15 Sep 2007, // Madonna has met Israeli President Shimon Peres during a spiritual pilgrimage to Jerusalem to mark the Jewish New Year.

The pair exchanged gifts and discussed world peace during the meeting, a spokeswoman for Peres said.

Madonna, who is not Jewish, also attended a conference on Jewish mysticism - or Kabbalah - and plans to visit sites sacred to Kabbalists.

Some Rabbis have criticised interest by non-Jewish celebrities in the subject.

Jewish tradition

Madonna, who was raised a Roman Catholic, has taken the Hebrew name Esther and has been seen with a red thread on her wrist - as sometimes worn by followers of Jewish mysticism to ward off the evil eye.

She arrived in Israel last week with her husband Guy Ritchie for a conference on Kabbalah.

Movie star Demi Moore and her husband, actor Ashton Kutcher, former talk show host Rosie O'Donnell and fashion designer Donna Karan are also believed to be in Israel for the event.Madonna paid her first visit to Israel three years ago, on another Kabbalah-centred trip.