the center more often?" she asked. I felt like I was being pulled by an invisible string. I had just finished one course when I was phoned to ask if I would sign up for another 10- week course, Kabbalah II (cost: $269) that would deepen my knowledge. I paid the money. I was asked to sign up for more classes that I couldn't afford, including a weekly Zohar class ($23); a 10-week Tree of Life seminar ($271); a Anti-Matter Course ($145) and even palm-reading classes ($163). Some students had taken up second jobs to fund their studies; others were starting to wonder where the money goes. I heard of one girl who gave up her well-paid accountant job to live and work full-time at the center. As I tried to follow the faith, I was exhausted and scared of saying no to the pleas to spend more money on courses and books. But the end came when a teacher tried to get me to go to Israel for Rosh Hashannah (cost: $1,794). I was told if I didn't go I wouldn't "get my light" for the year. I considered getting that extra credit card. But then I woke up. Luckily, I have supportive friends and family from whom Kabbalahists subtly try to alienate you. After talking to them, I did some thinking. My days with Kabbalah were numbered. But other followers were not so strong. I watched others get drawn deeper and deeper into the sect. As I watched Madonna and Guy at the Sukkot dinner, I wondered what the singer saw in the faith. Seated at her table, she picked at her meal and drank water (while Guy gulped wine). By 11 p.m., most people were tired. Guy stifled a yawn and mouthed to his wife, "Can we go?" They were led through the house; the rest of us left through a side gate. It's now more than four months since I began studying Kabbalah, and I have broken free. After buying the complete works of the Zohar (running my Kabbalah bill up to $1,794), when they were delivered to my house, I couldn't touch them. Whatever wisdom is contained within them has remained unopened. A spokesperson for the London Kabbalah Center told Star: "Everybody's personal journey is different. If it didn't feel right for her, then it didn't feel right."

Kabbalah lecture about Madonna.
Category: Kabbalah.
THE JEWISH community centre Chabad (at) Flamingo is launching a public lecture series to examine why celebrities like Madonna and Britney Spears are showing so much interest in the ancient Kabbalah. "Everyone’s talking about the Kabbalah these days, whether or not they even understand or appreciate the concept," says Rabbi Mendel Kaplan, spiritual leader of the Thornhill-based centre, which is dedicated to reaching out to the Jewish population in a non-sectarian manner, regardless of affiliation.

"What celebrity involvement has done is create an unprecedented interest in the subject, and as a Jewish spiritual leader, I feel it’s important to offer a Kabbalah 101 course to give an overview of what the Kabbalah really is, and why celebrities like Madonna may be involved," said Kaplan in a news release.

Kaplan has been studying the ancient teachings for 21 years and will present the three lectures, entitled Real Kabbalah for Real People.

The kick-off lecture is called Kabbalah and Madonna (oops! make that Esther) ... and Britney too?: What’s Up With That? It will be followed by Kabbalah on Drugs and Alcohol: A Jewish Angle on Mind-Altering Experiences, and Kabbalah on The Bible Codes: What’s the Big Secret?

"The Kabbalah is the most powerful spiritual system ever known to mankind," said Kaplan. "The fact that there’s increased public interest demonstrates that there’s some kind of a collective return to spiritualism today, and that’s a positive thing."

The lectures take place at 8 p.m. on Oct. 12, Nov. 2 and Nov. 28 at Chabad (at) Flamingo, 8001 Bathurst St. in Thornhill, north of Toronto. For more information, call Gail Bergman 905-886-1340 or e-mail gbergman@gailbergmanpr.com.

Madonna: ''From my perspective, the trip was a smashing success''.
Category: Kabbalah.

From today's edition of New York Daily News

[click to enlarge]

FIRST ON A MADONNA WEBSITE

Israel Boost.
Category: Kabbalah.

[click to enlarge]

Today's edition of New York Post

Note from the webmaster, "This scan has been shamelessly stolen and published on another website"

Dressing Von Furstenberg at ''Spirituality For Kids'' event.
Category: Kabbalah.

20 SEPTEMBER 2004
 
Madonna has caused quite a stir in the Israeli city of Tel Aviv, where she has spent the last five days attending a Kabbalah conference. The Material Girl was the star speaker at the event, which was also attended by top designer Donna Karan and Donald Trump's ex Marla Maples.

Madge was accompanied by her husband Guy Ritchie when she paid a midnight visit to the grave of Kabbalist sage Rabbi Yehuda Ashlag on Saturday. Casually dressed in jeans and a grey checked sweater, the singer spent over an hour in the stone mausoleum where she took part in a spiritual ceremony. Afterwards, visibly moved by the experience, she was seen wiping tears from her eyes.

The following day the 46-year-old donned a Diane Von Furstenberg gown to give a talk at a "spirituality for kids" event.

"I have held hands and sung and danced and prayed with Sufis, Christians, Jews, Muslims and Druze, old, young, rich and poor," she said. "We all have one thing in common - we want to create peace in the world. We want to put an end to chaos and suffering but most of all we want to put an end to hatred for no reason."

Madonna's trip to Israel came at the end of her three-month Re-Invention tour. And the jet-setting star seems to have lost the fears she used to harbour about visiting the troubled country. "I realise now that it's no more dangerous to be here than in New York," she said.
 

Israel says Goodbye to Madonna.
Category: Kabbalah.




Today frontpages of Israel newspapers Yedioth Ahronoth and Maariv