Freaky Friday Is Back—and So Is Jamie Lee Curtis’ Jewish Pride 

In 2003, Freaky Friday became a global box office hit and next week, the beloved film returns to theaters with a highly anticipated sequel, Freaky Friday 2. While fans worldwide are excited, Israeli audiences have an additional reason to celebrate: lead actress Jamie Lee Curtis has Jewish roots and a history of support for Jewish causes.

As promotional tours sweep across the U.S., social media is buzzing with clips from interviews and red carpets. But less known is Curtis’s connection to her Jewish heritage, something she has acknowledged both personally and philanthropically.

In the early 1990s, Curtis and her father, legendary Jewish actor Tony Curtis, donated funds to help restore the Dohány Street Synagogue in Budapest, Hungary, the largest synagogue in Europe, originally built in 1859 and heavily damaged during the Holocaust.

Curtis also played a key role in renovating the synagogue in Mátészalka, the Hungarian town from which her grandparents emigrated to the United States. That building now functions as both a cultural center and a memorial to Tony Curtis. Jamie Lee Curtis herself attended the opening ceremony.

In recent years, Curtis has spoken out on issues relating to Israel. In the early days of the Israel-Hamas war, she voiced support for Israel, but mistakenly posted an image of Palestinian children, believing they were Israeli. She later deleted the post and issued an apology. Since then, she has called for a ceasefire, an end to violence on both sides, and the release of hostages.

With Freaky Friday 2 expected to be one of the summer’s biggest releases, Curtis’s return to the spotlight comes with renewed interest in her background, both on and off screen.