Temple says they haven’t been given cash
Toi Creel
The February death of famous Hollywood Actor Kirk Douglas has made national headlines.
Throughout his 103 years Douglas was known not only for his work in Hollywood but his philanthropic efforts, specifically through his organization the Douglas Foundation which “aims to help those who cannot otherwise help themselves”.
The Douglas foundation gives to many, some of the beneficiaries including West LA organizations such as Westwood’s Sinai Temple, which holds the Kirk and Anne Douglas Childhood Centre. There’s also Culver City’s Kirk Douglas Theatre. The theatre had fallen into disuse but was remodeled and turned into a live performance venue.
While recent reports have claimed $60 million of his estate has been left to philanthropic efforts, Century City Westwood News contacted both organizations, both of whom said they have not received any money from his Douglas’ estate.
According to Sinai Temple Executive Director Howard Lesner, what’s being reported is speculation and that there has been no money donated to the Temple.
The news of Douglas’s deaths was confirmed via social media by his son, Michael Kirk Douglas who wrote in part on his Instagram:
“To the world he was a legend, an actor from the golden age of movies who lived well into his golden years, a humanitarian whose commitment to justice and the causes he believed in set a standard for all of us to aspire to.
But to me and my brothers Joel and Peter he was simply Dad, to Catherine, a wonderful father-in-law, to his grandchildren and great grandchild their loving grandfather, and to his wife Anne, a wonderful husband,”
