5 Oct :Jews have joined Hindus in calling for Hollywood actress Natalie Portman’s apology for partaking in a music video Carmensita, which Hindus say mocks Hindu concepts and symbols.
Advancing the cause spearheaded by acclaimed Indo-American statesman Rajan Zed; Rabbi Jonathan B. Freirich, prominent Jewish leader in Nevada and California, in a statement at South Lake Tahoe (California), said, that "…this video mocks a venerable religion…" and added, "At this time of the Jewish High Holy days, when soul-searching and making of amends are recommended, Ms. Portman has the perfect opportunity to show her true feelings of inclusion and open-mindedness in apologizing for her participation in this video."
Zed, who is the president of Universal Society of Hinduism, has earlier said that Hinduism was the oldest and third largest religion of the world with about one billion followers and a rich philosophical thought and it should not be taken lightly. No faith, larger or smaller, should be ridiculed at.
Natalie Portman of Star Wars fame, Oscar and BAFTA nominated actress and winner of Golden Globe, who has acted in few dozen films, plays Princess Carmensita Saplingita in this music video created by Devendra Banhart, a Venezuelan-American musician and folk rock singer-songwriter.