Michael Douglas, Natan Sharansky to Discuss Jewish Inclusion and Anti-Semitism on Three College Campuses

Actor, producer and Genesis Prize Laureate Michael Douglas and Natan Sharansky will appear on three US university campuses to speak with students about Israel and current-day anti-Semitism.

Douglas and Sharansky will visit Brown University on January 28th, Stanford University on February 2nd, and the University of California at Santa Barbara on February 3rd. Pre-registration is required at each campus, with priority given to students. The program, “Jewish Journeys: A Conversation with Michael Douglas and Natan Sharansky,” is co-hosted by the Genesis Prize Foundation, Hillel International, and The Jewish Agency for Israel, as well as the local Hillels on each campus. The panelists will also address the topic of tolerance and inclusion in the Jewish community worldwide.

In making the announcement, Genesis Prize Foundation Co-Founder and Chairman Stan Polovets said: “This is the first time, in this current period of heightened anti-Israel activity on campus, that a Hollywood celebrity has offered to join with a world Jewish leader to visit US college campuses and speak with students about Israel and the Jewish people. At a time when the academic community and other forces are making sustained efforts to delegitimize Israel, these visits are particularly important and timely.”

Michael Douglas was awarded the 2015 Genesis Prize in recognition of his decades-long career as an actor and producer, his work as a peace activist, and his unwavering support of Israel. He decided to dedicate his prize award to projects promoting the inclusion of intermarried families in Jewish life, the first of which was developed by Hillel International.