Pop diva Madonna last performed in Israel in 1993, but has come to the country this time to take part in a Kabbalah conference sponsored by the Los Angeles-based Kabbalah Center.
Leading some 1,200 participants from 22 countries, the Catholic-raised Madonna, who has adopted the name Esther, spent Rosh Hashanah in Tel Aviv engaged in prayer and religious study. She and her husband, filmmaker Guy Ritchie, toured religious sites around the country.
For Madonna and the 1,200 other Kabbalah students, the five-day visit to Israel was a fulfillment of their desire to feel and experience the country which spawned the mysticism which has touched their lives.
Addressing the conference, Madonna said, "I was a bit hesitant to come here after seeing so many news reports about terrorist attacks and reading travel warnings about how dangerous it is for Americans here. I realize now that it's no more dangerous to be here than in New York. I feel very safe and welcome here."