On the last day of the calendar year we took out a full-page Washington Post ad against New Zealand singer Lorde, who had just canceled her concert in Tel Aviv and joined the anti-Semitic BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) movement.



Lorde is the very definition of a celebrity hypocrite. When she canceled Israel, she kept her gigs in Russia intact, even though Russian President Vladimir Putin has aided and abetted Bashar Assad’s slaughter of 500,000 Arabs in Syria, which just goes to show you how sincere Lorde is about protecting Arab life.

Our ad quickly went viral and as of this writing is had has been written about in newspapers all over the world.It’s critical that we strike back at the BDS movement. Jews should not have to tolerate discrimination and prejudice in the year 2018, especially when its purpose is the economic annihilation of the world’s only Jewish state. 2000 years of hatred toward Jews is quite enough. In the same way there is a Jewish army to stop another Holocaust, there must be a media effort to stop the demonization and delegitimization of Jews and Israel.As for Lorde, it’s pretty sad to see how it took only 21 short years for her to succumb to the corruption of celebrity and align herself with bigotry and antisemitism. In choosing to align herself with those committed to Israel’s fiscal destruction, Lorde broke with some of the greatest names in modern music, including Lady Gaga, Justin Timberlake, Rihanna, Radiohead and Sir Paul McCartney, who in 2008 played to an audience of 400,000 people in Tel Aviv, despite getting death threats.When I was Michael Jackson’s rabbi, his strong feelings for the Jewish community meant he was even prepared to suffer professionally for his love of Israel and the Jewish people. In 1993 Michael went to Israel on his Dangerous Tour where he performed for 160,000 fans in Tel Aviv.In late 2000, a Jewish philanthropist called and told me that prime minister Ariel Sharon was coming to his home that night for a reception in New York City. He asked if Michael would come there and meet with the prime minister. I turned to Michael, in the presence of some of his professional staff, and asked him if he would like to meet the Israeli prime minister. Michael immediately jumped at the opportunity and told me he would love to.However, some of those who surrounded Michael thought it might not be a good idea. They said that Sharon was hated in many parts of world, especially in Arab nations. A photograph of Michael with Sharon could spark a significant backlash including a boycott of Michael’s albums and music. Michael dismissed their concerns and said that he felt very excited to meet the prime minister. A few minutes later we embarked in Michael’s van and crossed town to the meeting. The pictures of Michael greeting prime minister Sharon, along with me and our mutual friend Uri Geller, were published throughout the world.Michael’s professional staff were correct. The very next day websites called for a boycott of Michael’s music saying that he supported Israel’s “hated” leader. Michael didn’t care. He loved Israel and the Jewish people and he was thrilled to meet Israel’s democratically elected leader.That’s why it’s so sad to see a pop star like Lorde going over to the dark side of bigotry and antisemitism at such a tender age. Even more hypocritical was her announcement that she would be keeping her engagements in Putin’s Russia, that global font of Nobel prize-grade humanitarianism. Lorde’s decision to play in Russia while boycotting Israel makes a mockery of her tour and will forever undermine any legitimate pretension she might otherwise have had to being a human rights activist.The Zionist Federation of New Zealand put it well when it condemned Lorde for joining the ranks of “those who wish to see the destruction of Israel... By singling out Israel amongst other nations whose human rights abuses make any that Israel supposedly commit seem a drop in the ocean, shows the double standards and discrimination towards the Jewish state of those in the BDS movement.”Just in case Lorde may be reading this column, has a conscience, and is interested in repentance, let’s be clear: the sole purpose of BDS is to destroy Israel. It has no interest whatsoever in Palestinian rights. If it did, it would be boycotting Egypt for destroying hundreds of Palestinian homes on the Gaza border in October 2014 to stop Hamas from smuggling weapons. If BDS was about Palestinian rights, it would be boycotting Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas for becoming a dictator and running a kleptocracy in the PA that has made his two sons multi-millionaires. If BDS were about Palestinian rights, it would be boycotting Hamas for its honor killings and assassinations of Palestinians who protest its vile and brutal rule.BDS has no interest in protecting Arab life. If it did, it would be boycotting Syria for murdering half a million Arabs. BDS has no interest in protesting an occupation. If it did, it would be boycotting China for occupying Tibet since 1950, the longest occupation in the modern world.BDS has no interest in promoting Arab human rights. If it did, it would be divesting from Qatar, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Syria, Lebanon and every other Arab country where Arabs are denied the most basic rights like freedom of press, freedom to protest their government, and the freedom to vote, all of which are guaranteed to Arabs only in Israel.BDS trades in antisemitism by trivializing human rights abuses in any country but democratic Israel. BDS has nothing to say of the persecution of the Rohingya in Myanmar, the hanging of gays in Iran, the honor killings of women in Pakistan, and the political imprisonment of tens of thousands of political prisoners in Turkey.Lorde, do you not understand that joining the antisemitic BDS movement has brought you into serious disrepute? Do you not understand that you are emboldening Israel’s enemies like Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah, all of whom seek Israel’s physical destruction?Lorde, you are young. But youth is not excuse for bigotry. Might I suggest that you look to your elder in music, the legendary Lady Gaga, who said to the massive crowd of Israelis at her 2014 concert in Israel: “Ani ohevet etchem” (I love you) and closed off her songs with the words “todah rabah” (thank you very much).Best of all, she told the crowd: “put your hands up and cheer for yourselves. You are strong, you are brave, you are confident, and I f--king love you, Israel.”The expletive might have been unnecessary, but her commitment to a country that is the foremost bastion of human rights in the Middle East was downright incredible.Perhaps it’s time for Lorde to ask guidance from the Lord, reconnect with spiritual roots and try and fix a severely broken moral compass.The author, “America’s rabbi,” whom The Washington Post and Newsweek call “the most famous rabbi in America,” is the international bestselling author of 30 books, including his most recent, The Israel Warrior. Follow him on Twitter @ RabbiShmuley.

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`; document.getElementById("linkPremium").innerHTML = cont; (function (v, i){ });</s>Lorde has received criticism, in the form of a full-page ad in The Washington Post following her December 24, 2017 decision to cancel a concert in Israel. She announced the cancellation with a statement to the Associated Press , saying she "didn't make the right call on this one."

The singer reportedly made the decision following a fan petition that asked for her to join the "millions" who "stand opposed to the Israeli government’s policies of oppression, ethnic cleansing, human rights violations, occupation, and apartheid."

Her cancellation was met with support by the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel, but the Israeli Culture Minister Miri Regev said in a statement to the AP, "Lorde, I expect you to be a pure heroine, like the title of your first album, a pure culture hero, free of any external — and if I may add, delusional — political considerations."

United States Rabbi Shmuley Boteach took out the full page ad, calling Lorde a "bigot" and saying her decision was part of a "global anti-Semitic boycott of Israel," the Huffington Post reports. He went on to say in the ad that, "New Zealand's growing prejudice against the Jewish State seems to be trickling down to its youth," and that the singer was "choosing to align herself who those committed to Israel's fiscal destruction."

In the ad, the rabbi, whom HP points out regularly contributes to the alt-right publication, Breitbart News, also accused Lorde of being "hypocritical," pointing to her decision to continue on with concerts in Russia "despite Putin's support for Assad's genocidal regime ." He concluded the message by asking supporters to boycott Lorde.

This isn't the first time the rabbi has taken out a controversial ad. The Guardian reported that in 2015 he took out a full-page ad in The New York Times accusing former national security adviser Susan Rice of "turning a blind eye to the Rwandan genocide" during her time with President Bill Clinton's administration. He was later forced to apologize after facing criticism.

Lorde has not yet responded to the ad.</s>Lorde has moved from Melodrama to just plain drama this holiday season due to controversy over a concert she was scheduled to perform in Tel Aviv this summer. Last week, she announced she was canceling the show after facing protests from the pro-Palestine Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions movement, who had unsuccessfully lobbied Radiohead and Nick Cave to cancel their own shows in the Israeli city last year. In a statement Christmas Eve, Lorde wrote, “i’m not proud to admit i didn’t make the right call on this one.” This spawned a wave of protests from the other direction, some diplomatic (an Israeli ambassador’s request to meet with Lorde) and some not (Roseanne Barr telling her followers to “boycott this bigot” in a now-deleted tweet).

Now, as NME points out, another prominent pro-Israel voice is criticizing Lorde for her decision using language similar to Barr’s. Orthodox Jewish rabbi Shmuley Boteach’s This World: The Values Network took out a full-page ad in The Washington Post with the headline Lorde And New Zealand Ignore Syria To Attack Israel. In large type, the ad also includes the phrase, “21 Is Young To Become A Bigot.” In smaller type, the ad also reads, “Lorde joined a global anti-semitic boycott of Israel but will perform in Russia, despite Putin’s support for Assad’s genocide in Syria.” The body text of the ad includes an allegation that “growing prejudice against the Jewish State” in New Zealand is “trickling down to its youth,” also criticizing New Zealand for co-sponsoring a UN resolution last year condemning continued Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territory. View the ad below via New Zealand’s 1 News.

We named Lorde’s Melodrama the #1 album of 2017.</s>New Zealand Grammy-winning pop star Lorde has been blasted as a “bigot” by a controversial U.S. rabbi for dropping a planned concert in Israel to protest the nation’s treatment of Palestinians.

Rabbi Shmuley Boteach and his World Values Network harshly criticized the 21-year-old singer in a full-page ad in The Washington Post that appeared Sunday, saying she was joining a “global anti-Semitic boycott of Israel.” The New Jersey-based Orthodox rabbi — who’s a regular contributor to Breitbart News and once served as Michael Jackson’s spiritual adviser — added that “21 is young to be a bigot.” The ad states: “Tell Lorde and her fellow bigots that Jew-hatred has no place” in the 21st century.

The ad also accuses “New Zealand and Lorde” of ignoring Syria “to attack Israel” because the singer will perform in Russia, which backs Syria’s Assad regime.

The ad claims that a “growing prejudice against the Jewish state” in New Zealand is “trickling down to its youth.” As evidence, Boteach pointed to a United Nations resolution last month backed by 127 countries — including New Zealand — calling on the U.S. to rescind its recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

Lorde last month canceled a concert she had planned in Tel Aviv for June after she was contacted by two New Zealand activists, one Jewish and one Palestinian, who urged her to do so to press for Palestinian rights as part of the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) campaign against Israel founded in 2005.

“I have had a lot of discussions with people holding many views, and I think the right decision at this time is to cancel the show,” Lorde wrote last month. “I’m not too proud to admit I didn’t make the right call on this one. Tel Aviv ... I’m truly sorry to reverse my commitment to come play for you. I hope one day we can all dance.”

Boteach, who calls himself “America’s rabbi,” said in a video on his Facebook page defending the ad that “Israel’s not perfect.” But given its situation, it’s “arguably the most just and most humanitarian country in the world,” he said.

In 2015, Boteach (who has written for The Blog in HuffPost) also took out a full-page ad in The New York Times accusing then-national security adviser Susan Rice of having a “blind spot” concerning genocide — both the “Jewish people’s and Rwanda’s” genocide. The ad was blasted by several Jewish groups, and Boteach later apologized.</s>The Washington Post has allowed an outspoken Rabbi to rudely attack young New Zealand singer Lorde, calling her a “bigot’ in a full page ad.A full-page ad placed by American rabbi Shumuley Boteach of New Jersey potentially slanders the singer.Lorde recently cancelled her upcoming show in Israel leading to people in the nation to start what became a global attack on the singer. One time television star Roseanne Barr was quick to call Lorde names.Keep in mind Lorde has never been political, at 21 years of age is young and, one can assume, not all that educated on world affairs, and she has spent most of her life on the complete opposite side of the world away from the local tension.The backlash against Lorde for cancelling the show is totally ridiculous with people such as Shmuley Boteach and Roseanne Barr using the situation to promote their own agenda. After-all, Barr has a new TV show to promote and needs the publicity.A full-page ad in the Washington Post costs $34,340. That is a lot of money to make a point against a young New Zealand singer. ’21 is young to become a Bigot,” the ad proclaims. Yes it is Rabbi Boteach. Are you sure this isn’t the pot calling the kettle black?</s>New Zealand singer Lorde has been called a "bigot" by an organization run by a well-known American rabbi after she canceled a concert in Israel.

Rabbi Shmuley Boteach's The World Values Network placed a full-page ad in The Washington Post on Sunday stating: "21 is young to become a bigot," underneath a picture of the singer superimposed on a backdrop of what appears to be a war-torn city.

The headline read: "Lorde and New Zealand ignore Syria to attack Israel."

The singer canceled a concert scheduled for Tel Aviv in June, according to a BBC report, after criticism from activists and two fans who urged her to "join the artistic boycott of Israel." The New Zealand-based fans, who are Palestinian and Jewish, campaign against Israel's occupation of Palestine and wrote: "Playing in Tel Aviv will be seen as giving support to the policies of the Israeli government, even if you make no comment on the political situation."

Lorde responded on Twitter last month: "Noted! Been speaking w(ith) many people about this and considering all options. Thank (yo)u for educating me I am learning all the time too."

But the black-and-white ad by The World Values Network questioned her decision to cancel the Tel Aviv performance but not one in Russia, with text below the image stating: "Lorde joined a global anti-Semitic boycott of Israel but will perform in Russia, despite Putin's support for Assad's genocide in Syria."

The World Values Network states its mission is to disseminate Jewish values to the U.S., and its ad in The Washington Post is likely to have cost thousands of dollars. A full-page color ad in its Sunday edition is listed as costing $13,457 on its advertising rate card, although the cost for a black-and-white version is not listed.

Rabbi Shmuley styles himself on his website as "America's rabbi," and has been a guest on "The Oprah Winfrey Show."

The World Values Network, Universal Music (the parent company of Lorde's record label Republic Records) and the New Zealand government had not responded to CNBC's requests for comment at the time of publication.</s>American celebrity rabbi Shmuly Boteach took out a full-page ad in The Washington Post Sunday to attack New Zealand pop star Lorde for canceling her concert in Tel Aviv, calling her a bigot and charging her country with anti-Israel prejudice for supporting United Nations statements against Israel's treatment of Palestinians.

The ad superimposes a large photo of Lorde over the backdrop of a scene of fighting in Syria with men rushing babies to safety under the words: “Lorde and New Zealand ignore Syria to attack Israel”.

In large letters it also states "21 is young to become a bigot".

It's not the first full-page ad bought in a prominent newspaper by Boteach's organization, This World: The Values Network. He describes himself as the late Michael Jackson's "rabbi" has bought to publicize his positions through such ads.

The ad is part of continued fallout over the singer's decision last week to cancel a concert scheduled in Israel for next summer. She announced the cancellation after a pair of fans in her native New Zealand criticized her.

The New Zealand Jewish Council, meanwhile, said the ad was counterproductive and "inflammatory."

"The New Zealand Jewish Council is committed to dialogue and tolerance and distances itself from the inflammatory and aggressive material that stoops to the level of BDS rather than rising above it," the council said in a statement.

"We are disappointed with Lorde's decision to cancel her show after pressure from the discriminatory BDS movement and invite Lorde to continue learning about the region."

Critics of her decision have said she was succumbing to the influence of the cultural boycott of Israel through the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement.

Her own concert organizer in Israel said she was not able to withstand the "pressure" of the BDS movement.

But in a statement distributed on social media and by her booking agency, Lorde wrote in response:"i pride myself on being an informed young citizen, and i had done a lot of reading and sought a lot of opinions before deciding to book a show in tel aviv, but I’m not too proud to admit i didn’t make the right call on this one."

The ad also condemns New Zealand's decision to vote in favor of a UN Resolution calling on the United States to withdraw its recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. It also cites New Zealand's support of another UN resolution as evidence of anti-Israel prejudice. The resolution condemned Israel settlement building in the West Bank.

The ad suggests New Zealand's "growing prejudice" against Israel is "trickling down to its youth."

It says of the singer's decision: "While Lorde claims to be concerned with human rights, she hypocritically chose to proceed with her two concerts in Putin's Russia, despite his support for [Syrian president Bashar al-]Assad's genocidal regime."

"Let's boycott the boycotters and tell Lorde and her fellow bigots that Jew-hatred has no place in the twenty-first century," the ad reads.

Boteach also attacked Lorde last week in Breitbart, criticized as the platform of the alt-right that, writing "it’s so sad to see a pop star like Lorde going over to the dark side of bigotry and antisemitism at such a young age." Citing her plans to perform in Russia, he wrote, "makes a mockery of her tour and will forever undermine any legitimate pretense she might otherwise have had to be a human rights activist."</s>New Zealand singer Lorde has been called a "bigot" by an American rabbi in a full-page advert taken out in the Washington Post.

Rabbi Shmuley Boteach's The World Values Network accused Lorde of antisemitism a week after she cancelled a concert in Israel.

The advert, taken out in the 31 December edition of the paper, features a picture of the singer under the headline "Lorde and New Zealand ignore Syria to attack Israel".

Last month, Lorde cancelled a concert planned in June following an online campaign by the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions movement who oppose the Israeli occupation of Palestine.</s>A full page advertisement calling pop singer Lorde a bigot appeared in the Washington Post this week on the heels of her cancellation of a concert in Israel, after the New Zealand native publicly caved to pressure from the anti-Israel movement known as the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement, or BDS.

Lorde had been scheduled to perform in Tel Aviv in June, but reversed course and canceled the performance late last month.

After stirring supporters on both sides of the issue, a full-page ad calling her a bigot was contracted by Rabbi Shmuley Boteach’s This World: The Values Network, according to the UK Guardian.

The ad pummels Lorde, born in New Zealand as Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O’Connor, for ignoring the war in Syria only to attack Israel.

“21 is young to become a bigot,” the ad says in a banner.

The ad is in response to Lorde’s decision to acquiesce to the demands of BDS.

“I’ve received an overwhelming number of messages and letters and have had a lot of discussions with people holding many views, and I think the right decision at this time is to cancel the show,” Lorde said in statement in December announcing the decision.

Rabbi Boteach’s advertisement insists Lorde’s cancellation shows that a “growing prejudice against the Jewish state” is appearing in New Zealand that is “trickling down to its youth.”

The ad also criticizes New Zealand itself for joining a recent UN resolution condemning Israeli settlements in what it called occupied Palestinian territory.

Rabbi Boteach, also a featured writer at Breitbart, recently posted an editorial slamming Lorde for joining the “horde of anti-Semitic BDS” movement.

“It took only 21 short years for New Zealand singer Lorde to succumb to the corruption of celebrity and align herself with bigotry and antisemitism,” Boteach, who fashions himself as “America’s rabbi,” wrote in a December 29 editorial.</s>New Zealand singer Lorde has been called a "bigot" by an American rabbi in a full-page advert taken out in the Washington Post.

Rabbi Shmuley Boteach's The World Values Network accused Lorde of antisemitism a week after she cancelled a concert in Israel.

The advert, taken out in the 31 December edition of the paper, features a picture of the singer under the headline "Lorde and New Zealand ignore Syria to attack Israel".

Last month, Lorde cancelled a concert planned in June following an online campaign by activists opposed to the Israeli occupation of Palestine.

The advert accuses Lorde of being influenced by New Zealand's "growing prejudice" towards the Jewish State and calling her called a hypocrite for not cancelling concerts in Russia.

It says: "While Lorde claims to be concerned with human rights, she hypocritically chose to proceed with her two concerts in Putin's Russia, despite his support for Assad's genocidal regime which has already claimed the lives of over 500,000 innocents, and Russia's own endless litany of human rights abuses."
An American Jewish rabbi publishes an ad in The Washington Post calling the New Zealand pop singer Lorde a "bigot" after she cancelled her concert in Israel.