Hellenic Forums Omogenia - YASOU - Hellenism: Madonna reinvents herself as Esther

LOS ANGELES, California (Reuters) -- Assuming a newly modest public image more in keeping with that of a nice Jewish girl than a "Material Girl," pop star Madonna says she has adopted the Hebrew name of Esther.

The Catholic-bred singer/actress said in an ABC News "20/20" interview airing on Friday that her identification with the Biblical queen celebrated in the Jewish festival of Purim stems in part from her adherence to the study of Jewish mysticism known as Kabbalah.

The performer, born Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone, recalled that she was very young when her mother, for whom she was named, died of cancer.

"I wanted to attach myself to another name," she said according to excerpts from the interview released by ABC on Thursday. "This is in no way a negation of who my mother is. ... I wanted to attach myself to the energy of a different name."

The 45-year-old mother of two also insisted that despite her celebrated MTV awards kiss with Britney Spears, she has moved beyond the raunchy pop vixen image first cultivated two decades ago in such music-video hits as "Like a Virgin" and "Material Girl."

"I did spend, you know, at least a decade taking my clothes off and being photographed, saying bad words on TV, and, you know, that sort of thing," she told ABC's Cynthia McFadden. "I don't regret it, but it's just ... I mean everybody takes their clothes off now. And then what? You know? And -- and then what?"

Acknowledging that her association with Kabbalah has drawn criticism in some quarters as a celebrity trend, Madonna said her practice of it is sincere.

"I'm a little bit irritated that people think that it's like some celebrity bandwagon that I've jumped on," she said. "I'm very serious about it."

As for day-to-day life on the domestic front, the wife of British director Guy Ritchie said one of her biggest mantras of motherhood has been: "Pick up your s--t."

"Even my children have to clean up their mess, clean up their rooms," she said. "Manners, 'thank you,' 'please,' 'take your dishes to the sink.' I mean ... gratitude, being grateful -- that is -- that has to happen. .. If it's traditional to be a decent human being, then I'm traditional."

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