Michael Douglas is a rarity in Hollywood: the son of an enormously successful actor and producer who equaled his father’s enormous and enduring stardom, and even surpassed him in earning industry awards, such as the Oscar. Their physical resemblance is also uncanny.
But father and son share something else, too: each got involved in Judaism later in life. Kirk Douglas was born Issur Danielovitz, the son of poor Russian Jewish immigrants. Now 98 and a longtime supporter of Aish HaTorah, he reconnected with his Judaism at age 70, and had a second bar mitzvah at 83. Michael Douglas, now also 70, has credited his 15-year-old son with a new interest in Judaism.
The number 70 in Judaism is a very significant number, and often represents a turning point in history. People who achieve the age of 70 are considered elders, worthy of respect for the wisdom they have accumulated over a lifetime. For both Kirk Douglas and Michael Douglas, reaching the age of 70 indeed sparked a personal turning point.
In March 2015, Michael Douglas wrote an op-ed in the Los Angeles Times that took aim at the rising tide of anti-Semitism worldwide. His essay was prompted by a family vacation he took with his wife, actress Catherine Zeta-Jones, and their two children to Southern Europe the previous summer. Their son, Dylan, was the target of anti-Semitic invective while at the hotel pool. When Dylan reported the incident to his father, Douglas wrote, “I stared at him. And suddenly I had an awful realization of what might have caused the man's outrage: Dylan was wearing a Star of David. Dylan, you just had your first taste of anti-Semitism.”
While Douglas's mother is not Jewish, he says that he has "learned the hard way that those who hate do not make such fine distinctions.”
Douglas recalled that when he was in high school, he was outraged upon hearing a friend repeat the ugly anti-Semitic charge that “all Jews cheat.” “With little knowledge of what it meant to be a Jew, I found myself passionately defending the Jewish people,” Douglas wrote. “Now, half a century later, I have to defend my son. Anti-Semitism, I've seen, is like a disease that goes dormant, flaring up with the next political trigger.”
Douglas credits his son for having begun to care about Jewish tradition. Influenced by Jewish friends, Dylan also wanted a bar mitzvah, which he prepared for and which the family celebrated in Jerusalem.
At this stage of life, Douglas also could have simply sat back after the anti-Semitic incident with his son, letting “the professionals” fight that fight. But he decided to take a stand, urging everyone to “speak up against this hate” and complimenting the few world leaders who are doing so.
This seems to have had a “pay it forward” effect. Shortly after the op-ed appeared, Douglas was named as the recipient of the 2015 Genesis Prize, honoring "exceptional people whose values and achievements will inspire the next generation of Jews." At the awards ceremony in Jerusalem in June 2015, Douglas said that his son’s decision to have a bar mitzvah “made me think and it made me strong. And for that I will always be grateful. . . . My journey to this stage was a long time in the making,” Douglas said.
You can almost count on one hand the number of people in the entertainment industry who take a stand in defense of Israel, against anti-Semitism, or for Jewish traditions. In fact, the movie industry was mostly invented by Jews eager to prove they were Americans first, and Jews only distantly second. Many of the suspected communists targeted by the Hollywood blacklist of the late 1940s and early 1950s were also Jewish, and Kirk Douglas is widely credited with helping to break the blacklist once and for all by insisting on giving Dalton Trumbo screenwriting credit for “Spartacus,” the epic Oscar-winning movie for which Douglas served as both executive producer and star. Trumbo’s reputation as a fast and skillful screenwriter assured that he had steady work during those years, but he had to use pseudonyms. Aish.com will review the newly released movie about him, Trumbo, next week.
Both Kirk Douglas and Michael Douglas have played a lot of tough guys in their legendary careers. In later life, each has added the role of defender of the Jewish people – perhaps the toughest, proudest role of all.
(8) Juliana, January 18, 2019 1:18 PM
I love the Jewish people, I love Israel.
I am not jewish. I am a Christian woman. I will always take a stance for jewish causes. Because I love Israel, and Jerusalem.
(7) Feigele, December 8, 2015 12:51 PM
What's important
here is that someone is supporting the Jewish cause and defending us against moral damage due to ignorant, envious and hatred people, no matter their religious background. They are making a statement as to say all people are equal and if someone is being persecuted, we will stand by them. Meanwhile, this family has Jewish souls.
(6) Judy young, December 1, 2015 11:14 PM
It is so narrow minded to critique the fact that the mothers are not Jewish so the boys are not.We should be delighted that they believe and practice Judaism ...so they are Jewish ! And stand up and fight for our people!
(5) Anonymous, November 12, 2015 10:36 PM
nice but fyi...
I believe that Michael Douglas' mother is not Jewish (Kirk Douglas wife) so that would make him not Jewish like his son...just saying...
(4) Shoshana-Jerusalem, November 11, 2015 9:13 PM
Judaism
If their mother is not Jewish, so neither are they. But they are surely in the category of righteous goyim.
(3) Dvirah, November 11, 2015 5:37 PM
Nevertheless
With respect, if the boy's (Dylan's) mother is not Jewish, a Bar Miztvah is meanless: he has no obligation to perform them. In this case, a proper conversion is required first.
(2) Batya, November 10, 2015 6:10 PM
amazing
amazing
(1) Nancy, November 8, 2015 8:44 PM
Just what I needed, just when I needed it.
Hello Judy--
I grew up in a mostly Secular Jewish home, and became religiously observant later in life. Of course, I am not a movie star or any type of celebrity. However, I am someone who believes it is never too late to grow and learn. Thank you for writing this profile of Kirk and Michael Douglas. It was the inspiration I needed to keep moving along in my religious observance.
Judy, November 9, 2015 4:38 PM
We're always growing!
Nancy, one of the things I have loved most since becoming more involved in my Jewish traditions is that we are never done learning and growing. That means we always have purpose. Thanks for your kind words; I'm glad you found this column helpful!
Gary, November 10, 2015 11:46 PM
Nancy: You are on the same road as Rabbi Akiba
From Chabad.org:
A shepherd was tending flock in the hills of Judah. He became thirsty and went to his favorite brook in the hills to take a drink. As he was drawing the crystal clear water in his palm and putting it to his mouth, something caught his eye. He saw drops of water falling on a huge stone – drip, drop – and directly where the drops were falling there was a deep hole in the stone. The shepherd was fascinated. He gazed at the drops and at the stone.
“What mighty power there is in a drop of water,” thought the shepherd. “Could my stony heart ever be softened up that way?”
“Hello, Akiba! What are you gazing at?” It was Rachel, his master’s daughter. She was wise and kind and fair.
“Look what the little drops of water did to the rock,” Akiba exclaimed. “Do you think there is hope for me? Suppose I began to study the Torah, little by little, drop by drop. Do you think my stony heart would soften up?”
“O yes! Akiba. If you persevere, if you keep it up as these drops of water.”
But I am forty years old! Is it not too late to start?”
“O no, Akiba. It is never too late. If you promise to learn our holy Torah, I know you will not be ignorant for long.”
The shepherd gazed at the drops of water for a long time, and then his mind was made up.
And this is how Akiba the shepherd became the great Rabbi Akiba, the greatest and wisest scholar and teacher of his day, who had 24 thousand pupils! He often told them that it was a drop of water that changed his life.