Actor Jeremy Piven celebrated his second barmitzvah in Jerusalem last week.
In his first ever trip to Israel, the star of US TV comedy series ‘Entourage’ and ITV's 'Mr Selfridge', 51, posted a picture on Instagram of him looking down at the Western Wall wearing tefillin and a tallit, with the caption: “Today I became a man (again). Special time in Jerusalem.”
Mr Piven went to Israel as part of a trip organised by Omri Casspi, the first Israeli to play in the NBA and current forward for the Sacramento Kings. Mr Casspi invited Mr Piven as part of a large cohort of athletes visiting Israel - on a plane provided by American casino mogul Sheldon Adelson.
Mr Piven’s barmitzvah took place on the Aish HaTorah rooftop overlooking Jerusalem.
Rabbi Eitiel Goldvicht led the ceremony and told Mr Piven: “You come to Israel you get a sense of you’re feeling at home.
“We’re family. The thing that unites the Jewish people — we’re not a race, we’re not even a religion. It doesn’t matter if you’re religious or not, you’re part of the Jewish people.”
