Hasidic actor walks off Portman movie

[hongi]

First he couldn't hold Natalie Portman's hand - and now a Williamsburg Hasidic Jew-turned-actor has to give up his chance to hit it big in a Hollywood movie.

Abe Karpen, 25, a married father of three, was cast as Portman's husband in "New York I Love You," a film composed of 12 short stories about love in the five boroughs.

"I am backing out of the movie," said Karpen, a kitchen cabinet salesman. "It's not acceptable in my community. It's a lot of pressure I am getting. They [the rabbis] didn't like the idea of a Hasidic guy playing in Hollywood.

"I have my kids in religious schools and the rabbi called me over yesterday and said in order for me to keep my kids in the school I have to do what they tell me and back out," Karpen said.

While news of Karpen's withdrawal sent waves of disappointment through the movie set, the Hasidic community was up in arms over Karpen's acting gig - forcing him to flee for the weekend, a friend said.

"We are very sorry that this has created a problem for him personally and for the community," said the film's executive producer, Jan Korbelin.

"He's a great ambassador of his faith and it came out of the left field. ... This is the last thing this picture should be doing," Korbelin said. "This film is about love and understanding between different people and communities."

Just Wednesday, Karpen was strolling along the Fulton Ferry State Park under the Brooklyn Bridge alongside Portman, 26, who sported a dark head-covering and a coat.

"They wanted me to hold her hand, but I said 'no way,'" said Karpen, who proudly stood his ground. "It's against our religion. You can't even hold your wife's hand on the street."

Then came the howls of protest about his unorthodox job.

"This is when I woke up and saw that I made a big mistake. My kids mean everything to me and my community where I live means everything to me," said Karpen, who comes from a prominent Williamsburg, Brooklyn, family.

His longtime friend Levi Okunov said the Karpens had to flee the city for the weekend. "The community wants to kill him," he said.

Hasidic community activist Isaac Weinberger said Karpen should have known better.

"We don't watch television. We don't go to the movies, so to be in a movie is the worst thing. It's a shame for any Hasid," he said.

Still, despite his troubles, Karpen had nothing but kind words for the film and Portman.

"She's the only one I was willing to work with," Karpen said. "I was shocked that she's a Hollywood big shot. We talked in Hebrew. ... She wants to become more religious."

I know he's married, but the man must really love God to forgo a chance to work with Portman - heck, be her husband.

[hongi]

Gah. I forgot the link.

[cosmicalstorm]

I know he's married, but the man must really love God to forgo a chance to work with Portman - heck, be her husband.

Most religious people dont worry about god, they worry about their social status. As the article stated, he and his family was about to become outcasts in their community.

[wautd]

"The community wants to kill him,"

Cute

[Stark]

I'm sure he has walls in his house: it's like working with Natalie Portman, four times a second!

So how'd this guy even get the part? I imagine he couldn't be a professional actor, so shouldn't he have seen this coming ages ago?

[Darth Wong]

Wow. Religious guy decides not to offend his fellow fundie idiots. Shock of a lifetime.

[Axis Kast]

To be fair, the guy has to consider the impact of this on his wife and kids (who may now suffer from harassment). It isn't just one man standing up for his rights or beliefs, with nothing to lose but his own investment or public standing or what have you. The community has apparently mobilized to force this guy's hand.

[Darth Wong]

To be fair, the guy has to consider the impact of this on his wife and kids (who may now suffer from harassment). It isn't just one man standing up for his rights or beliefs, with nothing to lose but his own investment or public standing or what have you. The community has apparently mobilized to force this guy's hand.

You actually see the same thing with small isolated communities of all types, whether it is geographical or ideological isolation. Deviate from the accepted standard of behaviour, and you'll be run out of town on a rail. And for people who are terrified of the outside world, that is the worst possible fate.

Mind you, the best thing for his family would be to leave, but it's like people who feel trapped in small towns. They lack the courage to take that step. The community has become a psychological crutch for them. They don't know how they would live without it.

[pucky18]

"We don't watch television. We don't go to the movies, so to be in a movie is the worst thing. It's a shame for any Hasid," he said.

So the mere act of appearing on recorded media is sinful to them?

[hongi]

I don't think it's appearing on recorded media that is shameful to them, I think it's the idea of the publicity and stepping out of your bounds as a modest member of society.

[The Yosemite Bear]

What the girl from Isreal isn't Jewish enough....

[Durandal]

If there is a sex scene involved, I'll gladly step in to fill this idiot's shoes.

[Axis Kast]

You actually see the same thing with small isolated communities of all types, whether it is geographical or ideological isolation. Deviate from the accepted standard of behaviour, and you'll be run out of town on a rail. And for people who are terrified of the outside world, that is the worst possible fate.

Absolutely.

Mind you, the best thing for his family would be to leave, but it's like people who feel trapped in small towns. They lack the courage to take that step. The community has become a psychological crutch for them. They don't know how they would live without it.

Debatable. Objectively speaking, a community that militates against “crimes” of the sort perpetrated by this individual is a bad one. Worse still is the fact that this expanded to become anything more than a personal dispute between Abe Karpen as an individual and the religious establishment in play.

That said, not everybody can lift roots and move away from a place. Often, there are financial reasons for remaining in these situations. Karpen is also apparently comfortable abiding by certain standards of behavior common to this community. His children and wife may prefer to continue living in this place. Whether or not one thinks he is irresponsible for subjecting his children to this kind of environment in the first place, there are issues of emotion and comfort to take into account as well. Issues that help explain, even if they do not necessarily exonerate.

[Eulogy]

So does this mean that if I went to their town and started taking pictures of them, I'd be damning them for all eternity?

[Broomstick]

No - you would be damning YOU for all eternity, because you're the one making the "graven image", not them.

[hongi]

And Judaism doesn't have hell.

[Ritterin Sophia]

If there is a sex scene involved, I'll gladly step in to fill this idiot's shoes.

Despite facing immense outrage from your community, you would finish this movie? You're a brave, brave man.