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Courting Mel
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It's not about the publicity, insist
Jewish groups inviting Mel Gibson.
Rom Tugend
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
Los Angeles
T
he race is on to become the
first Jewish group to land an
appearance by Mel Gibson,
with three already entered and more
waiting in the wings.
- That comes after the actor-director,
while being arrested on suspicion of
drunk driving July 28, launched into
an anti-Semitic tirade in which he
blamed the Jews for all the wars in the
world.
First out of the Mel Gibson starting
block was Rabbi David Baron of the
Temple of the Arts in Beverly Hills.
Rabbi Baron alluded to the actor's
profuse apologies for his anti-Semitic
slurs, then invited the director of The
Passion of the Christ to speak at Yom
Kippur services, "in order that you
might directly express to the Jewish
community your remorse."
Rabbi Baron added, "In our
faith, we are commanded to
forgive when the offending
party takes the necessary steps
and offers an a.pology from the
heart."
Many congregants of the
Temple of the Arts work in
the entertainment industry. Many
synagogue members expressed strong
objections to the invitation.
Rabbi Baron responded with
another open letter, pointing out that
he had invited Gibson not to speak
but to deliver a public apology, and
that as a pre-condition Rabbi Baron
would meet with Gibson to probe his
sincerity and his "willingness to take
the necessary steps to heal the pain he
has caused."
Some have suggested that the
publicity accruing to the first Jewish
institution sponsoring Gibson's mea
culpa might have played a role in the
temple's invitation. Attempts to reach
Rabbi Baron, on vacation in Europe,
were unsuccessful.
Two other Jewish organizations
have publicly invited Gibson. The
Museum of Jewish Heritage - A Living
Memorial to the Holocaust in New
York City also extended an invitation
to Gibson, a particularly poignant
step since Gibson's father is seen in
some circles as a Holocaust denier.
Asserting that he took Gibson's previ- •
ous apology "very seriously:' director
David Marwell added in his letter
that "In making a genuine commit-
ment to learn about the Jewish people,
you could find no more appropriate
place to start your journey than our
museum."
Marwell closed by saying, "We look
forward to the opportunity of participat-
ing in your journey of understanding."
A third invitation has tome from
the "1939 Club:' a Los Angeles-based
association of Holocaust survivors
and their children. William Elperin,
the group's president, said he invited
Gibson "not to talk to us, but to listen
to us. He has done enough talking.
"Who better to educate Gibson
about the ultimate effects of anti-
Semitism than those who experienced
the Holocaust?" Elperin added.
Of all Jewish organizations, none
"He can't be cured by
a press release."
Rabbi Marvin Hier .
has better entree to Hollywood's A-list
than the Simon Wiesenthal Center,
which has assiduously cultivated the
brightest stars and directors. However,
center founder Rabbi Marvin Hier,
who has received two Oscars for docu-
mentaries, said that "under no cir-
cumstances" would he invite Gibson.
"As a member of the academy, I
voted for Gibson's Braveheart as best
picture, and when The Passion of
the Christ came under attack, I said
there was no proof that Gibson was an
anti-Semite," Rabbi Hier said. "Now we
have proof that he is an anti-Semite.
"He can't be Cured by a press release
or be koshered by a 24-hour `conver-
sion.
Among the hundreds of invita-
tions Gibson has received to speak or
confess his sins, "lots" are from Jewish
groups, said his publicist, Veronica
Pinto. He has not decided whether to
accept any of them,yinto said. I I
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