Madonna named in 'most powerful Jew' list

Madonna has been named one of the most powerful Jewish Americans despite protestations from her spokeswoman that "Madonna is not Jewish."

The 46-year-old popstar's enthusiasm for the Jewish mystic cult of Kabbalah has helped earn her 51st spot on the annual list of the most powerful and influential Jewish Americans in The Forward paper.

J.J. Goldberg, editor of the Jewish weekly, defended its decision to include Madonna on the list saying, "She's a practitioner of the Kabbalah, so she's practicing Judaism for Christ's sake! Well, not really for Christ's sake, but she's probably the world's best known practitioner of Judaism right now."

Madonna's publicist Liz Rosenberg repeatedly advised The Forward that "it wouldn't be appropriate to include her on such a list" because Madonna "is not Jewish," reports the New York Daily News.

Madonna has become a devotee of Kabbalah telling promoters on her Reinvention tour that she would not play gigs on Friday nights because it was against her religion.

She also is said to observe the Jewish sabbath, asked friends to call her Esther, her religious name and has published a series of children's books based on Kabbalah stories.
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