The center's website says it offers a nonreligious "way of creating a better life," and that if students work to become more sharing, caring and tolerant, they will experience previously unknown fulfillment. The center has a deep roster of celebrity adherents, including Madonna and Ashton Kutcher.
The program is offered in schools and community centers around the globe, from New York and Florida to Mexico and Malawi. Since 2006, nearly 4,400 Los Angeles children have taken part. Its use in London schools has generated controversy.
The Spirituality for Kids Foundation, which runs the program, listed nearly $18 million in assets on IRS disclosure forms for 2007, the most recent available. Celebrity kabbalah devotees, including Madonna, are among its funders.
Public school students cannot legally be subject to proselytizing, although religious groups are allowed to sponsor school programming as long as it does not favor one faith. But programs linked to groups outside the mainstream often come under scrutiny. Others that have drawn fire include "study technology," a learning method created by Church of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard, and Transcendental Meditation offered by the David Lynch Foundation.
This year, Spirituality for Kids has been offered at nine local elementary schools and three community sites. Children are taught that their actions cause reactions, and to allow their inner "light" to shine by overcoming an internal "opponent" who urges them to make bad decisions.
The word "kabbalah" was not mentioned in the Kester class, but its presence seemed unmistakable. Zucker and a facilitator wore red knotted strings -- frequently used by kabbalah practitioners to ward off the evil eye -- around their left wrists. They also used terms -- such as "light" and "the opponent" -- that are found throughout the L.A. center's website and its IRS filings.
Officials with the spirituality program say such words are common to many faiths.
" 'Inner light' is a universal term," spokeswoman Esther Weinberg wrote in an e-mailed response to questions. "If you look it up, you'll see it is used by Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, Oprah, Eckhart Tolle, Deepak Chopra, many yoga practitioners, and it actually originated with the Quakers."
Karen Berg said she doesn't use the term "inner light" in her teachings, but said it may be used at the kabbalah center.
