The Jerusalem Post reports (following up on an article in Yediot Aharonot) that a bevy of celebrities is headed for Israel for Rosh Hashanah. They’re all stars smitten by the voodoo that Kabbalah Centre does so well: Madonna, Demi Moore, Ashton Kutcher and Donna Karan.

The Post’s best tidbit, however, is the following:

Kutcher, best known for his work on That ’70s Show and MTV reality program Punk’d, had an even more direct encounter with the Israeli government last October, meeting with Shimon Peres briefly in Berlin.

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

In town to promote his latest movie, the Dude, Where’s My Car? star put in a hasty request for a meeting with Peres after learning that he, too, was in the German capital on business.

At their meeting, Peres fielded questions from Kutcher about Israel’s security situation, with Kutcher ending the conversation with a pledge to visit Israel someday with his wife.

Dude, didn’t Peres have anything better to do?

UPDATE: Reader “Harry” helpfully notes that the Post got some key details about the Kutcher-Peres pow-wow wrong. (See his comment to this post.) It turns out that Peres was also meeting with Kevin Costner, who, having starred in “Field of Dreams” and “Dances With Wolves,” undeniably has gravitas. (The Forward’s earlier account of the Kutcher-Costner-Peres meeting is here.)

A message from our Publisher & CEO Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

With your support, we’ll be ready for whatever 2025 brings.

$36 $500

$120 $180 Other amount