(JTA) — Israeli actress Gal Gadot said she got teary when her assistant showed her a video of her late grandfather on Holocaust Remembrance Day.
Gadot, the star of “Wonder Woman,” explained in an Instagram post on Thursday that she had not been able to find a photo of her grandfather Abraham Weiss, who lost his entire family in Auschwitz, the night before. But on the way to practice some stunts for an upcoming “Wonder Woman” movie, her assistant randomly sent her a video of what she thought was Gadot and her granddad, not knowing Gadot had been looking for an image of him.
“She had no idea today is Holocaust Remembrance Day,” Gadot wrote, “and didn’t know I was looking for a photo of him/us all night.”
“I wasn’t surprised … My grandpa is always with me … That’s not the first time he pops out of nowhere,” Gadot wrote.
“I’ve never seen this video before and it made me cry,” she continued. “And as I think of you today, at this very moment of remembrance, which is also a call for all of us to act against discrimination of any kind. Anywhere in the world.”
Gadot previously mentioned Weiss, who died in 2013 at 85, in a Rolling Stone article last summer.
“His entire family was murdered – it’s unthinkable,” Gadot said. “He affected me a lot. After all the horrors he’d seen, he was like this damaged bird, but he was always hopeful and positive and full of love.”
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.