Steven Spielberg is Jewish. Spielberg, the acclaimed movie director, was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, to a Jewish family mother and father. Spielberg's mother, Leah Adler was a restaurateur and concert pianist, and his father, Arnold Spielberg was an electrical engineer involved in the development of computers. Spielberg was raised in Haddon Township, New Jersey. Spielberg has reflected on his childhood and recalls suffering from acts of anti-Semitism.
After his parents divorced, he moved to Saratoga, California with his father. His three sisters and mother remained in Arizona. Steven Spielberg went to Hebrew school from 1953 to 1957, in classes taught by Rabbi Albert L. Lewis, the main character in Mitch Albom's book Have a Little Faith.
Of his upbringing as a religious Jew Spielberg has explained, "It isn't something I enjoy admitting, but when I was seven, eight, nine years old, God forgive me, I was embarrassed because we were Orthodox Jews. I was embarrassed by the outward perception of my parents' Jewish practices. I was never really ashamed to be Jewish, but I was uneasy at times. My grandfather always wore a long black coat, black hat and long white beard. I was embarrassed to invite my friends over to the house, because he might be in a corner davening [praying], and I wouldn't know how to explain this to my WASP friends" (Parade Magazine. March 27, 1994).
After his parents divorced, he moved to Saratoga, California with his father. His three sisters and mother remained in Arizona. Steven Spielberg went to Hebrew school from 1953 to 1957, in classes taught by Rabbi Albert L. Lewis, the main character in Mitch Albom's book Have a Little Faith.
Of his upbringing as a religious Jew Spielberg has explained, "It isn't something I enjoy admitting, but when I was seven, eight, nine years old, God forgive me, I was embarrassed because we were Orthodox Jews. I was embarrassed by the outward perception of my parents' Jewish practices. I was never really ashamed to be Jewish, but I was uneasy at times. My grandfather always wore a long black coat, black hat and long white beard. I was embarrassed to invite my friends over to the house, because he might be in a corner davening [praying], and I wouldn't know how to explain this to my WASP friends" (Parade Magazine. March 27, 1994).
