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Houston Visits Israel for Inspiration
submitted by: Lisa D.
source: Associated Press
Date: May 26, 2003
By Jennifer Knoll
JERUSALEM - American pop-star Whitney Houston has come to Israel for a spiritual journey she hopes will provide her with the needed inspiration for her upcoming Christmas album.
Houston, who arrived Sunday evening, is being hosted by the Black Hebrews, a group of nearly 2,000 black Americans who followed a Chicago bus driver to Israel decades ago and believe they are descendants of one of the lost tribes of Israelites.
Their religious customs include a vegan diet and polygamy, and they have a well regarded choir at their compound in the desert town of Dimona. Israel does not recognize them as Jews.
"It's a spiritual retreat at the village of peace in Dimona," said Patricia Houston, the singer's spokeswoman and sister-in-law. "She wanted to be here before recording her spiritual album."
Patricia Houston said the singer had planned to come earlier, but her trip had been postponed a number of times because of the precarious security situation.
"We pushed for this, we have been working on this visit for two years because we felt it was important that another message be sent to America that Israel is a safe place to come visit, despite the problems and the issues we have," said Asiel Ben-Israel, one of Houston's hosts from the Black Hebrews community.
Houston spent her first day receiving massages, relaxing, and meeting with members of the Black Hebrews, who call each other saints.
"She is loving it," said Patricia Houston, adding, "She is a spiritual woman and wanted to come here and touch the land and be around the saints of Dimona." Whitney Houston is accompanied by a group of relatives, including her husband, singer Bobby Brown, and their daughter.
Houston who is scheduled to stay for a week, plans to visit holy sites in the country, including the Western Wall and the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem and the Sea of Galilee in northern Israel.
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