Hasidic Actor Walks Off Natalie Portman Movie

First he couldn't hold Natalie Portman's hand - and now a Williamsburg Hasidic Jew-turned-actor has to give up his chance to hit it big in a Hollywood movie. Abe Karpen, 25, a married father of three, was cast as Portman's husband in "New York I Love You," a film composed of 12 short stories about love in the five boroughs. "I am backing out of the movie," said Karpen, a kitchen cabinet salesman. "It's not acceptable in my community. It's a lot of pressure I am getting. They [the rabbis] didn't like the idea of a Hasidic guy playing in Hollywood. "I have my kids in religious schools and the rabbi called me over yesterday and said in order for me to keep my kids in the school I have to do what they tell me and back out," Karpen said. While news of Karpen's withdrawal sent waves of disappointment through the movie set, the Hasidic community was up in arms over Karpen's acting gig - forcing him to flee for the weekend, a friend said. Keep reading how "the community wants to kill him" -or- See the photos of Karpen and Portman filming that caused the uproar -or- See photos of Portman made up for an Indian wedding, also from the film

Comments

[BongWater]

Religious extremism is stupid and childish, be it Christian, Muslim or Jewish. People give such control to their "priests" and miss out on so much of what life has to offer.

[CranialRectalLoopback]

I second those opinions. Absolutely. The irony is that this movie is probably an uplifting movie about love, not the typical Hollywood fodder that has religious communities always so up in arms.

[GRobSecular]

too true, bongwater

[rextrek]

I was thinking the same thing.....­.as an ex-catholic, and someone who follows NO religion..­..its easier to see from the outside lookin in.....how many actors would love that part....hi­s loss! "God will provide" yea....rig­ht.

[totalliberal]

Spending your whole life preparing to die is kind of foolish.

[silverworx]

Here here!

[mglred]

I'm surprised he accepted the gig in the first place.

[TJS]

The Hasidics are as isolated and reactionary as Amish or the right-wing fundamentalist Christians. But if you say that in pubic, Alan Dershowitz will beat you up!

[thegirlnextdoor]

Up roar? We got a war going on and children with their in dreadful Homeland Security detention prisons and torture going on and these folks are in an up roar because a Hassidic Jew walked beside a woman not his wife while acting. Oy! Perspective!

[Hopalongpoppyseed]

Oy.

[catchdis]

JEEZus. . . (so to speak).

[NorthWoodsVoice]

Wow! Sounds like the mullahs in Iran. Too bad this guy isn't allowed to think for himself.

[Amennyc]

What an idiot. Cute curlies though....

[Denni]

A comment from the full article, as linked above:

"He's a great ambassador of his faith and it came out of the left field. ... This is the last thing this picture should be doing," Korbelin said. "This film is about love and understanding between different people and communitie­s."

It's difficult. I respect the community's right to maintain its cultural dignity, I only disapprove of the death threats. That seems so sureal to me.

[TXfemmom]

Aren't we just a peachy bunch of people? Sounds like the Taliban to me.

[carlgt1]

ah, the peace & love of religion!

[sagscout]

Organized religions by their nature coerce their adherents to act in ways that are generally found acceptable by other members of their faith. I find it somewhat disturbing that this man's community ostracized him and his family and his religious leaders threatened to expel his children from school if he didn't bow to their wishes that he withdraw from the film. So much for tolerance.

[brenner21]

So your Rabbi threatened your children if you stayed in the movie? I would have taken my children to another Hasidic school.

[NemoNoOne]

Can you say "Taliban" ?

Of course, it's a bit (but only a little) different when a consenting member of a community (euphemism for "cult") decides to oppose its regulations publicly. Nevertheless, isn't it about time for enlightenment to strike somewhere in the world? Couldn't a minority proud of its contributions to rational thought (say someone like the Jews) take the first step in eliminating the irrational?

Just asking. Maybe the hasidic mullahs can weigh in and rationalize the irrational.

Nemo

[Xander]

And people wonder why religion is often referred to as a cult. This is absolutely ridiculous--a church browbeating an individual to do what the church wants. Talk about overbearing in the name of an invisible sky fairy.