Oy Vey!

As she toasted the Jewish new year with Israeli President Shimon Peres, Madonna declared herself an "ambassador for Judaism".

Oy vey es mir!

The Italian-American singer, who was raised Catholic and only moved onto Jewish Kabbalah studies in the last couple of years, was in Israel to attend seminars and visit some holy Kabalahist sites.

Madonna paid Peres a visit at his Jerusalem residence on Saturday evening and the two exchanged gifts, with Madonna receiving a lavishly bound copy of the Jewish Bible. Fifteen years ago, a visit from Madonna would be some light BDSM and a possible STD, but she gave Peres a volume of "The Book of Splendor," the guiding text of Kabbalah.

Madonna's interest in Kabbalah and Judaism in recent years has been criticized by Orthodox Jews, who say it is an abomination, although they may be considering her last couple of albums. Also in Israel for the Kabbalah conference are Hollywood lemming Demi Moore and her husband, actor Ashton Kutcher, Rosie O'Donnell and fashion designer Donna Karan, and Guy Ritchie.

I will be making amends for myself come this Yom Kippur, but I have no response on Rosie and Ashton. We need to draft better for year.