Nat Says…
Aussie Dave | Oct 14, 2005 | 5 comments
She may be a Hollywood celebrity, but actress Natalie Portman still found time to fast on Yom Kippur.
Movie star Natalie Portman fasted yesterday for Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement.“I really like eating,” the 24-year-old beauty tells author Abigail Pogrebin in “Stars of David: Prominent Jews Talk About Being Jewish,” her new book.“But a couple years ago, one of my friends got really mad at me and it happened on Yom Kippur,” Portman confides. “It made me go through the actual atonement list on that day, and the hunger associated with it is really helpful. … You think about how you’ve wronged your friends and how you should change in the future.”
And it seems she is right on the money when it comes to the state of American Jewry (no pun intended).
“I know what a JAP [Jewish American Princess] is. … I wouldn’t want to have stereotypes used in derogatory ways by people outside the Jewish community, but I think it is something from within the community that we need to examine and be self-critical about. … Do [our young people] know or care about the outside world? Do they know or care about things other than having a nice car or a nice purse?…I think the major problem today with American Jews is materialism”
Nat’s even got her head screwed on right when it comes to Israel:
“I have a very close friend who lately has this European, anti-Israel way of thinking, and it’s very hard to have conversations with him. … [Being Israeli has] become a much bigger part of my identity in recent years because it’s become an issue of survival.”
She sounds like quite a gal – one worth losing your head over.
“My dad always makes this stupid joke with my new boyfriend, who is not Jewish. He says, ‘It’s just a simple operation.’ “
Ok, so that pun was intended.
About the Author
An Australian immigrant to Israel, Aussie Dave has been blogging since early 2003.Filed Under: General
Boo on her. Dating a goy. Why is it such a big deal that she fasted on Yom Kippur. She’a Jew, it should be given.
ditto w/ comment above
She’s obviously a hypocrite. It’s one thing to be secular (like most of us Israelis), but quite another dating a shagetz.There would be a line at the door, if she wanted to date within our house- she just chooses not to. But I guess she’s at least self aware and unashamed, unlike someone like “Buffy the Vampire slayer” who for a long time denied being Jewish altogether, and maried a gentile to boot. Hollywood is full of these hypocrites- we’re so eager to find one that barely approximates our (traditional if not religious) sentiments we rush to adopt them uncritically.
My post was not about rushing “to adopt her uncritically”, nor to lambast her for dating a non-Jew. This blog is not about that, but you can certainly find plenty of such blogs in the J-blogosphere.
I’m here to provide interesting and entertaining posts, and most of the time to inform about Israel.
BTW, I’m totally going to disable anonymous commenting if people aren’t going to leave their names/aliases.
David,
I’m the second anon poster. I guess I came off really harsh having re-read what I wrote. Having been reading your blog, at least from stated opinions, I dont think my opinion virges far off, heh I’m not even religious. I guess her comment about her dad sent me off the deep end for some reason. I have a daughter myself that may have some little affect I guess. In any case, my appologies for sounding like an idiot.
Regards,
hezi
Od mahtei attem poschim al shtei se’iffim?!
- Melachim (Kings) 1, 18:21
Shy Guy