Place of Birth: Clifton, New Jersey
Date of Birth: December 24, 1991
Ethnicity:
*Italian (father)
*Ashkenazi Jewish (mother)
Sofia Black D’Elia is an American actress. Her father is of Italian descent and her mother is of Russian Jewish ancestry.
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Birth Name: Robert Elmer Balaban
Place of Birth: Chicago, Illinois
Date of Birth: August 16, 1945
Ethnicity: Ashkenazi Jewish
Bob Balaban is an American actor. He is the son of Eleonore Ruth (Pottasch), an actress under the name Eleanor Barry, and of Elmer Balaban, a cable television pioneer. His uncles founded the Balaban and Katz Theatre circuit and one of them, Barney Balaban, was the head of Paramount Pictures.
Bob’s paternal grandparents were Israel “Isy” Balaban and Augusta “Goldie” Manderbursky/Bursky. Israel and Augusta were Russian Jewish immigrants.
Bob’s maternal grandparents were Ludwig Pottasch and Belle Blumenfeld (the daughter of David Blumenfeld and Mattie/Meta Sonnenshein). Ludwig was a Jewish immigrant from Leipzig, Germany. Belle was born in Illinois, to a Russian Jewish father and a Romanian Jewish mother.
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Birth Name: Brent Jay Spiner
Place of Birth: Houston, Texas
Date of Birth: February 2, 1949
Ethnicity: Ashkenazi Jewish
Brent Spiner is an American actor.
Brent’s paternal grandparents were David Spiner and Lena/Minnie Goldmilzc/Goldmintz. David was an Austrian Jewish immigrant. Lena was a Hungarian Jewish immigrant.
Brent’s maternal grandparents were Samuel “Sam” Schwartz (the son of Abraham Obie/Abbe Schwartz/Schwarz and Faygel “Fannie” Rohal Cohen) and Eva Reba/Reva Lensky (the daughter of Benjamin Lensky and Sarah Lensky or Kocherovsky). Sam and Eva were both Russian Jewish immigrants.
Source: Brent’s father on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
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Birth Name: Blake Warren Bashoff
Place of Birth: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Date of Birth: May 30, 1981
Ethnicity: Jewish
Blake Bashoff is an American actor.
Blake’s paternal grandfather was Martin W. Bashoff (the son of Benjamin Bashoff and Anna). Martin was born in Pennsylvania, to Russian Jewish parents.
Blake’s maternal grandparents were Joseph Zalcman (the son of Nathan Solarz-Saltzman and Dora Levine) and Anne Bak (the daughter of Albert Bak and Celine Isaacs). Joseph was a Polish Jewish immigrant. Anne was a Dutch Jewish immigrant, born in Amsterdam.
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Place of Birth: New York City, New York, USA
Date of Birth: November 22, 1984
Ethnicity:
*Danish, some Swedish (father)
*Ashkenazi Jewish (mother)
Scarlett Johansson is an American actress, known for starring in the movie Lost in Translation. Her father is Danish, and is also of one quarter Swedish descent. Her mother is from a Jewish family from New York (they immigrated from Belarus, Russia, and Poland). Scarlett regards herself as Jewish. She celebrates Christmas as well as Hanukkah. She also holds both American and Danish citizenship.
Scarlett’s paternal grandparents were Ejner Bainkamp Johansson (the son of Axel Robert Johansson and Margrethe Hansine Hansen) and Hedda. Axel was from Furuby, in Sweden. Margrethe and Hedda were Danish.
Scarlett’s maternal grandparents were Meyer Schlamberg (the son of Sol Schlamberg and Mollie) and Dorothy Chodosh (the daughter of Isadore Chodosh and Anna Weinstein). Meyer’s parents were Jewish immigrants from Poland. Dorothy’s parents were Jewish immigrants from Minsk, Belarus (Anna’s parents were Gavril Weinstein and Leah Ginenski). The surname “Schlamberg” was changed to “Sloan”.
Here is an excerpt from a Polish Interview translated by zuzanna:
GALA: Do you came from family with Polish roots?
S.J: We came from Polish Jews and probably Russian [Jews] (this has been confirmed). But really I don’t know very good a tree of my family. My ancestors emigrated from Poland during World War II and that was a dramatic decision… I remember from my childhood that my mother reminded me about my Polish family. I am very proud of my origin. Not only from the Polish. From my dad’s side I am Danish.
Sources: Genealogy of Scarlett Johansson (focusing on her father’s side) – http://family.nose.dk
Scarlett’s mother’s ancestry, listed on Geni.com – http://www.geni.com
cinemafestival / Shutterstock.com
Place of Birth: Sarasota, Florida
Date of Birth: September 2, 1996
Ethnicity: Ashkenazi Jewish
Austin Abrams is an American actor. His father is Jewish. It is not clear if his mother is Jewish too.
Austin’s paternal grandparents are David Abrams and Eleanor Sigelbaum (the daughter of Stanley Sigelbaum and Clara Kravitz). Clara was born in Pennsylvania, to parents from Russia, Max Kravitz and Bessie Strauss.
Source: Genealogy of Austin’s father (focusing on his own mother’s side) – http://www.geni.com
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Birth Name: Samuel Bryce Lerner
Place of Birth: Los Angeles, California
Date of Birth: September 27, 1992
Ethnicity: Ashkenazi Jewish
Sam Lerner is an American actor. He is the son of Patricia (Klein), a newspaper writer, and actor Ken Lerner. His uncle is actor Michael Lerner.
Sam’s maternal grandparents are Robert Ernest Klein and Dorothy Goldish (the daughter of Simon Goldish and Mary). Dorothy’s parents were born in Russia.
Source: Sam’s maternal grandmother, Dorothy Goldish, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
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Birth Name: Nita Melnikoff
Place of Birth: Bronx, New York City
Date of Birth: July 5, 1937
Ethnicity: Ashkenazi Jewish
Nita Lowey is an American politician. A Democrat, she served as a congresswoman from New York’s 17th district.
Source: http://www.njdc.org
Birth Name: Gavin McGregor Rossdale
Place of Birth: Killburn, London, England
Date of Birth: October 30, 1965
Ethnicity:
*Ashkenazi Jewish (father)
*Scottish (mother)
Gavin Rossdale is a British musician and actor. His father was of Russian Jewish descent, and his mother’s family was Scottish. He is married to musician Gwen Stefani, and is the father of model Daisy Lowe, from a previous relationship.
In an interview, he said
My family is Russian/Jewish on my father’s side and my mother’s side is Scottish.
Gavin’s paternal grandparents were George Harold Rossdale (the son of James Rossdale) and Kate A. Woolf.
Source: http://blog.seattlepi.com
Place of Birth: Los Angeles, California
Date of Birth: March 2, 1952
Ethnicity: Ashkenazi Jewish
Laraine Newman is an American actress and comedian. She is of Russian Jewish and Polish Jewish descent.
Laraine’s paternal grandparents were Harry Newman (the son of Abraham Newman) and Lena Siegel (the daughter of Simon Siegel and Sarah Baser/Varshav). Harry was a Russian Jewish immigrant. Lena was born in New York, to Russian Jewish parents.
Laraine’s maternal grandparents were Alexander S. Neff (the son of Carl Neff) and Anna Rose/Rosowsky (the daughter of Motke “Max” Rosowsky and Ida Shapiro). Alexander was a Polish Jewish immigrant. Anna was born in Ohio, to Polish Jewish parents.
Sources: Genealogy of Laraine Newman – http://www.geni.com
Laraine’s father on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Laraine’s paternal grandparents, Harry Newman and Lena Siegel, on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Laraine’s mother on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
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Birth Name: Frederick Allan Moranis
Place of Birth: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Date of Birth: April 18, 1953
Ethnicity: Ashkenazi Jewish
Rick Moranis is a Canadian actor, musician, and comedian. He mostly retired from acting in the 1990s.
Rick’s paternal grandparents were Jacob Moranis and Lena. Jacob and Lena were Russian Jewish immigrants who moved first to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and later to Canada.
Rick’s maternal grandparents were Fishel Baker and Chava/Eva Levine (the daughter of Myer Levine and Gittel Wineberg). Fishel was a Polish Jewish immigrant, born in Wierzbnik. Chava was also Jewish.
Source: Rick’s paternal grandparents, Jacob Moranis and Lena, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Birth Name: Stuart Maxwell Whitman
Place of Birth: San Francisco, California
Date of Birth: February 1, 1928
Ethnicity: Ashkenazi Jewish
Stuart Whitman is an American actor. His father, Joseph Charles Whitman, was born in New York, to Polish Jewish immigrants. His mother, Cecilia (Gold), was a Russian Jewish immigrant.
Stuart’s paternal grandparents were Max Whitman and Anne Pearlman.
Sources: Stuart Whitman on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Stuart’s father on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
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Birth Name: Richard Allen Boone
Date of Birth: June 18, 1917
Place of Birth: Los Angeles, California
Date of Death: January 10, 1981
Place of Death: St. Augustine, Florida
Ethnicity:
*English, some Welsh (father)
*Ashkenazi Jewish (mother)
Richard Boone was an American actor.
Richard’s four times great-grandfather was George Boone, whose siblings were frontiersmen Daniel Boone and Squire Boone. Richard is a sixth cousin of singer and actor Pat Boone (Richard’s five times great-grandparents, Squire Boone and Sarah Morgan, were also Pat Boone’s five time great-grandparents).
Richard’s paternal grandparents were Bower Boone (the son of Peter Tribble Boone and Laura Bower) and Lola Ann Matthews (the daughter of Mack Matthews and Elizabeth Evaline Kelsay).
Richard’s maternal grandparents were Harris Beckerman (the son of Jacob Z. Beckerman) and Rosa Schakowitz (the daughter of William Schakowitz). Harris and Rosa were Russian Jewish immigrants.
Sources: Genealogy of Richard Boone – http://worldconnect.rootsweb.ancestry.com
Genealogy of Richard Boone (focusing on his father’s side) – http://worldconnect.rootsweb.ancestry.com
Birth Name: James Nicholas Callis
Place of Birth: Hampstead, London, England, United Kingdom
Date of Birth: 4 June, 1971
Ethnicity: Ashkenazi Jewish
James Callis is a British actor. He is of Russian Jewish and Polish Jewish descent.
James’s paternal grandmother’s surname was “Zolowski”.
James’s maternal grandparents were Henry Pulver and Rita S. Lubbock (the daughter of Marcus Lubbock and Kate Feldman).
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Birth Name: Jennifer Smith
Date of Birth: March 15, 1983
Ethnicity:
*Russian Jewish, Austrian Jewish (mother)
Jeana Smith is an American Internet personality, known for being a member of the duo (together with Jesse Wellens) known as PrankvsPrank. Her parents are Harilyn Sue (Neff), who died from cancer, and Steven J. “Steve” Smith.
Jeana’s maternal grandparents are Joel D. Neff (the son of Nathan Kanefsky/Neff and Bertha Dintenfass) and Yetta “Etta” Spector (the daughter of Louis Spector and “Bessie”). Joel was born in Pennsylvania, to a Russian Jewish father and an Austrian Jewish mother, from Vienna. Yetta was a Russian Jewish immigrant.
Sources: Jeana’s mother Find a Grave record – http://www.findagrave.com
Obituary of Jeana’s maternal grandmother, Yetta “Etta” Spector – https://familysearch.org
Jeana’s maternal grandfather, Joel D. Neff, on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Jeana’s maternal great-grandparents, Louis Spector and “Bessie”, on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Birth Name: Ruth Joan Bader
Place of Birth: Brooklyn, New York
Date of Birth: March 15, 1933
Ethnicity: Ashkenazi Jewish
Ruth Bader Ginsburg is an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. She began serving on the Supreme Court in 1993. Her father, Nathan Bader, was a Russian Jewish immigrant, born in Podolsk. Her mother, Celia (Amster), was born in New York, to Austrian Jewish parents.
Ruth’s paternal grandparents were Sam Bader and Ida Milstein.
Ruth’s maternal grandparents were Joseph Amster and Rose Dick.
Source: Ruth’s parents on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Photo: “Ruth Bader Ginsburg official SCOTUS portrait” by Steve Petteway, Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States – Ruth Bader Ginsburg – The Oyez Project. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons.
Birth Name: Bernard Sanders
Place of Birth: Brooklyn, New York
Date of Birth: September 8, 1941
Ethnicity: Ashkenazi Jewish
Bernie Sanders is an American politician. He has served as a United States Senator from Vermont since 2007; an independent, he caucuses with the Democrats in the Senate. He has previously been Mayor of Burlington, Vermont (from 1981 to 1989), and a U.S. Representative from Vermont (from 1991 to 2007).
Bernie is a candidate for the Democratic Party’s nomination for President of the United States in 2016.
Bernie is the son of Dora/Dorothy (Glassberg) and Eli Sanders. His father was a Polish Jewish immigrant. His mother was born in New York, to Russian Jewish parents.
Bernie’s paternal grandparents were Leon Sander and Ettel “Ethel” Horn.
Bernie’s maternal grandparents were Benjamin Glassberg/Glassburg (the son of Abraham Glassburg) and Brayna “Bessie” Greenberg.
Several people of Jewish heritage have previously run plausible or semi-plausible campaigns for a major party’s nomination for President of the United States. These candidates include Barry Goldwater (1960 and 1964; Republican; received the 1964 nomination), Milton Shapp (1976; Democratic), Larry Agran (1992; Democratic), Arlen Specter (1996; Republican), Joe Lieberman (2004; Democratic), John Kerry (2004; Democratic; received the nomination), and Wesley Clark (2004; Democratic).
Shapp, Agran, Specter, and Lieberman were/are Jewish by religion, while the other three not were/are not. Goldwater was born to a Jewish father and a non-Jewish mother, and was raised an Episcopalian. Kerry’s paternal grandparents were Jewish and converted to Catholicism, and Kerry himself is a practicing Catholic. Clark was born to a Jewish father and a non-Jewish mother, and is a practicing Catholic.
Sources: Bernie’s parents on the 1940 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Bernie’s mother on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Photo: “Bernie Sanders” by United States Congress – http://sanders.senate.gov/. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons.
Place of Birth: Springfield, Vermont, United States
Date of Birth: April 13, 1972
Ethnicity:
*1/2 Italian, 1/4 English, 1/4 Welsh (father)
*Ashkenazi Jewish (mother)
Aaron Lewis is an American musician who is the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, and founding member of the rock group Staind. His parents are Sondra Jeanne (Nadelman) and Theodore Carrol Lewis.
Aaron’s paternal grandfather was of Welsh and English descent, and Aaron’s paternal grandmother was of Italian descent. Aaron’s mother is Jewish (her family is from Russia, Poland and Germany).
Aaron’s paternal grandparents are Gordon Lewis (the son of Edward A. “Fred/Ned” Lewis and Jemima Thorne) and Elia Pantrini (the daughter of Guiseppe “Joseph” Pantrini and Marrietta “Mary” Pacetti). Edward was born in Wales, to Edward Lewis and Margaret. Jemima was born in St. John’s, Newfoundland (present-day Newfoundland and Labrador), to English immigrants, Richard Thorne and Mary Short. Guiseppe and Marrietta were Italian immigrants.
Sources: Aaron’s birth record – https://familysearch.org
Aaron’s father’s birth record – https://familysearch.org
Genealogy of Aaron’s paternal grandfather, Gordon Lewis – http://records.ancestry.com
Birth record of Aaron’s paternal grandfather, Gordon Lewis – https://familysearch.org
Aaron’s paternal grandfather, Gordon Lewis, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Birth record of Aaron’s paternal grandmother, Elia Pantrini – https://familysearch.org
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Birth Name: Lisa Anne Loeb
Place of Birth: Bethesda, Maryland, United States
Date of Birth: March 11, 1968
Ethnicity: Ashkenazi Jewish
Lisa Loeb is an American singer-songwriter and actress. She is the daughter of Barbara Gail (Barzune) and Peter Mayer Loeb. Her parents are both Jewish (of Russian Jewish, German Jewish, Polish Jewish, and Romanian Jewish descent).
Lisa’s paternal grandparents were Sam A. Loeb (the son of Louis Lawrence Loeb and Ida Alexander) and Daisy Lynn (the daughter of Ima Meyer Lynn and Heshie “Anna” Byers). Louis’ parents were Russian Jewish immigrants. Ida’s father was a German Jewish immigrant. Ima and Heshie were Polish Jewish immigrants.
Lisa’s maternal grandparents were Benjamin Barzune (the son of Louis Barzune and Fannie Ablon) and Anna (later Anne Adele) Pomarantz (the daughter of Adolf Pomarantz and Rosa “Rose” Siegal). Louis and Fannie’s parents were Russian Jewish immigrants. Adolf and Rosa were Romanian Jewish immigrants.
Sources: Genealogy of Lisa’s father – http://www.geni.com
Birth record of Lisa’s father – https://familysearch.org
Lisa’s father on the 1940 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Birth record of Lisa’s paternal grandfather, Sam A. Loeb – https://familysearch.org
Birth record of Lisa’s mother – https://familysearch.org
Birth record of Lisa’s maternal grandfather, Benjamin Barzune – https://familysearch.org
Birth record of Lisa’s maternal grandmother, Anna (later Anne Adele) Pomarantz – https://familysearch.org
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Birth Name: John Robert Bolton
Place of Birth: Baltimore, Maryland
Date of Birth: November 20, 1948
Ethnicity: Scottish, 1/8th Ashkenazi Jewish, German, Northern Irish (Scots-Irish), English
John R. Bolton is an American diplomat and lawyer. He was the 25th United States Ambassador to the United Nations (from 2005 to 2006), among other positions. John is the son of Virginia Clara (Godfrey) and Edward Jackson Bolton.
John’s paternal great-grandfather was a Russian Jewish immigrant. His other ancestry is Scottish, German, Northern Irish (Scots-Irish), and English. John’s religion is Lutheran.
John’s paternal grandfather was John Robert Bolton, Jr. (the son of John Bolton and Mary Elizabeth “Molly” Long). John Bolton was a Russian Jewish immigrant (he is listed as speaking “Yiddish” on the 1920 U.S. Census). Mary Long was the daughter of Robert Daniel Long, who was of English descent, and of Catherine Schultz Wolf, who was of German ancestry.
John’s paternal grandmother was named Margaret Wood. Margaret was Scottish.
John’s maternal grandfather was John Robert Godfrey (the son of Thomas Harper Godfrey and Idella Elizabeth Gibson). Thomas was born in County Derry, Northern Ireland, to John Godfrey and Martha Thompson. Idella was the daughter of Robert Gibson and Idella Young.
John’s maternal grandmother was Carolyn “Carrie” Francis Adams (the daughter of Napolean Adams and Catherine Virginia Howlett). Catherine was the daughter of William B. Howlett and Elizabeth Waller Teaney.
Sources: John’s father on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
John’s father on the 1940 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
John’s paternal grandfather, John Robert Bolton, Jr., on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
John Robert Bolton, Jr. on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
John’s maternal grandfather, John Robert Godfrey, on the 1900 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
John’s maternal grandmother, Carolyn “Carrie” Francis Adams, on the 1900 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
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