Thursday 27 December 2012

Is Bette Midler Jewish?

Bette Midler is a Jew. Midler is best known for her roles Fiddler on the Roof and Salvation on Broadway, as well as for her widely popular music and films.

Bette Midler Jewish

Midler was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, where her family was one of the few Jewish families in a mostly Asian neighborhood. Her mother, Ruth (née Schindel), was a seamstress and housewife, and her father, Fred Midler, worked at a Navy base in Hawaii as a painter, and was also a housepainter.

Midler is also known by her informal stage name, The Divine Miss M. Her career has spanned almost half a century and Midler has been nominated for two Academy Awards, and won three Grammy Awards, four Golden Globes, three Emmy Awards, and a special Tony Award. She has sold over 30 million albums worldwide.

Throughout her career, many of her songs became hits on the record charts, including "The Rose" and "Wind Beneath My Wings" as well as her renditions of "Do You Wanna Dance?", "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" and "From a Distance". In film, she is known for her roles in  The Rose, Beaches, The First Wives Club, The Stepford Wives, For the Boys and Gypsy.


Is Barbra Streisand Jewish?

Barbra Streisand is a Jew. Streisand is an American singer, actress, writer, film producer and director. She is one of the most well-known and successful entertainers in modern entertainment history.

Barbra Streisand Jewish

Streisand was born as Barbara (later changing the spelling of her first name to be unique) Streisand in Brooklyn, New York, the daughter of Diana (née Ida Rosen) and Emanuel Streisand. Her mother was at one time a singer and her father was a high school teacher. Her family was Jewish; her paternal grandparents immigrated from Galicia and her maternal grandparents from Russia. Streisand attended the Jewish Orthodox Yeshiva of Brooklyn, where she gave a solo performance at the age of seven. She later attended Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn, where she joined the Freshman Chorus and Choral Club.

Streisand has recorded 50 studio albums and began recording in the 1960s. She has also appeared in such films as Funny Girl, Yentl, Meet the Fockers and The Guilt Trip. Throughout her career she has won many awards, including Academy Awards, Emmy Awards, Grammy Awards and Tony Awards.

Is Norman Schwarzkopf Jewish?


Norman Schwarzkopf was not Jewish. Born Herbert Norman Schwarzkopf on August 22, 1934, the four-star United States Army general was commander of coalition forces in the Persian Gulf War.

Norman Schwarzkopf Jewish

Schwarzkopf was born in Trenton, New Jersey. His mother was Ruth Alice (née Bowman) and his father was Herbert Norman Schwarzkopf, who served in the US Army before becoming the Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police.

According to Wikipedia, in 1946, when he was 12, Schwarzkopf and the rest of his family joined their father, stationed in Tehran, Iran, where his father went on to be instrumental in Operation Ajax, eventually forming the Shah's secret police SAVAK, as well. He attended the Community High School in Tehran, later the International School of Geneva at La Châtaigneraie, Frankfurt High School in Frankfurt, Germany and attended and graduated from Valley Forge Military Academy. He was also a member of Mensa.

General Norman Schwarzkopf, known as "Stormin' Norman", died on December 27, 2012.

Is Jim Schwartz Jewish?

Jim Schwartz is not a Jew. Schwartz is the head coach for the Detroit Lions and previously coached the Tennessee Titans and the Baltimore Ravens.

Jim Schwartz Jewish


Schwartz was born just outside Baltimore, Maryland and attended Mount Saint Joseph High School, an all-male Catholic school, where he played football. He then played for Georgetown University where he was the team captain. 
In 2011, Schwartz led the Detroit Lions to the playoffs for the first time since 1999. 


Is Paul Rudd Jewish?

Paul Rudd is a Jew. Paul Rudd is best known for his roles in The 40-Year Old Virgin, Anchorman and I Love You, Man. He also played Mike Hannigan on Friends and starred on Broadway in Grace.

Paul Rudd Jewish


Rudd's parents, Michael and Gloria, were both Jewish. Their last name was originally Rudnitzky but was changed by his grandfather to Rudd. Rudd had a bar mitzvah.

Rudd was born in Passaic, New Jersey and was raised in Overland Park, Kansas. He attended the University of Kansas and spent time at the British American Drama Academy based in Oxford, U.K. While attending acting school, Rudd worked as a DJ.

Is Hugh Jackman Jewish?

Hugh Jackman is not Jewish. The actor best known for his roles as Wolverine in X-Men and Jean Valjean in a scene from "Les Misérables" (2012).

Hugh Jackman Jewish

Jackman was born in Sydney, New South Wales. His parents were devout Christians, having been converted by Evangelist Billy Graham after their marriage. His parents are Grace McNeil (née Greenwood) and Christopher John Jackman. His parents were English-born and immigrated to Australia. One of Jackman's paternal great-grandfathers was Greek.

Monday 24 December 2012

Is Jack Klugman Jewish?

Jack Klugman was Jewish. The actor, famous for his role in The Odd Couple, died on December 24, 2012 at his home in Northridge, California.

Jack Klugman, Jewish

Klugman was born in Philadelphia, the son of Rose, a hat maker, and Max Klugman, a house painter. Klugman's parents were Russian Jewish immigrants. He attended Carnegie Institute of Technology, now Carnegie Mellon University, where he graduated in 1948.

Klugman, who also starred in the original film version of "12 Angry Men," won two Emmy Awards for his portrayal of sloppy and careless New York sportswriter Oscar Madison. He went on to star in the television series "Quincy, M.E.," in which he played a medical examiner. The other half of the "Odd Couple," Tony Randall, who portrayed the finicky photographer Felix Unger, died in 2004. Klugman also performed in the original Broadway production of "The Odd Couple" as a replacement for Walter Matthau.

Tuesday 18 December 2012

Is Hal Schaefer Jewish?

Hal Schaefer was Jewish. Schaefer arranged music for films and served as a vocal coach for Marilyn Monroe and Judy Garland.


He was born to Jewish parents in Queens, New York. His father was a house painter. Shaefer died December 8, 2012.

Monday 17 December 2012

Is Richard Engel Jewish?

Richard Engel is Jewish. The American television journalist and author is best known as NBC News's chief foreign correspondent. Engel was assigned to that position after being the network's Middle East correspondent and Beirut Bureau chief. Before joining NBC News, he covered the start of the 2003 war in Iraq from Baghdad for ABC News as a freelance journalist.


Richard Engel grew up in a Jewish family on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, New York City. He was diagnosed with dyslexia as a child. He has an older brother who is a cardiologist. His father is a former Goldman Sachs financier. His mother Nina used to run an antiques store.

Engel reads and speaks Arabic fluently and is also fluent in Italian and Spanish. He has published two books.  "A Fist in the Hornet's Nest" is about his experience covering the Iraq War from Baghdad and his most recent book "War Journal: My Five Years in Iraq" is a sequel to the first publication.

Richard Engel was been missing in Syria for a week along with Turkish correspondent for NBC, Aziz Akyavas when the two were taken hostage. The hostages were subsequently released on December 18, 2012. 

Saturday 8 December 2012

Is Jack Antonoff Jewish?

Jack Antonoff is Jewish. The guitarist and vocalist of the indie band fun. is Jewish and attended a Solomon Schechter Day School.


Antonoff grew up in New Milford, New Jersey and attended elementary school at the Solomon Schechter Day School of Bergen County, New Jersey. In high school he was a classmate of Scarlett Johansson, whom he dated from 2001 to 2002. There are rumors that he is dating Lena Dunham, the author and star of HBO's "Girls."

Antonoff has been a guest blogger for The Huffington Post where he has written in favor of gay rights and of the importance of straight allies.

Sunday 25 November 2012

Is Larry Hagman Jewish?

Larry Hagman was not Jewish. The actor known most for his role as oil baron J.R. Ewing on Dallas was not a Jew.

Was Larry Hagman Jewish?

Hagman was born in Fort Worth, Texas to Mary Martin and Benjamin Jackson "Jack" Hageman. His father was a lawyer, accountant, and district attorney, while his mother was an actress. His father was of Swedish descent.

Hagman's parents divorced in 1936, when he was five years old. He lived with his grandmother in Texas and California while his mother became a contract player with Paramount in 1938. In 1940, his mother met and married Richard Halliday.

The actor died in November 2012.

Friday 23 November 2012

Is Deborah Raffin Jewish?

Deborah Raffin was Jewish. Raffin was born in Los Angeles, California to Trudy Marshall, a Brooklyn-born former movie actress, and Phillip Jordan Raffin, a restaurateur and business executive.

Raffin was known as movie star and the founder of a large audio-book company. Raffin and her husband, movie producer Michael Viner, launched the audio-book company Dove Books-on-Tape in the mid-'80s, publishing a profitable mix of titles that included Sidney Sheldon's "The Naked Face" and Stephen Hawking's "A Brief History of Time."

Was Deborah Raffin Jewish?

According to her Wikipedia entry, Raffin appeared in several 1970s Hollywood films. Her 1976 television movie Nightmare in Badham County became a theatrical hit in mainland China, making Raffin a star there, and leading to her later becoming the first Western actress ever to make a movie promotion tour in that country. She was nominated for both a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Motion Picture Drama and a Razzie Award for Worst Actress for her performance in Touched by Love in 1981.

In 1988, she starred in James Clavell's Noble House with Pierce Brosnan. In 1991, she appeared as Julie Vale, a telepath, in the cult film Scanners II: The New Order. She later appeared as Aunt Julie on the television show 7th Heaven, and as Dr. Hightower in the ABC Family teenager series, The Secret Life of the American Teenager.

Together with Michael Viner, who predeceased her in 2009, the couple had one child and divorced in 2005. Raffin died in her native Los Angeles on November 21, 2012, aged 59, from leukemia.

Monday 12 November 2012

Is Demi Lovato Jewish?


Demi Lovato is not Jewish. The famous teen actress and singer announced in a tweet on Twitter that she is part Jewish. The teenage celeb using her Twitter handle @ddlovato tweeted to @jCarolinaa_ that she found out that she's Jewish in addition to several other nationalities and races. (see the tweet below)

 actually - I found out that I am Irish, Hispanic, Native American, Portuguese and Jewish!!!

Is Demi Lovato Jewish

According to her Wikipedia entry, Lovato's ancestry includes Mexican, Irish, Italian, and English roots. She was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico on August 20, 1992, and raised in Dallas, Texas. She is the daughter of Dianna Hart de la Garza (born Dianna Lee Smith) and Patrick Martin Lovato. She has an older sister, Dallas Lovato, and a younger half-sister, Madison de la Garza, from her mother's re-marriage. Her mother was a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader and country music recording artist.

Friday 14 September 2012

Is David Gregory Jewish?

Yes, David Gregory, a journalist and host of NBC's Meet the Press, is Jewish. Gregory was born to a Jewish father and non-Jewish mother, but was raised in the Jewish faith and now lives an active Jewish life.


Gregory told the Washington Jewish Week that he says a bedtime Sh'ma prayer with his children as a way to model Judaism for them and "create a Jewish narrative in their lives that's not just obligatory." In the same article, he said that he has studied Torah with Erica Brown, scholar-in-residence of the Greater Washington Jewish Federation.

David Gregory was born in Los Angeles, California to Carolyn Surtees, an account manager, and Don Gregory, a film and theatrical producer. Gregory has been the NBC chief White House correspondent and is an occasional personality on NBC's Today Show.

Gregory is married to former federal prosecutor and former Fannie Mae executive vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary, Beth Wilkinson, who is not Jewish. The couple met while Gregory was covering the Oklahoma City bombing as a reporter and Wilkinson was serving as prosecutor on the case. The couple has a son and twins — one daughter and one son.

According to Wikipedia, Gregory was assigned by NBC to the press corps covering George W. Bush when he ran for president in 2000. During the campaign, Bush threw a party for Gregory's 30th birthday, complete with cake, on the campaign plane. Bush has nicknamed Gregory "Stretch" because of his height (6'5") and also "Dancing Man," for Gregory's occasional propensity to display his dance moves.

Thursday 6 September 2012

Is Bob Denver Jewish?

Bob Denver was not Jewish. Known for his role as Gilligan in the TV show Gilligan's Island, Bob Denver was Catholic.


Denver was born in New Rochelle, New York, and raised in Brownwood, Texas. He graduated from Loyola University (predecessor to today's Loyola Marymount University) in Los Angeles, California. After attending the Sylvia Herpolscheimer Academy for Performance Arts, he first found work as a mailman. He later coached physical education and taught mathematics at Corpus Christi School, a Roman Catholic elementary school in Pacific Palisades, California.

Is Art Modell Jewish?

Art Modell was Jewish. The owner of the Cleveland Browns and then the Baltimore Ravens was Jewish. Modell is the grandson of the late Morris Modell who founded the northeast sporting goods store chain Modell's in 1889. He is also the son of late Modell's executive Henry Modell.


Modell moved the NFL Cleveland Browns to Baltimore in 1996. The Jewish business tycoon and mega philanthropist died in September 2012.

Friday 31 August 2012

Is Pat Monahan Jewish?

Pat Monahan is not Jewish. Born Patrick Monahan on February 28, 1969 in Erie, Pennsylvania, the singer-songwriter, musician and occasional actor is not a Jew. Monahan is the lead singer and songwriter for the band Train and has also recorded a solo album.


In the Train song "50 Ways to Say Goodbye", Monahan hand sings about his lover leaving him on Yom Kippur, the Jewish day of repentance. No word on why Monahan chose Yom Kippur to be used in the lyrics, but he is certainly not Jewish.

Thursday 30 August 2012

Is Novak Djokovic Jewish?

Tennis star Novak Djokovic is not Jewish. He was born in Belgrade, Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, to parents Srđan and Dijana Đoković. His religion is Serbian Orthodox Christian.


While the tennis champion isn't Jewish, he has many close relationships with Israeli Jews, including his long-time managers and fitness coaches.

Is Jose Bautista Jewish?

Jose Bautista is Jewish. The right-handed pitcher was born José Joaquín Bautista Arias in 1964 in Baní, Dominican Republic. Bautista was born to a Dominican father and an Israeli mother.


Bautista's mother's family was originally from Russia. His father was born in the Dominican. Jose Bautista and his wife, who is Russian, are observant Jews. The Bautistas maintain a Kosher home.

The Dominican Republic has a small (around 300) Jewish community and Jose Bautista is the only Major League Baseball player from the Dominican Jewish community.

Saturday 25 August 2012

Is Jerry Nelson Jewish?

Jerry Nelson was not a Jew. The puppeteer behind the Sesame Street character "Count Von Count" died of emphysema in August 2012.



Nelson was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma and raised in Washington, D.C. He had a daughter who died of Cystic Fibrosis at a young age.

Is Neil Armstrong Jewish?

Neil Armstrong isn't a Jew. The first man to walk on the moon was not Jewish. He died in August 2012 at 82.


Neil Armstrong was born on August 5, 1930 in Wapakoneta, Ohio, to Stephen Koenig Armstrong and Viola Louise Engel. He was of Scottish and German descent.

Is Chad Kroeger Jewish?

Chad Kroeger is not a Jew. While some might think Kroeger sounds Jewish, the Canadian songwriter, singer and guitarist was actually born Chad Robert Turton.


Kroeger is the lead vocalist and guitarist for the Canadian rock band Nickelback. He became engaged to marry Avril Lavigne in August 2012.

Thursday 23 August 2012

Is Phyllis Diller Jewish?

Phyllis Diller is not a Jew. The actress was born Phyllis Ada Driver in Lima, Ohio, the daughter of Frances Ada (née Romshe) and Perry Marcus Driver.


She has German and Irish ancestry. Phyllis Diller was raised a Methodist. She died in August 2012.

Monday 20 August 2012

Is Tony Scott Jewish?

Tony Scott was not Jewish. The director of such movies as The Hunger, Top Gun, Beverly Hills Cop II, Days of Thunder, The Last Boy Scout, True Romance, Crimson Tide, Enemy of the State, Spy Game, Man on Fire, Déjà Vu, The Taking of Pelham 123 and Unstoppable died of an apparent suicide in August 2012.



Scott was born in North Shields in Northeast England and was the youngest of three sons born to Elizabeth and Colonel Francis Percy Scott, including his brother Ridley Scott, the famous movie director .

Friday 17 August 2012

Is Daniel Radcliffe Jewish?

Daniel Radcliffe is a Jew. The actor, known for his recurring role in the Harry Potter movies, was born on July 23, 1989 in West London, England to a Jewish mother.


He is the only child of Alan George Radcliffe, a literary agent, and Marcia Jeannine Gresham (née Marcia Gresham Jacobson), a casting agent. While Radcliffe's mother is Jewish, he was raised without religion.

Is Shia LaBeouf Jewish?

Shia LaBeouf is a Jew. He was born in Los Angeles to a Jewish mother and a Cajun/French father. He is the only child of Shayna (née Saide) and Jeffrey Craig LaBeouf.


LaBeouf was raised Jewish and had a Bar Mitzvah, but he was also baptized in the Angelus church.

Shia LaBeouf has linked to China Brezner, Carey Mulligan, Isabel Lucas and Megan Fox. Shia LaBeouf recently announced that his blockbuster phase is over and he'll only work with indie artistes. He is set to star in Lars Von Trier's Nymphomaniac, which will reportedly be shot in both softcore and hardcore versions and potentially require its cast to perform unsimulated sex scenes.

Thursday 16 August 2012

Is Ellie Goulding Jewish?

Ellie Goulding is Jewish. The website "Shalom Life" called GouldingThe newest Jewish Brit to skyrocket to the top of the U.S. music charts since the late Amy Winehouse."


Goulding is the second of four children to Tracey Clark and Arthur Goulding. Goulding began playing the clarinet at the age of nine, and at 14 began learning guitar. She started songwriting at the age of 15 and while in college she won a singing competition.

Goulding was invited to sing at the April 2011 wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton where she performed a cover of Elton John’s “Your Song” at their wedding reception at Buckingham Palace.

Known as an avid runner who takes to the streets for up to six miles a day, Goulding is allegedly in a relationship with American producer and DJ, Sonny Moore.

Tuesday 14 August 2012

Is Ron Palillo Jewish?

Ron Palillo was not Jewish. The actor Ron Palillo played Arnold Horshack on the 1970s TV series “Welcome Back, Kotter”. Horshack was the class clown of the Sweathogs, completely comfortable with his oddball, if innocent personality.


Palillo died at his Palm Beach Gardens home on August 14, 2012. He was 63.

Tuesday 31 July 2012

Is Anne Hathaway Jewish?

Anne Hathaway is not Jewish. Hathaway was raised Catholic, but left the Catholic Church.

Hathaway is the child of Gerald Thomas Hathaway, is a lawyer, and Kathleen Ann (née McCauley), an actress. Hathaway is of mostly Irish and French ancestry, with distant Native American and German roots.


Hathaway has said she wanted to be a nun during her childhood, but  decided against it at the age of 15, after learning her brother, Michael, was gay. She now identifies as a nondenominational Christian.

Is Christian Bale Jewish?

Christian Bale is not Jewish. Bale was born in Wales to parents of English descent. His mother Jenny (née James) was a circus performer and his South African–born father David Charles Howard Bale was an entrepreneur, commercial pilot, and talent manager. Christian Bale spent his childhood in England, Portugal, and the United States.


His father remarried Gloria Steinem in 2000 and they were married until David Bale's death in 2003. Steinem is Jewish.

Is Alexander Gould Jewish?

Yes, Alexander Gould is a Jew. was born in Los Angeles, California to Tom and Valerie Gould who are both Jewish. His sisters Emma and Kelly are both actors as well. Alexander Gould has been raised Jewish and he is active in the Conservative Jewish youth group United Synagogue Youth. In 2012, Gould will spend a year living in Israel as a participant on USY Nativ, the youth group's Gap Year in Israel program.


Gould is famous for voicing the title character of Disney/Pixar's Finding Nemo. On TV, Gould plays the role of Shane Botwin on the Showtime series "Weeds," as well as guest-starring on Ally McBeal, Malcolm in the Middle, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Supernatural, and Pushing Daisies.

Is Meital Dohan Jewish?

Meital Dohan is a Jew. The beautiful Israeli actress played a female rabbi on the Showtime TV show Weeds.


Dohan is a comedian, stage, television and film actress, singer, and playwright. Outside of Israel, she is mostly known for her role as "Yael Hoffman" on Weeds.

Tuesday 10 July 2012

Is Andrew Garfield Jewish?

Andrew Garfield is a Jew. The actor was born in Los Angeles to a British mother from Essex and an American father from California. Andrew Garfield moved with his family to Britain when he was three years old.

Garfield's parents ran a small interior design business. His father, Richard, was head coach of the Guildford Swimming Club and his mother, Lynn, wass a teaching assistant at a nursery school.

In addition to his role in Aaron Sorkin's "The Social Network," Garfield has portrayed Peter Parker in the 2012 sequel of "Spiderman." During an interview before the release of "Spiderman," an interviewer asked Garfield where'd all his fretting came from to which he responded, "Being Jewish."

Is Stan Lee Jewish?

Stan Lee is a Jew. The creator of many famous comic books and comic characters was born Stanley Martin Lieber on  December 28, 1922.

His parents were Romanian-born Jewish immigrants. His mother was Celia Solomon Lieber. His father was Jack Lieber, a dress cutter, who worked only sporadically after the Great Depression.


Stan Lee is the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics. According to his Wikipedia entry, "in collaboration with several artists, most notably Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko, he co-created Spider-Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, Iron Man, Thor, and many other fictional characters, introducing complex, naturalistic characters and a thoroughly shared universe into superhero comic books. In addition, he headed the first major successful challenge to the industry's censorship organization, the Comics Code Authority, and forced it to reform its policies. Lee subsequently led the expansion of Marvel Comics from a small division of a publishing house to a large multimedia corporation."

Monday 9 July 2012

Is Ernest Borgnine Jewish?

Ernest Borgnine was not Jewish. He was of Italian descent. Borgnine died July 8, 2012.

Friday 6 July 2012

Is Aly Raisman Jewish?

Olympic gymnast Aly Raisman is Jewish. Alexandra Raisman began gymnastics as a toddler when her mother Lynn, a former high school gymnast, put her in a "Mommy & Me" class at 18 months old. She has three younger siblings.


In a recent competition Aly performed to music that is traditionally played at Jewish weddings during the Horah dance called "Siman Tov U'Mazel Tov".

Aly will compete in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

Friday 29 June 2012

Is Katie Holmes Jewish?

Katie Holmes is not Jewish.

Holmes is of Russian, German, English and Irish ancestry and was baptized a Roman Catholic. She attended Christ the King Church and parochial schools in Toledo. Holmes was born in Toledo, Ohio to Kathleen (née Stothers), a homemaker and philanthropist, and Martin Joseph Holmes, Sr., an attorney specializing in divorces. She has three older sisters and one older brother.


Katie Holmes is currently married to actor Tom Cruise, who affiliates with the Scientology movement. The couple announced they are divorcing.

Wednesday 27 June 2012

Is Nora Ephron Jewish?

Nora Ephron was Jewish. However, she was not religious. In an NPR interview she said, "You can never have too much butter – that is my belief. If I have a religion, that's it."

Nora Ephron was born on May 19, 1941 and she died on June 26, 2012.

Source: AP

She was born in New York City to Phoebe (née Wolkind) and Henry Ephron, who were both screenwriters. Both of Ephron's parents were Jewish. When she was four years old, the family moved to Beverly Hills, California.

Tuesday 19 June 2012

Is Leona Helmsley Jewish?

Leona Helmsley was Jewish. Leona Helmsley was born Lena Mindy Rosenthal.

Both of her parents were Polish Jewish immigrants. Her father was a hatmaker. She was born in Marbletown, New York.


Her family moved to Brooklyn while she was still a girl, and moved six more times before settling in Manhattan. She dropped out of Abraham Lincoln High School to seek her fortune.[3] In a short time, she changed her name several times—from Lee Roberts, Mindy Roberts and Leni Roberts. Eventually, she decided on Leona Mindy Roberts.

According to her Wikipedia entry, her first husband was attorney Leo Panzirer, whom she divorced in 1952. Their only son was Jay (1940–1982), who had four children with his wife, Mimi. Leona was twice married to and divorced from her second husband, garment industry executive Joseph Lubin. After a brief stint at a sewing factory, she joined a New York real estate firm, where she eventually became vice-president.

Tuesday 12 June 2012

Is Zac Efron Jewish?

Zac Efron is a Jew. The actor was born Zachary David Alexander Efron. While he is Jewish and born to a Jewish mother, he grew up agnostic and has never practiced Judaism.


According to Wikipedia, Efron was “born in San Luis Obispo, California and later moved to Arroyo Grande, California. His father, David Efron, is an engineer at a power plant, and his mother, Starla Baskett, is a former secretary who worked at the same power plant as Efron’s father. Efron had a self-described “normal childhood” in a middle class family, and has a younger brother, Dylan. Efron is of Jewish ancestry and is an agnostic, having never been religious.”

Zac Efron and Lily Collins were dating, but as of June 2012 the couple has parted ways.

“Efron” in Hebrew means “lark,” as in the singing bird.

Monday 11 June 2012

Is David Arquette Jewish?

David Arquette is Jewish.

David Arquette was born in a Virginia Subud commune, which had no electricity, bathrooms or running water. His mother, Brenda Olivia "Mardi" (née Nowak), is Jewish. She is an actress and poet. His father Lewis converted to Islam.


His mother is the daughter of a Polish Holocaust refugee. His siblings are Rosanna, Alexis (born Robert), Richmond, and Patricia Arquette.

In June 2012 David Arquette celebrated his bar mitzvah at a ceremony at the Western Wall in Jerusalem.

Thursday 7 June 2012

Is Ray Bradbury Jewish?

Ray Bradbury was not Jewish. The famous author was born in 1920 in Waukegan, Illinois and died on June 5, 2012.

Bradbury was born to to Esther Moberg Bradbury and Leonard Spaulding Bradbury. His mother was a Swedish immigrant. His father worked as a power and telephone lineman. Bradbury was married for 56 years to his muse and late wife, Maggie.


Ray Bradbury was descended from Mary Bradbury, who was tried at Salem witch trials in 1692.

In interviews, Ray Bradbury claimed to be a "delicatessen religionist" and not a member of one particular faith. He explained that he drew from many faiths and credited God for being such an amazing and prolific writer. In a 2010 interview with CNN, he said he decided to write his first short story at 12his friendships with everyone from Walt Disney to Alfred Hitchcock—is based on love.

Tuesday 5 June 2012

Is Penny Marshall Jewish?

Penny Marshall is not a Jew. Penny Marshall was born Carole Penelope Marshall on October 15, 1942.


The actress, producer and director is the daughter of Marjorie Irene (née Ward), a tap dance teacher, and Anthony Wallace Marshall, a director and producer. Penny Marshall is the sister of the famous actor/director/TV producer Garry Marshall.

Penny Marshall's father was of Italian descent and her mother was of English and Scottish descent.

Wednesday 30 May 2012

Is Tim Cook Jewish?

Tim Cook is not Jewish. The CEO of Apple Co. is not a Jew.

Tim Cook grew up in Robertsdale, Alabama, near Mobile. His father was a shipyard worker. He graduated from Robertsdale High School and Auburn University. He earned a MBA from Duke University.

Tuesday 29 May 2012

Is Doc Watson Jewish?

Doc Watson was not Jewish. Born Arthel Lane Watson, the American guitar player, songwriter and singer died on Tuesday, May 29 2012.

Doc Watson sang bluegrass, folk, country, blues and gospel music. He won seven Grammy awards in his lifetime. Watson was was born in Deep Gap, North Carolina. He was married to Rosa Lee Carlton and they had two children.

Sunday 20 May 2012

Is Robin Gibb Jewish?

Robin Gibb was a Jew, but not practicing. He and his brothers Maurice, Brian, and Andrew were born to a Jewish mother, Barbara Pass and a non-Jewish father Hugh Gibb.

The member of the Bee Gees was born in Isle of Man. He died on May 20, 2012.

Saturday 19 May 2012

Is Priscilla Chan Jewish?

Priscilla Chan is not Jewish. She is now married to Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook.

The couple dated for many years before marrying on Saturday, May 19, 2012 in a small ceremony in the backyard of Mark Zuckerberg's Palo Alto, California home. Zuckerberg and Chan met while students at Harvard University. 

Chan is a Chinese-American and the two began dating before Zuckerberg founded Facebook. 

While Mark Zuckerberg is Jewish, he has stated that he is now an atheist.

Is Mark Zuckerberg Jewish?

Mark Zuckerberg is a Jew. The Facebook founder was born to Karen and Edward Zuckerberg in 1984.

Zuckerberg's mother is a psychiatrist, and his father is a dentist. Zuckerberg has three sisters, Randi, Donna, and Arielle. Randi worked at Facebook during the early years. She is now married to Brent Tworetzky and the couple has a son, Asher.


Zuckerberg and his sisters were raised Jewish in Dobbs Ferry, New York and they attended Temple Beth Abraham, a Reform temple in Tarrytown, New York. Mark Zuckerberg celebrated his bar mitzvah at Temple Beth Abraham, which Rabbi David Holtz recalls had a "Star Wars" theme at the bar mitzvah party.

As an adult, Zuckerberg has described himself as an atheist. On Saturday, May 19, 2012 Mark Zuckerberg married his longtime girlfriend Priscilla Chan. The couple married in a small ceremony in Zuckerberg's back yard of his Palo Alto, California home. The wedding took place just days after Priscilla Chan graduated from UCSF Medical School, which was coincidentally Mark Zuckerberg's 28th birthday. The wedding also took place the day after Facebook's IPO.

Sunday 13 May 2012

Is Jamie Dimon Jewish?

Jamie Dimon is not Jewish. The JPMorgan Chase CEO is married to a Jewish woman, but Dimon did not convert to Judaism before their wedding or during their marriage.

Dimon is married to Judith Kent; they have three children: Julia, Laura, and Kara Leigh.

Thursday 10 May 2012

Is Howard Stern Jewish?

Howard Stern is a Jew. Howard Stern was born on January 12, 1954 to a Jewish family in Jackson Heights, Queens. His father Ben and mother Ray Schiffman are of Austro-Hungarian immigrants.


The supermodel Elle MacPherson recently called Howard Stern "absolutely Jewish" on his Sirius Radio talk show.

Is Vidal Sassoon Jewish?

Vidal Sassoon was Jewish. According to the JTA, Vidal Sassoon grew up in a Jewish orphanage from the age of 3 after his father left the family. He is a native of London and both of his parents were Jewish.

He left school at 14 to become an apprentice hairdresser and at the age of 20, he joined the Haganah and fought in Israel's War for Independence.


Sassoon was a celebrity hairstylist. For much of his life he was committed to fighting anti-Semitism. He was married and had four children.

Sassoon died on May 9, 2012 in Los Angeles at the age of 84 due to complications of leukemia. Coincidentally, Sassoon died on the Jewish holiday Lag BaOmer, when it is customary for Jews to get their first haircuts following Passover.

Wednesday 9 May 2012

Is John Travolta Jewish?

John Travolta is not a Jew. Travolta currently affiliates with the Scientology movement.


Travolta was born and raised in Englewood, New Jersey. His father, Salvatore Travolta was a semi-pro football player . His mother, Helen Cecilia Burke Travolta was an actress. Travolta grew up in an Irish-American neighborhood and was raised Roman Catholic. He converted to the Church of Scientology in 1975.

John Travolta’s lawyer Marty Singer is Jewish.

Is Ashton Kutcher Jewish?

Ashton Kutcher is not Jewish. Many people hold the belief that Ashton Kutcher is a Jew due to his status as a student of Kabbalah. His marriage to fellow Kabbalah follower Demi Moore was presided over by Yehuda Berg of the Kabbalah Centre. The couple is currently separated.

Kutcher was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He is the son of Diane Finnegan Larry Kutcher, a factory worker. His father is of Bohemian (Czech) descent and his mother is of Irish, German, and Bohemian ancestry.



Recently, Kutcher has come under fire for his brownface performance for an advertisement for Popchips.

Tuesday 8 May 2012

Is Daniel Tosh Jewish?

Daniel Tosh is not Jewish. Some people think that Daniel Tosh is a Jew based on his comedy, but he's not Jewish. His father is a preacher.



Tosh was born in Boppard, Rhineland-Palatinate, West Germany and grew up in Titusville, Florida.

Is Maurice Sendak Jewish?

Maurice Sendak is Jewish. The famous children's author Maurice Sendak, who died on Tuesday, May 8, 2012, was born to Polish Jewish immigrants. Born in Brooklyn, New York  to Sarah Schindler and Philip Sendak. His father was a dressmaker.


Most of Sendak's extended family perished in The Holocaust. Sendak decided to become an illustrator after seeing Disney's Fantasia at twelve. Sendak's father would tell him tales from the Torah and the young Sendak would embellish these narratives into his own stories. His most famous book was the children's bestseller "Where the Wild Things Are".

Sendak was a gay man and lived with his partner, Eugene Glynn, a psychoanalyst. The couple was together for 50 years before Eugene Glynn’s death in May 2007. Maurice Sendak donated $1 million to the Jewish Board of Family and Children's Services to memorialize his life partner Glynn, who had treated young people there.

Sendak died on May 8, 2012 in Danbury, Connecticut, from complications of a stroke.