1. Jane Fonda Presents at Holocaust Symposium
Jane Fonda called for more public attention to the sexual violence which occurred during the Holocaust when she gave a keynote presentation at a two-day symposium in Los Angeles.
The Oscar-winning actress, most recently starring in HBO’s Newsroom, addressed the conference, reading an excerpt from Nava Semel’s work, And the Rat Laughed, which deals with the tragedy of rape in concentration camps.
“I feel so glad that we hear about the Holocaust through firsthand accounts,” Fonda said while speaking at the Ray Kurtzman Theater. “Seventeen-hundred of those testimonies are of sexual violence — from those brave enough to talk about their experiences.” The event, which was invitation only, was attended by historians, Holocaust experts and scholars, in an attempt to shed light on this oft-overlooked topic.
Ben Stiller was honored for his contribution to the film industry at the 26th American Cinematheque Awards last week. The award is said to honor “an extraordinary artist in the entertainment industry who is fully engaged in his or her work and is committed to making a significant contribution to the art of the motion pictures.”
The Meet the Fockers star isn’t the first Jewish celebrity to be given the honor. Other Jewish A-Listers who have been given the honor include Steven Spielberg and Rob Reiner. Stiller tells E! Online, “It’s really nice to be asked to be honored like this. It’s kind of bizarre. I feel grateful but also unworthy of the whole thing.”
3. Sarah Michelle Gellar Has a Fighter on Her Hands
Actress Sarah Michelle Gellar is revealing her new baby boy’s name this week… and it’s got quite a punch!
The Jewish actress welcomed a baby boy with her husband, actor Freddie Prinze Jr., at the end of September and the two have managed to keep the name secret until now. However, it was revealed this week that the little one’s name is Rocky James.
The couple already has a 3-year-old daughter named Charlotte Grace. Gellar, 35, and Prinze, 36, were married in September 2002.