Under the radar

January 16, 2011 - 11:45 AM by David

Israel’s toughened ear-to-the-ground media has the reputation of not letting anything by them. Especially celebrity visits.

Jim Carrey was forced to hire a double to hang out in the King David Hotel while the actor escaped to tour around the country. And Leo Dicaprio’s altercation with paparazzi when he and Israeli girlfriend, model Bar Rephaeli, paid a night time visit to the Kotel a few years back was testament to the veracity photographers will employ to get their picture.

But sometimes, famous people can slip in and out of the country without anybody knowing, and emerge unscathed. Oscar-winning actor Denzel Washington barely raised a stir when he and his wife Paulette spent a week here last month.

It was only after the Washingtons left that details of their visit was disclosed. Media reports disclosed that the two toured Jerusalem, purchased gold wedding rings with their initials engraved at the Padani jewelry store at the Mamilla Mall, as well as wine, cigars and other gifts at the outdoor venue.

The two reportedly also spent most of their time with Washington’s good friend, Dr. David Davis, who heads a Messianic Jewish congregation Kehilat HaCarmel in Haifa.

The actor, who is an easily recognizable figure to any Israeli with access to a DVD machine, must have surely raised some eyebrows on his trip. But owing to the dearth of publicity surrounding it, they must have treated him with the respect and class that he’s garnered over the years as one of Hollywood’s top actors.

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