Whitney Houston, the pop sensation who died on Saturday, was many things to many people. She was one of the first black women to achieve international superstardom, and raised awareness of two issues that she experienced personally: domestic violence and drug addiction.
Another side of Houston is less known: in 2003, she visited the Jewish state for what she called a "spiritual retreat."
Houston met with Israel's Prime Minister, and spent time with the controversial Black Hebrews, a group of nearly 2,000 black Americans who moved to Israel in the 1960s and believe they are descendants of the ten lost tribes.
For her "crime" of having visited Israel, anti-Israel activists conducted an unrelenting smear campaign against Houston. Yet Whitney's support held tight, in contrast to the chorus of musicians (Elvis Costello, the Pixies, Gil Scott-Heron, Carlos Santana, to name a few) who have succumbed to pressures and cancelled tour stops in Israel.
Houston will long be remembered as a friend of the Jewish state. While in Israel, she said: "I've never felt like this in any other country. I feel at home."
Whitney snubbed Netanyhu on her visit to Israel, not accepting his offer of a handshake. I'm not sure her trip to Israel was so much about wanting to connect with Jews or Israelis...but rather to connect with her Christian roots.
I read and viewed Whitney's visit to Israel and witnessed her distain at shaking Ariel Sharon's hand because he did not recognize those who she was visiting as "black" Jews coming back to their homeland. In fact, the people she visited were Americans from Chicago with no historical roots to that country.
we are very proud of your visit to israel you are a real "eshet chail" a woman of valor r.i.p.
בס"ד To me. in the footage I saw of her on her last performance, she looked very ill. Why did everyone just assume she was affected by substances and not, at least get her to a doctor?
Why was nobody able to help her in her last days? Were people blind to the fact that she needed help? Unfortunately, drugs and alcohol are a deadly comination.
Happy to know she didn't give in to people against Israel May all God people grow backbone and stand for their belief and convictions. Glad to know she did!
It was wonderful to find out that Huston was a friend of Israel .Too bad that this came up on the day of her untimely death.One wonders what could have been done and was not done to help her and save her. I will miss her marvelous singing.
While in Israel she probably experienced an 'awakening' that probably had never had happened previously, especially when one takes into consideration the chaos in her life(style). Remember, her (singing) beginnings began in her church in NJ when she was a youngster. In Israel, given her religious beginnings, it didn't take much of her senses to become aware of Israel's significance/role as being the true earthly 'home' of her, and many others, religion. May her soul find peace that her earthly being was unable to accomplish. We'll miss u Whitney - u left behind a a musical legacy to will be the standard 4 others that will follow in the future.
David - drug use and alcoholism are both diseases, and both are very very hard to break away from. Im sure she tried to beat these evils, but not everybody is strong enough to do this. I feel very sorry for you. You are so cold and have no compassion. Yes, she was a super star with a voice that was a gift from G-d...., but for all the drug addicts and alcoholics who are not famous or blessed, I pray they can find the strength and courage to beat the demons that plague them. David, I will also pray that nobody you love becomes addicted. If this does happen (I hope not) maybe only then will you see the picture from a different angle.
May Hashem send comfort to her family and close loved ones, especially her children. Whitney was a Christian and went to Israel, I suspect, to connect with those roots, not necessarily with the Jewish people. MANY Christians go to Israel, many live there today, certain that it's the place to be because they feel at home, in anticipation of their books being fulfilled one day.
No matter how successful a person is, a good or bad influence can affect your future.
At this,Tragic,time,is that all you can say?.....Why,so judgemental???????
Whitney Houston was a true inspiration to those of us who love music and singing. No one has ever sang the Star Spangled Banner like her. She reached out to many with friendship, mentorship, and love. Her spiritual side was deep and rooted in honesty and goodness. I hope to hear you singing with the angels someday on the other side.
When I came to Israel for the first time more than 50 years ago, I used the same words. "I have never felt like this in any other country. I feel at home. This feeling never left me.- And happily it turned out for me, that it was true. Israel is my home. May Hashem accept her after her sudden death as "His daughter" in Olam Haba.