Three Degrees of Separation

My cousin's bar mitzvah was Sunday.  Avery is a great kid, my first cousin once removed.  He shares a middle name with my Gavi- Meyer/Meir.  They are named for my Grandpa Max.  Grandpa Max was a good soul, and it has passed to Avery and Gavi.

Avery draws people to him.  He's only thirteen, but already has a wingman.  That wingman is the son of Michael Douglas and Catharine Zeta-Jones, Dylan.  Dylan is a wonderful kid.  He and Avery are a great team.  Everyone should have a friend who's got your back like they do. If that friend can be someone who knows you most of your life, it is truly lucky.

This is not our only connection to the Douglas family.  Sean's first pulpit with Sons of Israel in Amsterdam, NY.  This is the home congregation of Kirk Douglas.  On the synagogue tree of life there is a leaf commemorating Kirk Douglas' bar mitzvah.  Sons of Israel is proud of that connection.

Back to Avery's bar mitzvah.  It was an Orthodox service.  The Douglas' were there.  Michael Douglas sat in front of my father.  At the end of the service my father introduced himself and told Mr. Douglas about our connection to his father, Kirk Douglas.  During the cocktail hour, my mother met Catherine Zeta-Jones, and, of course, repeated the story.  As we stood for the brunch buffet I got to meet them, saying, "Hi.  It's nice to meet you.  I believe my parents have been telling you our connection."

It's said that no one is more than six degrees of separation.  With Jewish families we seem to cut that in half.