Back in the day, Madonna used to do “controversial” things (for the time) involving sex and religion and race and the overwhelming subtext seemed to be “Madonna was raised in a conservative Catholic house and she’s still rebelling against all of that.” To hear Madonna talk about it, being raised a Catholic really messed her up. To hear her talk about it, no one should be raised in a rigidly dogmatic home. And then she found Kabbalah (or the celebrity version of the real Kabbalah) and she started having kids and BAM, she found a religion she could deal with. Madonna became Esther and she wore the red string and she talked about how her Kabbalah faith made her a better person. She’s raised her children inside Kabbalah – when Guy Ritchie is in New York, he even visits the Kabbalah center.
So what of Madonna’s oldest child, Lourdes? Lola has spent her life as a Kabbalist (?). And now Lola is rebelling against the dogmas of her mother’s conservative religion. The cat’s in the cradle and the silver spoon…
Having Madonna as your mom isn’t easy – just ask her daughter, Lourdes. The 16-year-old is in a standoff with her mother over religion.
“Madonna is very controlling and Lourdes has had it,” a source says. “She is sick and tired of her mother forcing Kabbalah on her and she’s starting to fight back.”
Madonna has been a devout follower of the Jewish teachings for years, but Lourdes wants to make her own choices – and holiday plans.
“Things came to a head over Madonna’s wish for Lourdes to spend the summer in Israel… Lourdes is horrified and told her mother there is no way she’s going.”
[From Star Magazine, print edition]
The whole “sending your teenage daughter to Israel” thing seems… familiar? Oh, I know why. That was a minor storyline on The Good Wife. Eli Gold didn’t want his teenage daughter to spend her summer vacation in an Israeli Kibbutz, and she blackmailed him into it, I believe. Honestly, I would love to spend a summer in Israel. That sounds like a wonderful experience to have if you’re a young woman. But I’m not Lola. Lola is rebelling! Lola is rebelling in exactly the same way her mother rebelled. No, scratch that – Madonna’s rebellion was so much more typical. Lola is one of the first kids raised solely in the celebrity Kabbalah movement. So this should get interesting.
Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet and WENN.
Kids don’t want to spend the summer is Israel. That want to hang out in Paris or Brazil or somewhere with a low drinking age and a nice nude beach.
You are very misinformed about Israel. Drinking age is 18 but rarely enforced (I was drinking at age 13 in Israeli bars, go figure). And beaches there are great.
I also was drinking at the bars by age 15 and had a great summer there.
It’s just not a classic party spot is my point. And you’re right, most of my knowledge of Israel is political in nature. As a dumb 16 year old American I would have had a fit too.
My ex-boyfriend has traveled all over the world and his two favorite cities are Paris and Tel Aviv-he said Tel Aviv was AMAZING and a really fun place to party.
Never been myself but the way he described it-it definitely peaked my curiosity.
I’m sure a big part of Lourdes’s objections aren’t with Israel itself but with the fact that her mom is making her go. And I’m sure she’s not sending her there to relax and party but to do some sort of service work.
No matter what the religion, the rebellion looks pretty much the same, imo!
What esmom said – I bet any money that it’s not Israel that is the sticking point, it’s the fact that her mother is pushing Israel as a summer activity.
If Madonna were smart she would ban travel to Israel. Lourdes would be there in a heartbeat.
Tel Aviv is a good place to party, very true. But it’s not what it used to be back in the day. There are some areas that are a no-go (it’s the hub of organized crime in Israel and some crowds let’s just say you would not want to mix with). If anything, I would say Haifa is the better place to party now. It is amazing there.
I agree, Leen! I’ve known lots of folks from/who have been to Israel and they all say it’s 10 kinds of awesome. She just wants to stay in NY with her friends for the summer, like any teenager.
same here.. drinking and partying in Israel in eilat well everywhere really . Lourdes doesn’t know what she’ll be missing
i’m from israel.
and belive me, for youth its a nicer place than paris.
my childhood memories from the israeli summer are hussom.
every day in the beach, and eating watermalon
Then Israel needs to work on their marketing techniques for tourism
i agree
but belive me, i’m a world wide traveler.
and i’ve been in a lot of countries.
and the food in israel is the best (along with italy)
I was born in Israel and spent every summer there once I moved to New York. Nothingggggg beats a summer in Israel; hot weather, beach, drinking, hookah and watermelon on the beach and the hot soldiers. I know people who have spent summers in St. Tropez, Ibiza, Belize etc and would pick Israel over any of those in a heart beat. BUT, Madonna shouldn’t force her daughter to do something she doesn’t to, especially follow a religion/culture, when she didn’t listen to her own parents.
Living in Tel Aiv as a teen was the best thing ever. Madonna just isn’t selling it right.
The drinking age in Brazil is 18 years, and nude beaches are very rare.
Seriously, you people pick a comment to death. Obviously Paris doesn’t have nude beaches either. I was just making a point.
I went to israel at 18, with my grandma. It was my first time abroad. Even with my grandma, it was REALLY fun. There were tons of hot guys… and if you like a guy in uniform–they’re all in uniform! If I wanted to party, there were places to go. The beach towns like Eilat remind me of Miami. I’d do it again in a heartbeat, and I’ve been to a lot of other places around the world. Israel is still one of my favorites.
Tel Aviv is one of the top party cities in the world. People from the world over come to Israel in the summer for the nightlife and the gorgeous beaches.
well, I guess I am going to be hated by everyone here, but I really didn’t like Tel-Aviv- it was extremely dirty, no public transportation and very small.. you can in no way compare it to any European capital.. not even to Bucharest- and I have been to almost every EU country..
As for the night life, well it depends on what you like- the mixture of oriental and dance/electronic music is not for everyone, it certainly wasn’t for me and nice places with good jazz or rock music are really just a handful..
And the beaches.. well if you are with nice friends you’ll enjoy them, but in a very objective way, they are also a bit small, crowded and again- dirty..
I did like other places in Israel though, specially in the north.. but as a whole, I would not recommend it.. can’t say exactly why..
Rufus – No hate, but I’ll admit that the electronic scene, lax drinking culture, and miles & miles of stunning beach fueled my love for Tel Aviv as a late teen. Still, you lost me at “no public transportation.” There’s actually an extensive bus system (albeit no subway) that runs as late as it can on Fridays and starts up again as early as it can on Saturdays. In between times, it’s never hard to get a taxi. Love that town.
It all comes back like a boomerang with kids, doesn’t it?
Lourdes is just gorgeous. And willful, too, it appears.
Must be tough for Madge to get up every morning and look at Lola and be reminded of how young and gorgeous she was. Guess it explains all the surgery. Clinging.
I never thought Madonna was gorgeous, but she always had a unique face/look. Her daughter is really beautiful, though.
I don’t think she’s jealous of her own daughter. I think she’s proud of her.
She’s likely very proud of her children, Lourdes included. She tries to go to their extracurricular activities and seems involved. I don’t think there’s a bad relationship between any of them.
Madonna looks ghastly in that photo. Like a madam in some honkytonk in the Old West. Her daughter must be embarassed to death to be around her. Oh, and Lourdes looks just like her father.
Lola rebelling…it seems yesterday we saw her for the first time…
BTW rebelling against Madonna, her controlfreak attitudes and her gigantic ego must be an hell of work.
Yes only a teenager could take that on!
LOL! Ain’t that the truth!
Spot on 🙂
Well said! 🙂
I think religion is only one of the fight points.Maddonna has talked several times about her “rules” at home. No TV and sugar in any form is what I remember.
But didn’t Madonna buy Lourdes her own apartment at one point? Or did I dream that?
+1
I’m half Lebanese and half Israeli, and even though there are lovely places and things to do in Israel, I completely agree.
That’s one interesting mix 😀 In general i do like living here, and maintain a life between Israel and Palestine, but I make sure to stay away from governmental things (from both sides).
She’s Madonna’s daughter, she was born to rebel. Team Lourdes!
Ha ha..rebellion is in her blood! If anything, she *seems* to be turning out pretty well.
Hi Kitten…I agree. Lourdes seems to have grown into a well-adjusted young adult. She didn’t raise herself. Madonna seems to have done a good job & I respect her for that. It ain’t easy being a Mom.
Hey Spinner 🙂
Yeah–it’s kind of surprising isn’t it?
I hope she stays on this path..
I am captioning that bottom picture “try hard”. It is hilarious! Give it up MeMaw, you’re making a fool of yourself…..
Now that is funny.
At 16 I refused to attend Sunday school and church anymore, which pissed off my religious parents. My sister was the rebellious one.
Madonna was different in high school, but she was also a straight A student, cheerleader, involved in theatre group, and spent her spare time studying dance and even received a dance scholarship to go to college where her mentor was going to begin teaching.
If Lola has Madonna’s drive and hard work ethic, she will be fine.
I’ve always liked Lourdes and I’m positive she’s Madonna’s favorite kid and I’m sure she loves her to death. Sure she has a strong personality – good for her!
One thing I’m also positive about is that Lourdes will NEVER EVER end up a crackhead loser like Lindsay. Ever.
I also get the feeling that Lola is Madonna’s favorite kid.
Really? who is her least favorite kid?
I think Rocco has mom wrapped around his finger. She adores him. They had a cute interview of Madonna after rehearsal one night in Miami or South America last December. She had Rocco with her and he kept wanting to hang out during the interview. Mom would tell him to go brush his teeth and other things for bed and he never got embarrassed and would come back in the room. Madonna
was sitting on the floor very relaxed during the informal interview. A rare glimpse of Madonna and Rocco in private and he adores his mom. I remember when he was little Madonna practically melted talking about Rocco.
It will be interesting seeing Merci and David as they get older. David came out that one time with the DJ before Madonna’s show. He loves to dance, like Rocco.
Good for her. I didn’t want religion forced on me at 16 either. Luckily my parents were smart enough to back off and allowed me to choose if I wanted to attend church, etc.
oh – and be aware of the first two questions all the men will ask – “Are you Jewish?” and “Are you married?”
Do they still do that by the way?
Lol yup they still do that, although if you are Jewish they start setting you up with their sons which is kind of funny.
@LeenB I already knew where you were coming to.. Anyways I am a light brown Indian Hindu and my experience in Tel aviv was excellent with no visible racism. I always believed that the country was unfairly targeted and made to look as the source of all problems in that part of the world while blatantly ignoring the whole of region… Certainly blaming a particular race is an easy excuse for all miseries.
*that the country ‘is’ unfairly…..
Akshay, I’m glad you had a great time in tel Aviv and did not suffer racism. And I think anyone saying Jews cause all the problems of the world is anti-semitism. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t racism in this society that is alive and well. I don’t get my sources from dodgy places, and if you want an accurate description, have a look at Haaretz (Israeli newspaper, thereis an english version). THey are the ones who cover price tags and Ethiopian women being sterilized. Watch the new Oscar-nominated documentary, the Gatekeepers, and then you will have a much better perception of the country you visited. Look at what the recent Israeli diplomat even said to Obama (don’t bother coming to Israel because it exhibits signs of apatheid). Knowledge is power and if you really want to know what is happening there, stick to Israeli sources and Israeli NGOs, stay away from all international ones as they don’t give a good description.
@Leen why is it that you are only focussing on Israelis on racism? Racism is alive in each and every country whether one says otherwise or not. I have worked in the middle east for 2 years and know their ways. In countries like UAE and Saudi , the racism against blacks and south Asians are extreme if they are doing manual jobs. Many die overworking and due to sub human conditions . Non Muslims cant even get houses in some places and not even talk about the strict rules. There is a particular word in Arabic which they use on black Africans which I dont remember.. It is so casual and to unoffensive to them that I was surprised at first.
The massive lies and propaganda the politicians use against that nation is childish,vile and startling. Do you realise that more than 100X problems and deaths are caused by all other middle eastern countries themselves but foolishly they all unite to point fingers at others. Why? Because of their rival beliefs on that religion and race..
Depends on when she’s traveling.
1960? Definitely.
(And they never ask if you’re married)
I spent a month on a kibbutz between my second and third year at Uni – it was really hard work but I LOVED it 🙂
I was studying anthropology though, so I may have looked at it from a different angle.
My cousin made sure to keep me well away from the dodgy spots though, so it was quite a rose-tinted trip.
Amelia, my mom grew up on a Kibbutz in Israel, and she alwayssss complained about how hard her parents made her work but she LOVED it. Where was the Kibbutz located? My mom grew up wayyyy back in Yaffo, near Bat Yam, then moved to Kiryat Sharet.
i wouldnt go there.(to the west bank)
it looks like iraq or suria.
unless you want to eat some olives and ‘labane’
@Danni (the one who said WB is like Syria and Iraq).
Maybe you should have a look at this.
It will do you good to get an ACTUAL real perspective into life in WB before making ignorant statements.
http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2010/06/06/travel/20100606ramallah.html
http://travel.nytimes.com/2010/06/06/travel/06next-1.html?_r=0
Oh and guess what, WB has a pretty good Oktoberfest too. And it’s common knowledge that Ramallah is basically the Tel-Aviv of West Bank nightlife wise.
If I were Lourdes I wouldn’t want to go either.
She really looks like her dad in a lot of those photos. And maybe her mom too, but it’s hard to even remember what she looked like without all the tweaking.
I could really see all the kids rebelling against Madonna, she seems very strict.
Lourdes is georgous, but she needs to listen to Mama on this one.
She doesn’t WANT to go – oh well.
I want to choose my vacation – oh well.
She’s 16, good for Madonna for having RULES.
Lourdes can raise hell in a few more years when she’s “grown” and has her own money.
Children are children, not little Gods. Despite any thing else, i do respect MAdonna for the way she rasies her kids.
Yep, with you on this one too!
Yeah I think laying down rules/guidelines is a parental obligation.
Exactly!
I agree that parents should set guidlines and whatnot, but this is where I should draw my line, religion.
Children should be exposed to many religions and IF they chose that said religion is not their religion, leave them to be. Don’t force it on it.
I guess I was lucky with my parents as they’ve let me experiment with my religion (grew up in the Islam religion, half of my family is Christian, I went to a Catholic school and one of my parents is a self-proclaimed atheist). So I had a good mix of religious exposure and now I am more agnostic. Thankfully, there was never a point in my life where my parents said but you HAVE to go to mosque/church/etc, or you MUST believe there is no God. Both my parents exposed me to Christopher Hitchens/Dawkins and the Bible and the Quran. I couldn’t have asked for a better upgrading when it comes to religion as I was allowed to explore my own beliefs and allowed to follow my own path.
Wow, that is amazing. Your parents are very very rare. I cannot think of one person I know whose parents were as open-minded as yours. Not even my own. I didn’t grow up in a religious household, but whenever my mom tries to get me to do Church’y things, I remind her that I’m an atheist. To which she responds, “No you aren’t!” LOL! Yes mom, I’m pretty sure I am :D. My fiance’s parents on the otherhand are extremely religious. When I told my fiance’s father I’m not religious, I thought he was going to burst a blood vessel (I did not actually say I was an atheist though – I’ll save that for a later date lol!). It’s funny how some people have trouble accepting that other people don’t have the same beliefs as them.
Yeah i was very lucky with my parents and I’m grateful that they’ve let me explore my own faith 🙂 They always encouraged discussion about evolution, scientific explanation for life/origin of universe, religion, theology etc. It’s how I intend to raise my children. Let them explore their faith, and let them choose their own path. If they’re atheists, that’s fine by me, if they’re not, also fine by me. I always think that if you push your children in a certain direction, they will eventually rebel.
Word.
Going to Isreal for the summer would be a great experience for anyone. My child, who has several friends from Israel, would LOVE to visit Israel. However, I’m not pushing religion on my child. We do have one (Christian), but I don’t force it.
I see nothing wrong with requiring children to do things you think are good for them.
Go to service, sit respectfully, go with your friends elsewhere if you like too.
Letting kids do whatever, whenever gets you Lindsey Lohan. You can’t make a kids beleive, pray or be sincere. They can go with the family for an HOUR, just an Hour and have some quiet time.
What, they miss a text, tv show or video game? They pitch a fit – well better now b/c society and judges don’t react well to those adults pitching fits who can’t behave appropriately.
I see your point but I do think Madonna raises her kids very strictly and it’s natural for Lourdes to object to having her summer planned for her – particularly since it would be far away and probably some pretty hard work, too.
If Madonna were to give in on this one point I don’t think that Lourdes would turn into Lindsey Lohan. Her whole upbringing has been pretty strict.
But who knows? Maybe Lourdes will go, love it, and never return! Things like that have happened.
Parents forcing their religion on you sucks. It sucked for me because my father and stepmother’s conservative judeo-christian beliefs were in opposition to my (and my mother’s) agnostic and liberal feminist ideologies. Lots of arguments and angry debates arised between me, Dad, and stepmom, and when I visited I was required to go to church if I didn’t want to lose my wii or nintendo ds privileges. I wasn’t a fan of this particular church (the people were gossipy and homophobic) and I loathed my dad and stepmother’s sexist, puritanical myths about women (the slut label, and the whole misogynist “if a woman in a sexy outfit and gets raped, her clothes caused it” victim-blaming attitude). I felt that it was unfair for me to be punished for not conforming to their religion, but when I realized that arguing would change nothing, I started to come up with creative ways to get out of going to church. (For any teens out there: pretend you vomited. That’ll keep you home :))
It’s an excellent way of ensuring your kids disrespect you and your beliefs for the rest of their lives.
Kids need to do what their parents think is best for them when it comes to diet, sleep, and study. When it comes to keeping safe. But teenagers are not obligated to share their parents’ religious or moral beliefs, and seeking to force them is both disrespectful and counter-productive. You don’t own your kids. You have no right to force your beliefs on them. And I can’t respect parents who try to. They’ve had the early years to instil their own values, but by adolescence, you have to let go a little and allow kids to forge their own paths in terms of moral and spiritual beliefs. That’s what parenting is all about, in the end.
I REALLY respect the fact that you give your kids the choice.
Also agree with JL…so many kids are locked into social media, video games, TV..do kids even play outside anymore? Exercise and sports-my parents never made me do either but I kind of wish they had.
Maybe not “made me” do sports but “gently pushed me”..?
I suppose it’s a fine line.
My kids (middle school boys) play outside! Mostly football and hoops with their friends, or old classics like Capture the Flag. They still love video games. And my 12 year old would stay glued to his iPod games if I didn’t monitor him closely.
They key seems to be balance. My kids are involved with sports and music outside of school, so I can’t begrudge them some down time on a screen. But if they were home all the time doing nothing else, I’d have a problem.
Organized religion is the one thing we haven’t successfully integrated into our lives. I see so many families putting their kids through religious ed not because their hearts are in it but because their parents imposed it on them and they think it’s good for their kids to experience the same. That just doesn’t sit well with me.
I grew up Catholic and started my kids’ religious education there but quickly felt like a hypocrite for forcing them into something I no longer believed in. We tried a couple other churches (and Sunday schools) but nothing felt right. So we have no organized religion to lean on and instead try to instill the values we think are important by doing volunteer work and donating to charity, regardless of religious affiliation. I guess we’re heathens!
My kids play outside every day (except when it’s dumping rain). They watch approximately 1 hour of tv per week and only use my computer for school homework. Not all of us are raising kids locked to a screen.
If I never saw or heard about these two again, I’d be okay with that.
So would I.
Add me to that list
Really? I actually am so glad to see this story, I think it’s really interesting to see Lourdes growing up and what things she gets into. She’s an interesting character. Definitely one to watch.
One to watch?
No, that’s not going to happen.
Not for me anyway.
I’d rather watch paint dry.
I think Lourdes is the prettiest of the celebrity spawn which always surprises me because I don’t think Madonna is that attractive.
I agree. I find Lourdes to be incredibly striking. Her look is so unique.
Madonna was pretty and striking in her early twenties. I saw her in a club in Manhattan circa ’83 or ’84 and even then, she had a presence.
She really was back in the day. I was about 11 when I discovered Madonna and I went all out trying to emulate her look (which was tame by today’s standards). At any rate, the whole “it’s awesome to be a girl” message she exuded in the mid-80s was rare. (I was equally into Cyndi Lauper in my pre-teens but she never had the same degree of success with that message.)
Madge needs to hang it up. the child looks NOTHING like you (ok, maybe the eyebrows) and will most likely be NOTHING like you. so your narcissistic dreams are dashed into the dirt.
Lola is a strong-willed Latina (partly NYC-raised) child and with no hopes of wanting to be a wannabe Midwestern broad. papa Carlos wasn’t gonna standby and take your shiz & his daughter ain’t either.
sorry, but jussayin’.
Madonna would probably *die* inside if Lourdes showed any inclination toward being a midwest broad. I think she is probably wildly proud of her daughter and her daughter’s attitude, even if it gets in the way of her own plans at times.
Madonna wiped the midwest off her feet many years ago and has no intention of going back, mentally, emotionally or physically – and she would probably chain her kids up if they showed any inclination that way.
Lourdes is indeed an international kid.
just googled’young Madonna’ pics on Google (’cause i’m so bored today i could bang my head in a wall) and here’s what:
that kid’s got her face shape and brows, both parent’s natural hair color, but that’s it.
she’s a Leon all the way. i can’t stand how Madge tries to live vicariously through her kid. it’s gross.
when my kid says “mom, i get that from you” i shrug it the f*ck off and tell her you are your own person. i don’t ever want to be accused of trying to dopplegang myself with my kid. ew. 🙁
I think she looks exactly like a darker version of Madonna when she was younger.
Woo whoo not to mention all the gorgeous European guys and gals who spend their summers on a kibbutz! I’m in!
She’s a typical teenager. Teenagers rebel, that’s what they do. I think it’s in their DNA.
Israel or Paris psshaw – Spuzzum is THE in place to party.
Do you or did you live in Spuzzum Mitch? I’m really sensing sarcasm in your post. I’ve stopped there a few dozen times living in Cache Creek, and blew through there lots heading to the coast. Had a log bar that was beautiful on the outside and walls covered with dead animal heads inside. Serious appetite suppressant.
Um can I go to a kibbutz too??!!!!!!!
Lola has a life and friends in NYC. Not to mention a father here that she’d probably prefer to spend her summer with. how quickly people turn into their parents after they have kids. Didn’t Madonna run off to NYC and start eating out of dumpsters and sleeping with DJ’s to start her career when she was around Lola’s age? Time to let go, Madge.
Madonna was attending college with a dance scholarship when she dropped out and went to NY.
Based on family experience, most likely Lourdes doesn’t want her whole summer taken away from her—-she wants to hang with her friends and do her own thing. The country her mom is sending her to is not relevant.
My sister was 16 during our summer in Israel (day after school ended to day before it started–the ENTIRE summer)and she absolutely did not want to go. Like the posters above, we all had a great time.
I didn’t realize that the beach and particularly watermelon was such a uniform experience. My mom, who grew up in Petach Tikvah—a city near Tel Aviv, twice swam across the Sea of Galilee and transferred to us her love of swimming and the beach so hanging at the beach was a given.
Love the pic of her in her mum’s pointy bra. Looks like she’s making fun of her aged mother.
I have to say I am disappointed at this site for censoring and deleting comments without proving an explanation.
+1
The cats in the cradle thing made me laugh for the first time today. That’s why I come to this site! Thanks, Kaiser 🙂
@LeenB I think that CB took out some of the comments in order to prevent a political discussion–which has happened before and it was vicious.
This is a gossip site and this apolitical story is about wild and crazy Madonna having to deal with her daughter’s teenage rebellion.
The problem is only my comment was deleted, everything was left and it was apolitical as one can get discussing Israel. I am not against keeping it apolitical but preventing a discussion because it MIGHT turn political is censorship. I’m sorry but I’ve seen a lot of comments turn political on topics such as Obama, and the rest of the debates and they were not Censored. I am just very disappointed sorry.
I agree that the devolution into a political discussion was stopped before it got started. As I stated when the topic arose previously the comments were vicious. I mentioned the specific experiences of my mother and grandparents. Posters accused my family of being liars, thieves and murderers. It was very personal. The biggest irony is that my grandfather was a physician and both pre and post 48 treated anyone who was ill–Arab or Jew, those able to pay with money or in kind or not at all. He helped sick people–that’s who he was.
And I stay out of political discussions on gossip. sites—even yesterday’s Michelle Obama haircut discussion got out of hand–so you are correct they do exist
I understand. Personally, I despise racism, stereotypes and personal attacks. I’m a social activist, so believe me when I say this but I say I see very very bad personal attacks and ugly discussions when it comes to Palestine and Israel on a day-to-day basis. I’m the type either I go on a ‘REPORT ABUSE’ hysteria or call people out on their racism. And usually, it works.
But that does not mean it should be censored and I guess it comes from a very personal space as I’m Palestinian. Rarely if anything is mentioned about us people, and if there is it is usually in a bad context. It’s as if the mention of being a Palestinian in its very nature is ‘political’ and I guess the same can be said for Israel.
But this is where this site loses me. I don’t expect political commentary every day, nor every month for that matter, but if it relates to a political issue then you can expect to SOME political commentary (same can be said for the Obamas, Madonna’s support for Malala or her stunt against the French conservative party. They ARE political topics in nature and you can’t expect every single person to solely comment on how Madonna looks or whatever. Same thing for animal rights issues). And personal attacks get nasty anywhere (see Kate Middleton topics of ‘you’re just jealous, blabla’). But you can’t pick and choose which comments you can delete because they are ‘political’ despite the fact that nothing personal or hateful was said, while you leave others on this site.
But I will say this, if the Gatekeepers win an Oscar this weekend (for Israeli documentary to win). I am going to be very interested to see how this site covers it. Hopefully it won’t be disregarded because the ‘controversial palestinians’ are the subject of it.
I do like the fact that Lourdes has not been in the spotlight too much (thinking of Miley Cyrus now)….
Israel is awesome in the summer , trust me!
What? NO.
Israel is fine in March-May. It’s death in the summer.
I have to agree with you. My family has a habit of fleeing the region to Europe during the summer as it’s dreadful to work, people are lazy, it’s horrible to be outside and inside (and god help you if your AC is broken).
She’s just being 16. It’s only because she’s Madonna’s daughter that everyone’s putting this evil rebellious slant on it, but I don’t doubt for a second that Madge is controlling.
No thanks, we’re not interested.
I’m from Israel and I do think there’s much to see and to do in here…but still, spending so much time in a non-english-speaking country isn’t always easy. some people don’t mind it, some do. also, it means being away from your friends and family for a long time. it’s not easy.
Whoa, I actually think the majority here speak English quite well. Certainly not fluent, but enough to get by. Tourists do come here and stay for weeks.
With that said, if I didn’t live here I wouldn’t come here to travel. If you’re coming here for the religious aspect I guess it’s ok.
many (not most) do speak English, but… it’s not the same. it’s not like traveling to the Australia, for example.
“stay for weeks” – 8 weeks? isn’t it a little too much? 😉
Eh, it’s not bad. I speak little Hebrew and I manage fine around there. Although to be fair I do speak Arabic. But I’ve always managed to find someone who speaks English.
One of my good friends has traveled a LOT (her parents are retired and loaded so she tags along) and she said Israel was her favorite place in all her travels. Pity Lourdes doesn’t want to do it. The experience would be *amazing.* Then again, she’s Madonna’s daughter, so her life is already filled with amazing opportunities/experiences. It probably doesn’t even register for her.
I think she should totally send her to Israel. It would be an eye opening experience. Once she’s done with the bars and beaches, she can go on a day trip to some of the neighboring camps and meet people eeking out a living in hardship. It would be a great life experience for her.
Ha! Madonna is idiotic on so many levels. Israel is a country where you get privileges based on your ethnicity and religion. It is an apartheid system – which is why currently there is a call for a cultural boycott of that country. Lots of bands have cancelled their tours there. But not Madonna, she’ll always put money and fame before ethics.
BDS!
But yes, unfortunately racism is well and a live there. Every other day, you hear of price tag here and there, Ethiopian women getting sterilized by the government and Australian citizens disappearing.
It’s astounding how gorgeous this girl is. Just wow. She got the best of Carlos and Madge. I know people who don’t think she’s pretty and she isn’t – she’s gorgeous!
I agree! I think she’s beautiful, and not in a cookie-cutter way.
Lourdes should please her mom this one time. Spending one summer in Israel is not going to kill her. Now, she can’t be forced to spend every single summer there, no way.
Lola has until shes 25 to take her free trip to isreal thats paid for by the state. Shes still young. She can take her trip later.
madonna is just a seriously awful person. her daughter is going to be a train wreck in a few more years.
She’s required to get good grades. On two of Madonna’s world tours Lola worked in the costume department backstage helping the dancers in wardrobe changes, instead of laying around the hotel suite. She has been exposed to so many countries and cultures. She is a loving sister to children of another race. She is being raised to be nonhomophobic. I think Madonna is raising a daughter who will be a productive member of society, not a Lindsay Lohan, vapid Paris Hilton, Rod Stewart’s spoiled,
lazy adult children still living off dad financially and in his compound.
I don’t expect to see Lola turn into a trainwreck in a few years. Rebel, against, yes. Didn’t we all to some degree rebel against our parents who were just doing the best they could.
My friend’s younger cousin has seen Lourdes go to the Kabbalah Center even when Madonna is not there. She goes on her own at times and she sometimes takes friends too, so I’m not really buying this story from Star Magazine. There seems to be a story about Madonna and Lourdes not being able to stand each other every couple of weeks, but from what I’m told, it seems like they have a very good relationship. Like any other parent-child relationship, I expect some disagreements, but I don’t think they’re at each other’s throats constantly. Some tabloids reported Lourdes was leaving home and entering Bard College last semester because she couldn’t stand living with Madonna even though Madonna was on the road, yet Lourdes is still thriving at a public high school at this point. I think Madonna is a better parent that she will be given credit for and Lourdes seems like a normal, at times typical teenager, who excels in a couple areas, rather than a train wreck socialite some people might wish she would be.
IF this were somehow to be true in some part, then if Madonna is paying for the vacation, I think it should be her choice where to go. Lourdes can voice her opinion, but she shouldn’t dictate what her mother should do as long as she’s under 18 and Madonna’s providing for her. That goes for any parent/child in that situation.
lourdes is ugly
Lola and Rocco when they were little on tour with mom during the summer for three and a half months. So odd to see Lola now and Rocco and then look back when they were little. Rocco was a wild little boy. LOL I forgot Lola speaks French.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTKX_iXa_XA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FDSACaYnys
Madonna basically traded in a dogma for a different kind of dogma. Its still dogma though even if its different.
For once I am in agreement with Leon on this. Spending a Summer in Israel is a horrifying idea. I had to endure just a 2 week visit; and I will never be going back there. A) The heat alone is beyond unbearable. B) Israel is an Ultra-orthodox conservative state that’s just gotten further to the right than the GOP could ever be. So that is the last place you want to be when you’re young wild and free. C) The orthodox, the orthodox, the orthodox – are crazy. They actually threw rocks at our bus, one guy I sat next to got glass on his brow; they harassed the women and young girls calling them names I simply will not repeat. And I can’t imagine how bad it is now since women are being arrested now just worshiping in public.
And that’s what Madonna wants her daughter to be apart of? That’s insane.
is her first outfit amaze or an I just drubk? I mean, I am drunk but damn that jacket y’all
Oh please, Madonna used being raised Catholic as some massive excuse to play up and get attention. I mean I get the initial rebellion, as a teenager (I was raised Catholic, Mass every Sunday, parochial schools etc) but it’s not like Catholicism is draconian. Well, parts can be but every one I knew just ignored those bits.
The rebellious catholic was part of her schtick and that’s fine, whatever. I just don’t get if she found it so terrible why she found another religion seemingly as conservative and thinks it’s fine to enforce it with her 16 year old. I don’t think Lola’s rebelling at the destination so much as to why she’s at that destination. Why bother sending her to Israel unless it’s to study/immerse herself further into the religion. Madonna’s walking the hypocrite line and yeah as parents I know we all go there.
I can’t believe she’s 16 already. That makes me feel so old.
*That the country ‘is’
Oh well, at least Madonna is letting Lourdes pluck that horrid monobrow of hers!
Anyone know where I can get those pants?