Many of you, like me, would be fans of the classic 80s flick Stand by Me.
It turns out that the actor who played the “fat kid” in the movie, Jerry O’Connell, went on to have the most successful acting career out of all of the kids. He also lost the puppy fat and got pretty jacked.
More importantly, he grew up to be a super mensch.
Jerry has been outspoken in his support of Israel and the Jewish people, most recently signing the Hollywood petition rejecting a boycott of the Israeli film industry.
Before that, he signed a letter calling for the end of anti-Israel, “extremist rhetoric and the spread of misinformation” following the Capital Jewish Museum shooting in Washington, D.C. And yet another one calling for an end to “lies and antisemitic incitement” in the fallout of the Gaza War.
Signing these letters is big in itself, given the levels of anti-Israel and antisemitic demonization we are seeing in Hollywood. But Jerry has done more than that; he has used his huge following on social media to advocate for our hostages:
and otherwise show he is a true friend to the Jewish people:
Jerry’s latest post is yet another example of how he is supporting Israel and the Jewish community:
Hollywood Falafel is a Jewish Israeli business (you can even see some clues in the photo itself). While haters are calling to boycott such businesses, Jerry’s post is more than just a feel-good show of support.
At a time when so many in Hollywood are either silent or openly hostile, Jerry O’Connell is proving himself different. He’s not just standing by Israel and the Jewish people. He’s standing up for truth, decency, and courage in an industry that often rewards the opposite.
So let’s give credit where it’s due: Jerry isn’t just the kid from Stand by Me who made good – he’s the grown man who refuses to stand by silently.
