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Israeli-American actress Natalie Portman. (Reuters)
Last update - 09:55 03/06/2008
Natalie Portman to pitch Jewish-funded youth village in Rwanda
By Anshel Pfeffer, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: Rwanda, Jewish donors 

The Jewish people's public relations effort will enjoy a bonanza this summer: In August, a youth village is slated to open in Rwanda for 500 children orphaned by the 1994 genocide there.

The youth village is being built by the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, financed by American Jewish donors, run according to the educational philosophy employed in Israeli youth villages that absorbed Holocaust orphans during the state's early years, and staffed by Israeli counselors who immigrated from Ethiopia.

It is hard to imagine a better story - and therefore, a massive media blitz will accompany its launch.
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The hottest Jewish film star in the world these days, Israeli-American actress Natalie Portman, is currently filming a special clip about the new village, which will be screened in another few weeks on America's best-rated and most influential talk show: The Oprah Winfrey Show.

Naturally, such a high-powered launch is being accompanied by the deepest secrecy. When Israeli representatives of the Joint and the New York Jewish Federation, which is also involved in the project, were asked about it, they responded along the following lines: "We really don't know what's happening in Africa; everything is being done via New York."

This secrecy has caused some confusion: When Portman was spotted in the Addis Ababa airport en route to Rwanda, organizations that are working to bring the Falash Mura [descendants of Ethiopian Jews who converted to Christianity] to Israel hastened to claim that the actress was there to support their cause. A report to that effect was even published in Sunday's Yedioth Ahronoth. But the Joint - which has also long been
active in this cause, but is now winding down - quickly issued a denial.

Amir Shaviv, the Joint's assistant executive vice president for special operations, said that Portman simply missed her connection to Rwanda, and therefore had to stay in Addis Ababa for two days until she could get another flight. The Joint then filled the time by taking her on a tour of some of its projects that are aimed at helping the general Ethiopian population.

As part of the effort to keep the Rwanda project under wraps until its launch, pictures of Portman in Africa have been declared off-limits until her film is screened on Oprah.

Aside from being a public relations boon, the project illustrates a new trend in Jewish life: engaging in tikkun olam [repairing the world] via projects in developing countries.

Another example is the pride with which the Joint's Israeli branch and other Israeli aid organizations note that their representatives were among the first to enter Myanmar two weeks ago to help victims of Cyclone Nargis  at a time when the junta was still denying access to better-known aid organizations.

Through such projects, Jewish groups hope not only to score public relations points, but also to encourage young Jews, who are less interested in traditional Jewish frameworks, to become active in - and contribute to - Jewish causes.

More Jewish World news and features

Related articles:
  • UN genocide exhibit on Rwanda delayed after Turkey objects
  • Actor quits Natalie Portman film due to rabbis' objections
  • Natalie Portman considers directing film version of Amos Oz memoirs
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    Rosner's blog: It's Obama's good intentions that pro-Israel activists fear.
      1.   Israelis craving for attention,disregarding own sick,maimed and 01:35  |  Absolute Sweden 03/06/08
      2.   What Hypocrisy 03:07  |  Lee Kaplan 03/06/08
      3.   Stupid is as stupid does 03:22  |  Gideon Reader 03/06/08
      4.   What horrible lipstick on that slut 04:25  |  *BEN JABO 03/06/08
      5.   #4 04:47  |  walid 03/06/08
      6.   Sane people respond positively to this news. Antisemites will not 05:18  |  Steve Randolph 03/06/08
      7.   Why is she a slut #4? 05:21  |  T 03/06/08
      8.   #4 06:21  |  iranian jew 03/06/08
      9.   Jewish Causes are Israel Not Rwanda 07:19  |  Ralph levy 03/06/08
      10.   Shame on Haaretz Editors - CLEAN UP YOUR ACT 09:57  |  Ariel 03/06/08
      11.   Natalie Portman - You Rock! 10:08  |  Alan 03/06/08
      12.   What About Palestinian Orphans? 10:26  |  DAT 03/06/08
      13.   Condon distribution is much needed to fight AIDS- yes israel 10:47  |  Yaakov Sullivan 03/06/08
      14.   DAT - They Kill Jewish Parents Too... 10:49  |  Ariel 03/06/08
      15.   DAT How many trillions have Arabs got? How many have Rwandans? 10:55  |  PETER SM 03/06/08
      16.   #2 Not true. Israel does good deeds, we support Israel 10:55  |  Hassan Al Husseini 03/06/08
      17.   Hey Ben Jaba, Perhaps Because of You, 10:58  |  Alan 03/06/08
      18.   DAT RWANDAN orphans do not have UNRWA& worlds NGO`s 11:30  |  PETER SM 03/06/08
      19.   DAT Because UNHCR has only one problem in this world 11:32  |  PETER SM 03/06/08
      20.   DAT Because Archbishop Tu Tu does not go there and shake his head 11:34  |  PETER SM 03/06/08
      21.   Hatred is an incurable disease 11:47  |  ChanahS 03/06/08
      22.   Excellent project, Israel, no reason at all to "bash" here....... 13:00  |  Swiss (Dino) 03/06/08
      23.   Bit of a joke when #13 suggests condoms 13:00  |  Ari ben Yisrael 03/06/08
      24.   Natalie 13:35  |  Rab Burns 03/06/08
      25.   #16 To Hassan Al Husseini 13:53  |  Hastaroth 03/06/08
      26.   Dino #22, ChanahS is right, hatred is an incurable disease 13:57  |  MR 03/06/08
      27.   I agree with Ariel #10. 14:13  |  Aaron 03/06/08
      28.   #4 sounds like a fake Ben Jabo, depraved. 14:17  |  The Equalizer 03/06/08
      29.   Arab star to pitch muslim-funded youth village in Rwanda 15:00  |  Matt Remes 03/06/08
      30.   # 26 MR, the "blindest" among the "blind" here....???? 15:15  |  Swiss (Dino) 03/06/08
      31.   # 16 YOU NEED NEW LEADERSHIP ONE THAT WILL MAKE PEACE W/ ISRAEL. 16:43  |  petra 03/06/08
      32.   WORST HYPOCRATS IN HISTORY 16:46  |  JACKAL 03/06/08
      33.   #7 Ban Jabo; He hates women. His preference is men 16:55  |  Max Zinger,P.Chimist 03/06/08
      34.   ChanahS.#21 naivette 16:56  |  Juande 03/06/08
      35.   It`s a great project but why can`t they help.... 17:05  |  Deborah 03/06/08
      36.   Swiss Dino 22- always an if or a but 17:16  |  ChanahS 03/06/08
      37.   Juande # 34 17:25  |  ChanahS 03/06/08
      38.   More drivel from Deborah 36 17:31  |  ChanahS 03/06/08
      39.   #38. ChanahS 17:53  |  Deborah 03/06/08
      40.   ChanahS#37 17:56  |  Juande 03/06/08
      41.   # 36 Chanah S 18:05  |  Swiss (Dino) 03/06/08
      42.   I LOVE HER ROLE IN "LEON" 18:32  |  indrajaya 03/06/08
      43.   Lee Kaplan - The fact is 18:46  |  David Israel 03/06/08
      44.   Gideon Reader #3 18:53  |  David Israel 03/06/08
      45.   Swiss (Dino) - It is not PR 19:03  |  David Israel 03/06/08
      46.   Deborah 39 19:09  |  ChanahS 03/06/08
      47.   Deborah 39 19:10  |  ChanahS 03/06/08
      48.   Natalie Portman is hot 19:24  |  Steve 03/06/08
      49.   Help Palestinians First! 19:27  |  DAT 03/06/08
      50.   DAT - all sensationalistic claims - with oil @ $130 (1) 19:52  |  Ariel 03/06/08
      51.   DAT - all sensationalistic claims - with oil @ $130 (2) 19:57  |  Ariel 03/06/08
      52.   DAT - all sensationalistic claims - with oil @ $130 (3) 20:01  |  Ariel 03/06/08
      53.   Natalie Portman loves it a nice girl 20:32  |  Dick Hertz 03/06/08
      54.   # 22 Swiss Dingo: But wants you to be an israeli. 20:44  |  Max Ha Khatul 03/06/08
      55.   DAT (#49) you are totally Miss Informed 21:00  |  Gil 03/06/08
      56.   Gil, I know That 21:49  |  DAT 03/06/08
      57.   #30 Swiss you think yourself too smart 21:52  |  MR 03/06/08
      58.   #46 or 47. ChanahS 22:09  |  Deborah 03/06/08
      59.   DAT 56 22:15  |  ChanahS 03/06/08
      60.   Deborah 58# 23:09  |  ChanahS 03/06/08
      61.   # 45 David Israel 23:46  |  Swiss (Dino) 03/06/08
      62.   Deborah - please qualify your libel? 23:46  |  Ariel 03/06/08
      63.   Deborah vs. Chanah 23:49  |  WYSIWYG 03/06/08
      64.   # 54 Max (alias Haham) # 57 MR Two more "anti-Semite" fetishers 23:49  |  Swiss (Dino) 03/06/08
      65.   Swiss (Dino) 00:35  |  David Israel 04/06/08
      66.   Swiss Dino - Anti-Semite??!! 00:43  |  WYSIWYG 04/06/08
      67.   DAT (#56) I am Impressed 01:26  |  Gil 04/06/08
      68.   DAT (#56) I am Impressed 01:27  |  Gil 04/06/08
      69.   33 Max Zinger 01:52  |  Jose Marcio 04/06/08
      70.   Arabs and Arab lovers 02:32  |  ice_pick_in_Mohammed 04/06/08
      71.   #33 Max Zinger 02:33  |  MR 04/06/08
      72.   Arabs and their lovers 02:37  |  The truth hurts 04/06/08
      73.   We also collect condoms and send them to Africa to fight AIDS 02:35  |  Yaakov Sullivan 05/06/08
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