It isn't every day a celebrity is victorious in a coveted honor, or declines to travel to accept it. However in this case, celebrity Natalie Portman have both, when she lately released that she wouldn't be planing a trip to Israel to simply accept the Genesis Award Foundation's Genesis Reward.
The presentation service was planned for June 28, but was rapidly cancelled, in line with the statement, after the foundation discovered through Portman's spokesperson that the celebrity could "not in good conscience progress with the service."
Dubbed "the Jewish Nobel" by Time journal, the honor "honors extraordinary those who provide as an enthusiasm to another technology of Jews through their spectacular professional accomplishment and determination to the Jewish people and Jewish worth, such as cultural justice, tolerance and charity," corresponding to a news release from the building blocks. Past recipients of the million-dollar award include former NEW YORK Mayor Michael Bloomberg and actor-director Michael Douglas.
Portman's decision never to happen to be the award wedding ceremony drew criticism from some, including Israel's minister for culture and sports activities, Miri Regev. "I used to be saddened to listen to that Natalie Portman has dropped as a ripe berries in the hands of BDS followers," Regev said, associating the celebrity' action with the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions activity that protests Israel over its treatment of Palestinians and the Western world Bank.
But Portman denies any participation with the motion and instead made a decision to release a declaration on her behalf Instagram, saying that her words have been "mischaracterized by others."
"I chose never to attend because I did so not want to seem as endorsing [Israeli Leading Minister] Benjamin Netanyahu, who was simply to be presenting a talk at the wedding ceremony. By the same token, I am not area of the BDS movement , nor endorse it," she published in the affirmation. The actress persisted by stating that she treasures her "Israeli relatives and buddies, Israeli food, literature, art, theatre, and boogie," but observed that the mistreatment of these experiencing "today's atrocities" weren't consistent with her Jewish principles. "Because I value Israel, I have to operate against violence, problem, inequality, and mistreatment of ability," she said.
The Annihilation celebrity shut out her declaration by declaring that the complete ordeal has motivated her to aid lots of charities in Israel. "I am announcing them soon, and I am hoping others will sign up for me in aiding the fantastic work they are simply doing."
Sounds if you ask me like Portman's decision to boycott the service definitely falls based on the objective of the honor, and kudos to her for standing up by her values.