Posted on 08/20/2006 6:56:00 AM PDT by A. Pole
A Los Angeles rabbi, who gained attention by inviting Mel Gibson to attend Yom Kippur services at his synagogue to apologize for anti-Semitic statements made during a July 29 arrest for drunk driving, has been rebuffed by the publicist for the actor and director, saying the public nature of the request has been inappropriate.
Rabbi David Baron, of Temple of the Arts, this week told TMZ, the entertainment-focused website that first broke the story of Gibson's DUI arrest and anti-Semitic outburst, that Gibson had officially declined an invitation to apologize before his congregation.
On Aug. 1, Gibson issued a statement, apologizing "specifically to everyone in the Jewish community for the vitriolic and harmful words that I said to a law enforcement officer the night I was arrested on a DUI charge."
"The tenets of what I profess to believe necessitate that I exercise charity and tolerance as a way of life," he said. "Every human being is God's child, and if I wish to honor my God I have to honor his children. But please know from my heart that I am not an anti-Semite. I am not a bigot. Hatred of any kind goes against my faith."
Gibson went on to say he wanted to meet with Jewish leaders to make amends.
"I'm not just asking for forgiveness," he said. "I would like to take it one step further, and meet with leaders in the Jewish community, with whom I can have a one-on-one discussion to discern the appropriate path for healing."
In response, Baron publicly issued his letter to Gibson: "I wish to invite you to come and speak in order that you might directly express to the Jewish community your remorse. I feel that Yom Kippur, Day of Atonement, would be an appropriate time," he wrote.
During past Yom Kippur services, Baron has asked other celebrities to speak. Hillary Clinton addressed the congregation last year on "forgiveness." He made it clear, however, that he was not "invit[ing] Mel Gibson to speak – I invited him to deliver a public apology."
Baron wrote that Gibson, who is currently in rehabilitation to treat his alcoholism, would have to appear before him face-to-face as a precondition. "At that meeting I would vet his sincerity, directly broach the issue of his father's Holocaust denial and determine Mr. Gibson's willingness to take the necessary steps to heal the pain he has caused."
Baron's announcement this week that Gibson had officially declined his offer is untrue, said Alan Nierob, Gibson's publicist.
"Mr. Gibson hasn't declined any offers, as I haven't even discussed any offers with him," Nierob told TMZ. "It's way too soon in his recovery, and frankly he is not interested in anything public or a photo opp.
"I was very clear when I spoke to the kind rabbi yesterday that I cannot even bring any requests to my client at this time, as it is inappropriate and too early in his recovery process. He completely understood my position on this and even offered to meet with my client at a later time if and when appropriate."
Nierob also rebuffed Baron for the manner in which he issued the invitation.
"I told him that the public nature of the request was also inappropriate," he said.
Gibson entered a no contest plea in court on Thursday and received a $3,000 fine and three years probation.
California bump
I thought Mel was going to convert or at least give the Hollywood Jews his first born son. (/joke)
Me, I'm a thousand times more concerned about Iran and Muslim gunmen in the US who shoot Jews in their charity offices.
I think somebody needs to explain to the Rabbi about alcoholism and treatment.
If someone slurred Catholics, would he be expected to beg forgiveness to the local archbishop in the cathedral? I think not.
Long past time to move on.
The saying, “sin in haste; repent at leisure” appears to be roughly analogous to Mr. Gibson.
During past Yom Kippur services, Baron has asked other celebrities to speak. Hillary Clinton addressed the congregation last year on "forgiveness."
The above tells us all we need to know. ;)
Temple of the Arts:
MEMBERSHIP
Regular: $500.00 per person
*Sustaining: $1,000.00 per person
Includes a high holiday ticket, reserved seating
at high holiday services and parking.
Did that include Hillary tickets?
How many times does Mel have to apologize? He gave his apology a couple of weeks ago, now it's time to move ahead, seek treatment and deal with the courts.
Shoemaker, stick to thy last.
Leni
There is a laundry list of things to be concerned about these days, including lily-livered Israeli leaders. But Gibson has a world-wide audience and sadly, some people take their cues from folks like him. We don't need his anti-semitism to be an example to others, or as a rubber stamp their Jewhatred. It's not helpful. He doesn't have the scones to really face up to his Jewhatred apparently. He should take his cues from our Guv. Arnold moved heaven and earth to expunge the stench of Jewhatred (his Nazi father) from his family history, by involving himself with the Wiesenthal Center. Then again, Arnold is a much smarter and more disciplined man than Mel Gibson.
The silky apologies from from publicist are meaningless. Be a man and face yourself, Mel.
I agree that Mel shouldn't have accepted this "invitation", but I agree for the reasons cited by Mel's people.
Yom Kippur isn't about "forgiveness", it's about atonement. It's the most holy day on the Jewish calendar. It's the day to focus on all the wrongs oneself has done ... not on what others may have done to you. A person is supposed to think not only of the wrongs done that others know about, but the wrongs done that no one knows about.
The beauty of it all is that if Mel does this, he must be considered atoned. If an attempt at atonement is made on Yom Kippur, a sincere attempt witnessed by another, it can not be refused without the refuser bearing the original guilt.
Did the rabbi make Variety? Maybe you should tell him how to go about it, next time.
Does Mel Gibson have to make non-stop apologies ? I thought it was Clinton who did that.
OK, let me be racist a little. I think that the real reason for Gibson's misbehavior is his Celtic blood. Celts love drunken brawls and have poetic sensitivity. When Mel noticed that policeman looks Jewish he could not resist to crack an insult he thought is funny.
His another remark was to the policewoman - about her "sugar t**s". It was made exactly in the same vein and for some mysterious reason NOW does not expect Gibson to apologize.
If the policeman were Chinese, he would hear an earful too.
Either prove I planted an article at Variety or stop spamming threads with your wild-eyed accusations.
Well..this is where we've come to a parting of the ways. I don't think Gibson needs to do one more thing than to take care of himself and stay sober.
This guy is just another publicity hound. Shameful way to exploit someone else's disgrace.
I agree, a private meeting would have been more appropriate.
Non! This kind of tempest in a teapot is the kind the rabbi can handle.
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