Sorry Suri

Being a member of the Jewish People always seems to bring surprises.

For example, this report:-

JERUSALEM - Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes' choice of a Hebrew-flavored name for their newborn daughter has speakers of the language scratching their heads.

Baby Suri's name can be traced to a Hebrew word meaning "princess" or "noblewoman," but by such a circuitous route that the connection is lost on most Israelis.

"We seem to have learned a new Hebrew word — and from Tom Cruise, no less," said a Channel 2 TV anchorman.

Cruise's publicist said Tuesday the name has its origins in Hebrew meaning "princess" or in Persian meaning "red rose."

I'm as flabergasted as the next one.

But my good friend Avshalom Koor comes to the rescue:-

Avshalom Koor, who has for years presented TV and radio spots on the intricacies of Hebrew, said Suri was a derivation of Sarah — the name of Biblical patriarch Abraham's wife — as pronounced by some Central European Jews.

"Suri is a pet name for Sarah," Koor told Army Radio. "The Ashkenazi (Jews) of Poland and Hungary pronounce it Suri."

In ancient Hebrew, Sarah is the feminine form of "Sar," or lord. In modern Hebrew, the word means a Cabinet Minister.

And his suggestion?

Koor suggested a far better known but no less majestic name, noting the baby was born during the Passover holiday, which commemorates the escape of the ancient Israelites from bondage in Egypt.

"You could call her Geula (redemption)," he said.

Imagine, from Scientology to Judaism.


And as we're on names, let's round it out by reporting that:

Paper: Pitt, Jolie Mull Namibian Baby Name

A local governor in Namibia said Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt told him they will have their baby in his country and are considering giving the child a Namibian name, a newspaper reported Sunday.

Samuel Sheefeni Nuuyoma, the governor of the Namibian province where the couple is staying at a heavily guarded lodge, said he had breakfast Friday with the two stars, according to The Sunday Times of South Africa.

And since we're on Hollywood:-

Will Smith and Jada Pinkett visit Jerusalem

‘He was very excited and showed his emotions,’ said Rabbi who led tour

Surrounded by a security detail, Smith approached the wall and put a note in the cracks in keeping with tradition.

Smith and his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, then took a tour of an excavated tunnel alongside the wall. The tour leader was Shmuel Rabinovitch, chief rabbi of the holy site, who said the couple took notes and spent several minutes praying.

"He is a very nice man, he was very excited and showed his emotions," he said.

Smith and his wife later visited the nearby Church of the Holy Sepulcher, built on the site where many Christians believe that Jesus was crucified.