Madonna promotes Israeli tourism

Pop singer Madonna reportedly filmed commercials promoting Israeli tourism during a recent visit to Tel Aviv.

The entertainer filmed a series of 30-second ads, scheduled to begin airing this week, urging people to visit Israel, MSNBC reported Monday.

"The message will be that Israel is a safe place to visit," said an unidentified source.

Filming for the ads occurred while Madonna was in Israel for a five-day visit during a holiday coinciding with her study of the Kabbalah, a mystic Jewish text.

Tourism officials reportedly gave the singer an ancient oil lamp and a coin from the Byzantine period to express their gratitude for her participation in the ads.

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