Is Allen Neuharth Jewish?

Allen Neuharth was not Jewish. The founder of the USA Today national newspaper, Neuharth was born in Eureka, South Dakota to Daniel J. and Christina (who married on January 11, 1922).

Newharth was an American businessman, author, and columnist. He was the founder of USA Today, The Freedom Forum, and its Newseum.

Allen Neuharth died on April 19, 2013.

Is Margaret Thatcher Jewish?

Margaret Thatcher was not Jewish. Thatcher was the longest serving prime minister of the United Kingdom during the 20th century.

Margaret Thatcher was born Margaret Roberts in Grantham, Lincolnshire, on 13 October 1925. Her father was Alfred Roberts, originally from Northamptonshire, and her mother was Beatrice Ethel (née Stephenson) from Lincolnshire.

Thatcher died of a stroke on April 8, 2013. "It is with great sadness that Mark and Carol Thatcher announced that their mother Baroness Thatcher died peacefully following a stroke this morning," Lord Tim Bell said, according to Reuters.


According to the Jewish Chronicle:

Baroness Thatcher, was described as "a giant who had a transformative impact on Britain" by chief rabbi Lord Sacks. He added: "I first got to know her early on in my life when she was the local MP. She was loved and admired by many in the Jewish community who will miss her deeply. Few people in my lifetime have left such a personal imprint on British life. She was always extremely supportive and admiring of the ethos of the British Jewish community," said Vivian Wineman, president of the Board of Deputies. "This close relationship began when her family took in a young Austrian Jewish refugee from Nazism in the late 1930s. When she entered Parliament as MP for Finchley, a very Jewish constituency, her relationship with local Jewish institutions blossomed and continued throughout her illustrious career as Prime Minister.

Is Roger Ebert Jewish?

Roger Ebert was not Jewish. The famous film critic was one-half of the movie reviewing team of Siskel and Ebert with the late Gene Siskel, who was Jewish.

Roger Joseph Ebert was born in Urbana, Illinois, the son of Annabel (née Stumm) and Walter H. Ebert, an electrician. His paternal grandparents were German immigrants and his maternal ancestry is Dutch, Irish, and German.

Ebert died on April 4, 2013.

Is Chuck Todd Jewish?

Chuck Todd is Jewish. The NBC news correspondent and journalist was born in Miami, Florida, the son of Lois Cheri (née Bernstein) and Stephen Randolph Todd. He is Jewish on his mother's side, and was raised in a Jewish home.

Todd resides in Arlington, Virginia, with his wife, Kristian Denny Todd, daughter Margaret, and son Harrison.


During President Obama and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's joint press conference in Jerusalem during Obama's March 2013 visit of the Jewish State, Chuck Todd asked several questions. That led to Obama joking with Chuck Todd that he was asking too many questions. Todd joked that Passover was approaching and he was entitled to ask four questions. Appearing later on the Today Show, Todd made several other Passover references asking Matt Lauer, "Why is this press conference different from all other press conferences?"

Is Shiri Appleby Jewish

Shiri Appleby is Jewish. The actress who played roles in the final season of ER and in Charlie Wilson's War is currently playing a supporting role in HBO's Girls.

Appleby was born in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of Dina Bouader, a Hebrew school teacher, and Jerry Appleby, a telecommunications executive. Her mother is Israeli-born and of Sephardic Moroccan Jewish background, and her father is an American Jew.

Is Joan Rivers Jewish?

Joan Rivers was Jewish. The comedian and celebrity fashion critic (mostly seen on the red carpet before and after award ceremonies), Joan Rivers was born Joan Alexandra Molinsky in Brooklyn, New York, the daughter of Russian Jewish immigrants Beatrice (née Grushman; January 6, 1906 – October 1975) and Meyer C. Molinsky (December 7, 1900 – January 1985). Joan Rivers died on September 4, 2014 after entering the hospital with heart failure and going into a coma.

Rivers was raised in Brooklyn, New York. She attended Connecticut College between 1950 and 1952 and graduated from Barnard College in 1954 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English literature and anthropology. Her agent Tony Rivers advised her to change her name, so she chose Joan Rivers as her stage name.

Rivers' first marriage was in 1955 to James Sanger, the son of a Bond Clothing Stores merchandise manager. The marriage lasted only six weeks and was annulled on the basis that Sanger did not want children and had not informed Rivers before the wedding.

Rivers then married Edgar Rosenberg in 1965. Rosenberg committed suicide in 1987. Their only child, Melissa Warburg Rosenberg (now known as Melissa Rivers), was born on January 20, 1968. She has one grandson, Melissa's son Cooper (born Edgar Cooper Endicott on December 1, 2000).

Is Seth Rogen Jewish?

Yes, Seth Rogen is a Jew. Rogen is a comedian and actor known for his roles in The 40-Year Old Virgin, Knocked Up and Funny People.

Rogen was born in Vancouver, British Columbia. His mother, Sandy, is a social worker and his father, Mark Rogen, worked for non-profit organizations and as an assistant director of a Workmen's Circle. He has described his parents, who met at an Israeli kibbutz, as radical Jewish socialists. He has one older sister, Danya. Rogen attended Vancouver Talmud Torah Elementary School and Point Grey Secondary School (although he never graduated). Rogen was known for the stand-up comedy he performed at Camp Miriam, a Habonim Dror camp.

Is Charlize Theron Jewish?

No, Charlize Theron is not a member of the Jewish people and does not have a Jewish heritage. The actress, Theron, is a South African actress known for her roles in Mighty Joe Young, The Cider House Rules, Monster, Young Adult, Snow White & the Huntsman and Prometheus.

Theron was born in Benoni, South Africa. She is the only child of Gerda and Charles Theron. Her ancestry includes French, German, and Dutch and her French forebears were early settlers in South Africa.

Theron's career began at age 16 when she began modeling and moved to Milan, Italy. A year later she came to the US and after struggling in New York, moved to LA. A short time later she got her first role in a film in Children of the Corn III. Her career took off from there.

Although Theron is not a Jew, she has been spotted wearing a red string bracelet, a sign of her connection to Kabbalah.

Is Alan Arkin Jewish?

Yes, Alan Arkin is a Jew. Arkin is an actor, director, musician and singer known for his roles in Wait Until Dark, Catch-22, The In-Laws, Edward Scissorhands, Little Miss Sunshine, for which he won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor and Argo.

Arkin was born in Brooklyn, New York City. He is the son of Beatrice, a teacher, and David I. Arkin, a painter and writer who mostly worked as a teacher. Arkin was raised in a Jewish family. His grandparents were immigrants from Odessa, Ukraine, Russia, and Germany. Arkin's family moved from Brooklyn to Los Angeles when Arkin was 11 years old.

Arkin began taking acting lessons at age 10 and has been acting ever since. He is one of only a few actors to receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor for his first film appearance, The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming.

Is C. Everett Koop Jewish?

No, C. Everett Koop was not a Jew. Koop served as the thirteenth Surgeon General of the United States under President Ronald Reagan from 1982 to 1989.

Koop was born in Brooklyn, New York. His parents, John Everett Koop (1883–1972) and Helen Koop (1894–1970), were both children of German immigrants, and Koop was their only child. He graduated from Dartmouth College in 1937 and earned his MD degree from Cornell Medical College in 1941. During the 1940s and 1950s he rose in the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine to become professor of pediatric surgery and, later, professor of pediatrics. In February 1981, President Ronald Reagan appointed Koop as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health with the promise that he would be nominated as Surgeon General.

As Surgeon General, Koop brought frank talk about the AIDS pandemic into U.S. homes.

Koop died on February 25, 2013 at 96 years old.

Is Robert De Niro Jewish?

Robert De Niro is not Jewish. The actor was born in Greenwich Village. His parents were Virginia Holton Admiral, a painter and poet, and Robert De Niro, Sr., an abstract expressionist painter and sculptor.

According to his Wikipedia listing, De Niro's father was of Italian and Irish descent, and his mother was of English, German, French, and Dutch ancestry. His Italian great-grandparents, Giovanni De Niro and Angelina Mercurio, emigrated from Ferrazzano, in the province of Campobasso, Molise, and his paternal grandmother, Helen O'Reilly, was the granddaughter of Edward O'Reilly, an immigrant from Ireland.

De Niro's parents, who had met at the painting classes of Hans Hofmann in Provincetown (Cape Cod), Massachusetts, divorced when he was three years old. De Niro was raised by his mother in the Little Italy neighborhood of Manhattan, and in Greenwich Village.

Is Ben Affleck Jewish?

The famous actor Ben Affleck is not Jewish. Born Benjamin Géza Affleck-Bold on August 15, 1972 in Berkeley, California, Affleck was raised mostly Episcopalian.

Affleck's mother, Christine Anne "Chris" Affleck, was a school district employee and teacher. His father, Timothy Byers Affleck, has held several jobs including as a drug counselor, social worker, janitor, and auto mechanic.

Affleck was married to Jennifer Garner in June 2005. They have two daughters, Violet and Seraphina, and a son, Samuel. He is now married to Jennifer Lopez.

Is Steven Spielberg Jewish?

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).

Is Daniel Day-Lewis Jewish?

Daniel Day-Lewis is Jewish. The famous and well-accomplished actor Day-Lewis was born in London to a Jewish mother, the actress Jill Balcon. Daniel Day-Lewis's father, Cecil Day-Lewis, was of Anglo-Irish background.

Day-Lewis's Jewish mother's parents and their families emigrated to Britain from Latvia and Poland. His maternal grandfather, Sir Michael Balcon, was an important figure in the history of British cinema.

According to his Wikipedia entry, "Living in middle class Greenwich, Day-Lewis found himself among tough South London kids, and, being of part Jewish ancestry and 'posh', he was often bullied."

Daniel Day-Lewis is one of the most successful actors today, having won three Academy Awards, respectively for his portrayals of Christy Brown in My Left Foot (1989), Daniel Plainview in There Will Be Blood (2007) and Abraham Lincoln in Steven Spielberg's Lincoln (2012). He is the only male actor in history to win three Oscars in the leading male actor category.

With French actress Isabelle Adjani, Day-Lewis has a son Gabriel-Kane Day-Lewis who was born in 1995 in New York, several months after the relationship ended.

Is Amy Poehler Jewish?

No, Amy Poehler is not a Jew. Poehler is an actress, writer, producer and comedian. She is best known for her roles on Saturday Night Live and Parks and Recreation.

Poehler was born in Newton, Massachusetts, and grew up in nearby Burlington. She is the daughter of Eileen Frances and William Grinstead Poehler, both teachers. Poehler is of English, German, Irish and Portuguese ancestry, and was raised Catholic.

Poehler joined the cast of SNL in 2001 and in 2004 began co-anchoring the sketch Weekend Update with Tina Fey. Poehler left SNL in 2008.

In 2009 Poehler began starring in her own TV series, Parks and Recreation. She is also known for her numerous roles on the big screen, including Wet Hot American Summer and Mean Girls.

Is Tina Fey Jewish?

No, Tina Fey is not a Jew. Fey is a comedian, writer and actress known for her roles on Saturday Night Live, Mean Girls and 30 Rock.

Fey was born in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, a township just west of Philadelphia. Her mother, Zenobia "Jeanne" is a brokerage employee of Greek descent and her father, Donald Fey, is a university grant-proposal writer of half German and half Scottish descent.

Fey performed with The Second City after graduating from the University of Virginia. While there she sent scripts to SNL and was hired as a writer. She began performing on the show in 2000 and left in 2006, when she began to develop and act in her sitcom, 30 Rock.

Is Jerry Buss Jewish?

Jerry Buss was Jewish. Jerry Buss, who was born in Utah, was the majority owner of the Los Angeles Lakers professional NBA basketball team.

In addition to his role as the owner of the LA Lakers, Jerry Buss was also an American businessman, real estate investor, and a former chemist. Buss was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame on August 13, 2010. His daughter Jeanie made headlines for dating former Lakers' head coach Phil Jackson.

Photo: CBS Sports

Buss donated $7.5 million in 2008 to USC's Department of Chemistry to fund two endowed chairs and an endowed scholarship fund for chemistry graduate students; the two chairs were to be named after his mentors at USC, professors Sidney Benson and David Dows.

Buss began chemotherapy sessions in the fall of 2012 for cancer treatment. He died on February 18, 2013 at the age of 80.

Is Steve Martin Jewish?

Steve Martin is not Jewish. The actor, comedian and novelist is married to the Jewish Anne Stringfield.  Their wedding ceremony incorporated Jewish and Christian elements.

The couple had a child together in December 2012.

Is Anne Stringfield Jewish?

Anne Stringfield is Jewish. She is the wife of actor and comedian Steve Martin.

Steve Martin divorced his first wife, actress Victoria Tennant, in 1994 after eight years of marriage. He quietly wed Anne Stringfield in July 2007. The wedding took place at Martin's L.A. home in a surprise ceremony officiated by former Nebraska Senator Bob Kerrey. The wedding ceremony mixed both Jewish and Christian traditions.

Anne Stringfield is a writer and former New Yorker editor. The couple had their first baby in December 2012 although they kept it a secret for two months.

Is Ed Koch Jewish?

Ed Koch was Jewish. The former mayor of New York City died on February 1, 2013 of congestive heart failure.

Getty Images

Edward Irving "Ed" Koch was born December 12, 1924. He was known for being an American lawyer, politician, political commentator, movie critic and television reality show judge. He served in the United States House of Representatives from 1969 to 1977. He also served three terms as mayor of New York City, from 1978 to 1989. He also became known as a judge on the television judge show The People's Court from 1997 to 1999.

Born in The Bronx at New York–Presbyterian Hospital, Koch was the son of Yetta (née Silpe) and Louis Koch, immigrants from Poland. His father worked at a theater. The family affiliated with the Conservative Movement of Judaism. Koch was a strong advocate for the Jewish State of Israel.


Koch grew up in Newark, NJ and he graduated from South Side High School in Newark in 1941. He was drafted into the United States Army in 1943 where he served as an infantryman with the 104th Infantry Division, landing in Cherbourg, France in September 1944.

As mayor of NYC, he brought the city out of bankruptcy. He was outspoken and always said what he was thinking. Koch died on February 1, 2013 at 88 years old.

Is Chelsea Handler Jewish?

Yes, Chelsea Handler is a Jew. Handler has written many books, is a stand-up comedian and hosts her own talk show, Chelsea Lately.

Handler grew up in Livingston, New Jersey. She is the youngest of six children and was raised as a Reform Jew by her father, Seymour, and her Mormon mother, Rita.

Is Caleb Moore Jewish?

No, Caleb Moore was not a Jew. Moore was a snowmobile rider and a Winter X Games competitor.

Moore began his career riding ATVs and later switched to snowmobiles. Soon after learning to ride snowmobiles he won the bronze medal at the Winter X Games in 2010. In his career he won four medals.

During the 2013 Winter X Games, Moore crashed while doing a backflip. He walked off the course with a concussion but the injuries he sustained later claimed his life on January 31, 2013.

Is Neil Patrick Harris Jewish?

No, Neil Patrick Harris is not a Jew. Harris is best known for his roles as Barney Stinson on How I Met Your Mother and on Doogie Howser, M.D.

Harris was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico. His parents, Sheila and Ron Harris, ran a restaurant. He attended La Cueva High School, where he acted in school plays and musicals.

Harris was named as one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people in 2010 and was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in September 2011.

Is Woody Allen Jewish?

Yes, Woody Allen is a Jew. Allen is an American screenwriter, director, actor, comedian, author, playwright, and musician. His career spans over half a century.

Allen was born Allan Stewart Konigsberg. He was born in the Bronx and raised in Brooklyn, NY. He is the son of Nettie (November 8, 1906 – January 27, 2002), a bookkeeper at her family's delicatessen, and Martin Konigsberg (December 25, 1900 – January 13, 2001), a jewelry engraver and waiter. His family was Ashkenazi Jewish; his grandparents were immigrants from Russia and Austria and spoke Yiddish, Hebrew, and German.

At the age of 17, he legally changed his name to Heywood Allen. He began writing jokes and publishing them and, at just 17, was already earning more than both of his parents combined.

Is Jessica Chastain Jewish?

No, Jessica Chastain is not a Jew. Chastain is known for her roles in Zero Dark Thirty, The Debt, Take Shelter and The Help.

Chastain was born and raised around Sonoma, California. She is one of five children. Her mother is a vegan chef, and her father is a firefighter. She grew up as Jessica Howard and later took her mother's maiden name as her stage name.

In the past few years Chastain's career has taken off. Chastain has won many awards for her roles in Take Shelter, Coriolanus, The Debt, Tree of Life, The Help and Zero Dark Thirty.

Is Claire Danes Jewish?

No, Claire Danes is not a Jew. Danes plays Carrie Mathison in Homeland and has had roles in Little Women, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, and My So-Called Life.

Danes was born in New York City. Her mother, Carla, is a day-care provider, painter, and textile designer. She later served as her daughter's manager. Her father, Christopher Danes, is a computer consultant and former architectural photographer. Danes has described her background as being WASP-like.

Is Marisa Tomei Jewish?

No, Marisa Tomei is not a Jew. Tomei is an actress known for her roles in What Women Want, Anger Management, In the Bedroom, The Wrestler and Parental Guidance.

Tomei was born in Brooklyn, New York. She is the daughter of Patricia Adelaide Tomei, an English teacher, and Gary A. Tomei, a trial lawyer. She has a younger brother, actor Adam Tomei. Both of Tomei's parents are of Italian descent.

Is Angelina Jolie Jewish?

No, Angelia Jolie is not a Jew. Jolie is an actress known for her roles in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Wanted and Changeling.

Jolie was born in Los Angeles, California, and is the daughter of actors Jon Voight and Marcheline Bertrand. On her father's side, Jolie is of German and Slovak descent and on her mother's side, she is of primarily French Canadian, Dutch, and German ancestry. Like her mother, Jolie has stated that she is part Iroquois.

Jolie is divorced from actors Jonny Lee Miller and Billy Bob Thornton and now lives with actor Brad Pitt, in a relationship well covered by the media. Jolie and Pitt have three biological children and have adopted three children.

Is Brad Pitt Jewish?

No, Brad Pitt is not a Jew. Pitt is an actor known for his roles in Legends of the Fall, Twelve Monkeys, Fight Club, Ocean's Eleven, Troy, and Moneyball.

Pitt was born in Shawnee, Oklahoma, and is the son of Jane Etta, a high school counselor, and William Alvin Pitt, a truck company owner. The family moved to Springfield, Missouri, where he lived together with his younger siblings, Doug and Julie Neal. Pitt was born into a conservative household and was raised as Southern Baptist, although he has since described himself as oscillating between atheism and agnosticism.

Is Michael Winner Jewish?

Yes, Michael Winner was a Jew. Winner was an English film director and producer.

Winner was born in Hampstead, London, England, the son of Helen and George Joseph Winner. His family was Jewish. His mother was Polish and his father of Russian extraction, and a Freemason.

Winner's career began in 1956 and he directed films, both English and American, through 2010. In 1967 he began producing the films as well as directing.

Winner died on January 21, 2013 at the age of 77.