Subscribe to Print Edition | Mon., March 17, 2008 Adar2 11, 5768 | | Israel Time: 20:08 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Actress Natalie Portman speaking at a Berlin press conference last month. (AP) Last update - 17:33 16/03/2008 Actor quits Natalie Portman film due to rabbis' objections By The Associated Press Tags: New York I love you, Jewish  NEW YORK - An aspiring actor has quit a movie starring Natalie Portman because it outraged his ultra-Orthodox Jewish religious community, the actor said. "Rabbis didn't like the idea of a Hasidic guy playing in Hollywood," said Abe Karpen, a Brooklyn cabinet salesman cast as Portman's husband in the upcoming "New York I Love You." The project, a collection of 12 short love stories, has been shooting in New York. Karpen, 25, told the Daily News a rabbi raised objections after he filmed a scene with Portman on Wednesday. Advertisement "This is when I woke up and saw that I made a big mistake," said Karpen, a father of three. "My community, where I live, means everything to me." Hasidism, a branch of ultra-Orthodox Judaism, traces its roots to 18th-century Eastern Europe. Followers live in tightly woven communities, wear traditional dress - for men, beards, dark suits and felt hats - and avoid television. "We don't go to the movies, so to be in a movie is the worst thing," said Hasidic community activist Isaac Weinberger. Executive producer Jan Korbelin said he regretted that Karpen's role in the film had caused upset. "This is the last thing this picture should be doing," Korbelin said. "This film is about love and understanding between different people and communities." More Jewish World news and features Related articles: Natalie Portman considers directing film version of Amos Oz memoirs Egyptian Actors' Union to probe movie star working with Israeli Israeli movie turns camera on female would-be suicide bombers Hamas plans to build $200 million movie production house in Gaza Bookmark to del.icio.us   The Chancellor's visit Angela Merkel arrives in Israel to 'open new chapter' in bilateral ties. London paying Netanyahu says PR trip to U.K. wasn't funded by Israeli taxpayer.   1.   Life without TV 11:33  |  Dror 15/03/08   2.   Movies 11:51  |  Uzi 15/03/08   3.   What? 11:54  |  Axel 15/03/08   4.   If they don`t go tomovies, why should they care? 12:02  |  B`Galil 15/03/08   5.   Actor quits Portman film 13:20  |  Dov C. 15/03/08   6.   LET THE RABBI MAKE YOU A STAR!! 13:33  |  petra 15/03/08   7.   what-- he`s trying to make a point? 13:43  |  steve 15/03/08   8.   He is idiot or what? 13:55  |  Anna 15/03/08   9.   They Get Dumber By The Day 14:46  |  Bill Foonman 15/03/08   10.   Haredi are actually very smart 16:23  |  Dror 15/03/08   11.   His life 16:31  |  Mark Lincoln 15/03/08   12.   Abe quits 17:11  |  peter 15/03/08   13.   Poor logic indeed 17:54  |  bbl 15/03/08   14.   Once you give in to religious intolerance ... 18:38  |  Chanalau, Tova 15/03/08   15.   Get a Life 18:47  |  SJ 15/03/08   16.   Talmudic debate on Ha`aretz 18:49  |  Dror 15/03/08   17.   I do not understand something... 19:43  |  Avrum 15/03/08   18.   IT`S A PUBLICITY STUNT.HE READ THE SCRIPT. HE KNEW WHAT IT WAS . 19:50  |  DAVID 15/03/08   19.   Not even the Jazzz Singer? 19:56  |  Avram 15/03/08   20.   bye bye.... life goes on.. 20:28  |  Rami 15/03/08   21.   THE NUMBER OF ANTI SEMITES IS AMAZING! YOUR BLOODTHIRSTY POSTS... 20:47  |  HANS LIEBE MILCHE 15/03/08   22.   Can`t have people watching tv 20:53  |  Paul Wood 15/03/08   23.   #16 Dror 20:57  |  Paul Wood 15/03/08   24.   Even secular Einstein didn`t deny the concept of God, 21:11  |  Toni Aryeh 15/03/08   25.   O-Natty 22:03  |  SamIAm 15/03/08   26.   Nonsense Woody 22:18  |  Dror 15/03/08   27.   Advertisement 22:29  |  MR 15/03/08   28.   #20 Rami 22:39  |  MR 15/03/08   29.   Popular culture causes depression 22:46  |  Ploni 15/03/08   30.   #3 Axel - knows little of Jews & displays his ignorance 23:42  |  * BEN JABO 15/03/08   31.   Ironic part is that anti-semites on this forum 23:44  |  * BEN JABO 15/03/08   32.   This story`s incomplete 00:46  |  sh 16/03/08   33.   steve - just respect it... 00:46  |  x 16/03/08   34.   ben jabber 00:51  |  Axel 16/03/08   35.   #14 02:19  |  jeff 16/03/08   36.   #14 Tova Chanalu - Religious intolerance 02:27  |  * BEN JABO 16/03/08   37.   To Axel (#3) 05:03  |  Morris Valentine 16/03/08   38.   Axel, #34 14:39  |  Aaron 16/03/08   39.   Not all Hasidim don`t make movies 14:52  |  Danny 16/03/08   40.   #10 I don`t think that art deals in truth 17:59  |  Outsider 16/03/08   41.   # 38 aaron 20:15  |  Axel 16/03/08   42.   # 26 Dror oh you are a laugh 21:46  |  SJ 16/03/08   43.   A Little Joke 21:48  |  Yechiel 16/03/08   44.   Why people watch movies 21:54  |  Simeon ben Jacob 16/03/08   45.   #34 Axel (grease your wheel) 20:05  |  * BEN JABO 17/03/08

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