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Late Jewish Actress Michelle Trachtenberg Wore Her Star of David Proudly, Says Jessica Seinfeld in Touching Tribute
FILE PHOTO: Actress Michelle Trachtenberg poses at the party for the launch of the Blackberry Torch in Los Angeles August 11, 2010. Photo: REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni/File Photo
Author and executive producer Jessica Seinfeld, who is also the wife of Jerry Seinfeld, shared a heartfelt tribute to Jewish actress Michelle Trachtenberg on Wednesday, the same day that the “Gossip Girl” star was found dead at age 39 in her New York City apartment.
Jessica posted a photo of Trachtenberg on her Instagram Story and in the caption, she talked about the actress’ affinity to wear a Star of David and display Jewish pride.
“Michelle and I communicated recently about all she was doing to help the victims of the fires in Los Angeles. Last year she said, ‘I wear my David star proudly and my mom is worried,” wrote Jessica, who is the executive producer of the documentary “Daughters” on Netflix. Jessica added the acronym for “Baruch Dayan Emet,” the Hebrew phrase typically said to mourn someone’s death, and used emojis to describe Trachtenberg as a Jewish queen before calling her someone “who never stopped living out our Jewish values to do good things for others.”
Trachtenberg was found “unconscious and unresponsive” in her apartment on Wednesday morning and was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the New York Police Department. While an investigation remains ongoing, no foul play has been suspected. The actress recently had a liver transplant but it unconfirmed if the transplant played a role in her death. A source told People magazine that she was “really down emotionally” and had been dealing with “health issues” over the last year.
As a child actor, Trachtenberg starred in Nickelodeon’s “The Adventures of Pete & Pete” and the soap opera “All My Children” in 1993. In 1996, she played the title character in “Harriet the Spy.” She then joined season five of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and stayed on until the show’s finale in 2003. From 2008 through 2012, Trachtenberg played Georgina Sparks on the television series “Gossip Girl.” She reprised the role in 2023 for two episodes of the HBO Max reboot of the same title, and that was her last onscreen appearance.
Several of Trachtenberg’s former costars from “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” paid tribute to her following her death, including Sarah Michelle Gellar. On “Buffy,” Trachtenberg played Dawn Summers, the younger sister to Gellar’s character, Buffy Summers. When Gellar’s character sacrificed herself in the season five finale, she told her kid sister, “Dawn, the hardest thing in the world is to live in it. Be brave. Live — for me.”
On Thursday, Gellar shared in an Instagram post a carousel of photos from her time with Tracthenberg on the set of “Buffy.” In the caption, Gellar quoted from the season five finale episode of “Buffy” and wrote to Trachtenberg: “Michelle, listen to me. Listen. I love you. I will always love you. The hardest thing in this world, is to live in it. I will be brave. I will live… for you.”
Fellow “Buffy” star Alyson Hannigan also honored Trachtenberg’s memory in an Instagram post. She wrote, “I am deeply saddened by the news of Michelle’s passing. She brought a loving energy to the set of ‘Buffy.’ My thoughts are with Michelle’s family and friends.” “Buffy” star David Boreanaz shared his condolences in an Instagram Story and James Marsters, who played the vampire Spike on the television show, praised his costar in a statement given to People magazine.
“My heart is heavy today. We have lost a beautiful soul,” he said. “Michelle was fiercely intelligent, howlingly funny and a very talented person. She died much too young, and leaves behind scores of people who knew and loved her,” he continued. “My heart goes out to her family, who are good people and are suffering the greatest loss anyone could bear. I hope everyone can give them space to heal in this most difficult time. Godspeed Michelle. You are missed.”
The post Late Jewish Actress Michelle Trachtenberg Wore Her Star of David Proudly, Says Jessica Seinfeld in Touching Tribute first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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After False Dawns, Gazans Hope Trump Will Force End to Two-Year-Old War
Palestinians walk past a residential building destroyed in previous Israeli strikes, after Hamas agreed to release hostages and accept some other terms in a US plan to end the war, in Nuseirat, central Gaza Strip October 4, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa
Exhausted Palestinians in Gaza clung to hopes on Saturday that US President Donald Trump would keep up pressure on Israel to end a two-year-old war that has killed tens of thousands and displaced the entire population of more than two million.
Hamas’ declaration that it was ready to hand over hostages and accept some terms of Trump’s plan to end the conflict while calling for more talks on several key issues was greeted with relief in the enclave, where most homes are now in ruins.
“It’s happy news, it saves those who are still alive,” said 32-year-old Saoud Qarneyta, reacting to Hamas’ response and Trump’s intervention. “This is enough. Houses have been damaged, everything has been damaged, what is left? Nothing.”
GAZAN RESIDENT HOPES ‘WE WILL BE DONE WITH WARS’
Ismail Zayda, 40, a father of three, displaced from a suburb in northern Gaza City where Israel launched a full-scale ground operation last month, said: “We want President Trump to keep pushing for an end to the war, if this chance is lost, it means that Gaza City will be destroyed by Israel and we might not survive.
“Enough, two years of bombardment, death and starvation. Enough,” he told Reuters on a social media chat.
“God willing this will be the last war. We will hopefully be done with the wars,” said 59-year-old Ali Ahmad, speaking in one of the tented camps where most Palestinians now live.
“We urge all sides not to backtrack. Every day of delay costs lives in Gaza, it is not just time wasted, lives get wasted too,” said Tamer Al-Burai, a Gaza City businessman displaced with members of his family in central Gaza Strip.
After two previous ceasefires — one near the start of the war and another earlier this year — lasted only a few weeks, he said; “I am very optimistic this time, maybe Trump’s seeking to be remembered as a man of peace, will bring us real peace this time.”
RESIDENT WORRIES THAT NETANYAHU WILL ‘SABOTAGE’ DEAL
Some voiced hopes of returning to their homes, but the Israeli military issued a fresh warning to Gazans on Saturday to stay out of Gaza City, describing it as a “dangerous combat zone.”
Gazans have faced previous false dawns during the past two years, when Trump and others declared at several points during on-off negotiations between Hamas, Israel and Arab and US mediators that a deal was close, only for war to rage on.
“Will it happen? Can we trust Trump? Maybe we trust Trump, but will Netanyahu abide this time? He has always sabotaged everything and continued the war. I hope he ends it now,” said Aya, 31, who was displaced with her family to Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip.
She added: “Maybe there is a chance the war ends at October 7, two years after it began.”
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Mass Rally in Rome on Fourth Day of Italy’s Pro-Palestinian Protests
A Pro-Palestinian demonstrator waves a Palestinian flag during a national protest for Gaza in Rome, Italy, October 4, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Claudia Greco
Large crowds assembled in central Rome on Saturday for the fourth straight day of protests in Italy since Israel intercepted an international flotilla trying to deliver aid to Gaza, and detained its activists.
People holding banners and Palestinian flags, chanting “Free Palestine” and other slogans, filed past the Colosseum, taking part in a march that organizers hoped would attract at least 1 million people.
“I’m here with a lot of other friends because I think it is important for us all to mobilize individually,” Francesco Galtieri, a 65-year-old musician from Rome, said. “If we don’t all mobilize, then nothing will change.”
Since Israel started blocking the flotilla late on Wednesday, protests have sprung up across Europe and in other parts of the world, but in Italy they have been a daily occurrence, in multiple cities.
On Friday, unions called a general strike in support of the flotilla, with demonstrations across the country that attracted more than 2 million, according to organizers. The interior ministry estimated attendance at around 400,000.
Italy’s right-wing government has been critical of the protests, with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni suggesting that people would skip work for Gaza just as an excuse for a longer weekend break.
On Saturday, Meloni blamed protesters for insulting graffiti that appeared on a statue of the late Pope John Paul II outside Rome’s main train station, where Pro-Palestinian groups have been holding a protest picket.
“They say they are taking to the streets for peace, but then they insult the memory of a man who was a true defender and builder of peace. A shameful act committed by people blinded by ideology,” she said in a statement.
Israel launched its Gaza offensive after Hamas terrorists staged a cross border attack on October 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people and taking 251 people hostage.
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Hamas Says It Agrees to Release All Israeli Hostages Under Trump Gaza Plan
Smoke rises during an Israeli military operation in Gaza City, as seen from the central Gaza Strip, October 2, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas
Hamas said on Friday it had agreed to release all Israeli hostages, alive or dead, under the terms of US President Donald Trump’s Gaza proposal, and signaled readiness to immediately enter mediated negotiations to discuss the details.