{"id":17579,"date":"2025-12-16T10:03:42","date_gmt":"2025-12-16T15:03:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mkultramagazine.com\/?p=17579"},"modified":"2025-12-16T10:03:45","modified_gmt":"2025-12-16T15:03:45","slug":"happy-hanukkah-forty-rock-stars-who-are-jewish","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mkultramagazine.com\/?p=17579","title":{"rendered":"Happy Hanukkah! Forty Rock Stars Who are Jewish"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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SOURCE: www.loudwire.com<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some of the biggest rock stars in history happen to be Jewish, either by birth or conversion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Given the rich musical tradition of the Jewish people, this should hardly come as a surprise. Songs are used in celebration, in times of happiness and in times of sorrow. Holy scriptures are shared out loud in a chanting presentation, rather than simply being spoken.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rabbi Nachman, a prominent historical figure in the movement of Hasidic Judaism, once said that \u201cmelody is the refinement of the spirit, separating human-spirit from animal-spirit.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many rock stars raised in the Jewish culture have noted how their upbringing influenced their career path. Art Garfunkel<\/a> and Trevor Rabin of Yes<\/a> were among the future rockers who got their taste of performing by singing at their local synagogue. Meanwhile, David Lee Roth<\/a> saw his success in Van Halen<\/a> as an opportunity to break down traditional Jewish stereotypes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, not every Jewish rocker remained close to their faith.\u00a0Lou Reed<\/a>,\u00a0Billy Joel<\/a>\u00a0and the\u00a0Melvins<\/a>\u2019\u00a0Buzz Osborne<\/a>\u00a0are among those who\u2019ve openly admitted detachment from the culture. Then, there\u2019s the case of the\u00a0Band<\/a>\u2019s\u00a0Robbie Robertson<\/a>. He didn\u2019t discover he was Jewish until he was about 12 years old, when his mother revealed the identity of his birth father.

In \u201cThe Chanukah Song,\u201d comedian\u00a0Adam Sandler<\/a>\u00a0famously rattled off a long list of Jewish celebrities from throughout music and entertainment. We don\u2019t have the talent to write a song of our own, so instead we\u2019ve highlighted 40 Jewish rock stars below. One name you won\u2019t find on the list? Saul Hudson, aka\u00a0Slash<\/a>. The\u00a0Guns N\u2019 Roses<\/a>\u00a0guitarist \u2013 who was born to a Black American\u00a0mother and White British father \u2013 has long dispelled rumors\u00a0that he has Jewish heritage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Scott Ian<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian was born into a Jewish family, his parents were all encompassing with their holiday traditions. \u201cWe had a Christmas tree every year,\u201d he admitted in 2011. \u201cWe had a Seder. We had Rosh Hashanah. We\u2019d go to Florida every Passover, to my grandparents.\u201d Though he doesn\u2019t consider himself to be a practicing Jew, Ian takes umbrage when people suggest metal music and Judaism don\u2019t mix: \u201cJews are tough people. People think of Jews as the Woody Allen stereotype, the nebbishy kind of thing, but that\u2019s not the kind of Jews I know. I know plenty of Israelis and plenty of tough guys that are Jewish. So, I think it makes sense that Jews play metal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Gene
Gene Simmons<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Kevin Winter, Getty Image<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gene Simmons<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Kiss co-founder Gene Simmons was born Chaim Witz in Haifa, Israel but changed his name to Eugene Klein when he moved to the U.S. at the age of nine. Simmons’ mother, a Hungarian immigrant, was the only member of her family to survive the Holocaust. Simmons said he changed his name for his career, while always maintaining a reverence for his heritage. \u201cI was born Chaim Witz, and I understood that that didn’t work \u2014 I did,\u201d he explained during a 2022 appearance on the Howie Mandel Does Stuff<\/em> podcast. \u201cI realized for myself that in order to succeed, I’ve gotta be a chameleon of sorts. Basically, dress British, think Yiddish. Yeah, you’re Jewish. That’s fine. Shut the fuck up. Nobody’s interested.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Paul
Paul Stanley<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jim Dyson, Getty Images<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Paul Stanley<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Kiss co-founder Paul Stanley was born Stanley Harvey Eisen in 1952. His Jewish mother and her family fled Nazi Germany before coming to America. \u201cThat\u2019s something I hold dear to me and have a very strong feeling of obligation to make sure that my children understand Judaism and the Holocaust,\u201d he told the Philadelphia Jewish Exponent<\/em> in 2018. \u201cI grew up with adults around me with numbers on their arms. That was part of my life. So my sense of duty is to instill in my children my heritage.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Disturbed
Disturbed – David Draiman<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ethan Miller, Getty Images<\/p>\n\n\n\n

David Draiman<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Disturbed singer David Draiman may have been expelled from Yeshiva<\/a> during his childhood, but one-time troublemaker has since become one of the biggest advocates against antisemitism in all of music.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He was born in Brooklyn and raised by Jewish parents and his studies continued after his expulsion from school, spending a year at two institutions near Jerusalem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In June of 2024, the singer received a join award from Jerusalem Post<\/em> and the World Zionist Organization for Outstanding Contribution to the Fight Against Antisemitism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Bob
Bob Dylan<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Frazer Harrison, Getty Images<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bob Dylan<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Bob Dylan has perhaps the most twisting and interesting relationship with Judaism of any rock star on this list. His parents were both presidents of Jewish service organizations and Dylan’s extended family included Yiddish-speaking grandparents. He supposedly spent four summers at a Jewish sleep-away camp and his music confirms a deep knowledge of Jewish traditions and teachings. Yet he rejected his Jewish heritage once he changed his name from Zimmerman to Dylan. He became a believer in Jesus Christ, professing himself a Christian in the late ’70s. Since then, however, he has re-found Judaism and now is considered a committed Jewish Christian.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"David
David Lee Roth<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

David Tan\/Shinko Music, GettyImages<\/p>\n\n\n\n

David Lee Roth<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

David Lee Roth is half-Jewish on his father’s side and was raised in the Jewish religion, apparently learning to sing by studying for his bar mitzvah. As a proud Jewish rock star, the future Van Halen frontman kept his last name, unlike many of his peers in the music business. Being raised on the chutzpah and showmanship of performers like Al Jolson likely contributed to Roth’s colorful stage presence years later. \u201cMuch of his style and energy came from fury over anti-Semitism and an urge to crush Jewish stereotypes,\u201d the Washington Post<\/em> noted in 2003. Roth confirmed as much, admitting he wanted to be a different kind of role model. \u201cThere\u2019s not a lot of Jewish action figures,\u201d Roth explained. \u201cHeroes for little Jewish kids are very few and far between.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Lou
Lou Reed<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Richard E Aaron\/Redferns, Getty Images<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lou Reed<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Lou Reed was born in Brooklyn, N.Y. in 1942, his father having changed their family name from Rabinowitz. He grew up with strict conservative Jewish parents, and in adulthood separated himself from organized religion. Instead, the Velvet Underground frontman found another kind of salvation. \u201cMy God is rock \u2019n\u2019 roll. It\u2019s an obscure power that can change your life,\u201d he once declared. \u201cThe most important part of my religion is to play guitar.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Buzz
Buzz Osborne<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Mackie Osbourne<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Buzz Osborne<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Melvins frontman Roger “Buzz” Osborne (aka King Buzzo) is a mixed bag, with English, Italian and Jewish lineage. As such, Osborne says he doesn\u2019t subscribe to any religious or cultural sect. \u201cI\u2019m not part of any of that. I don\u2019t feel any kinship towards any [religions],\u201d he told Kyle Meredith in 2020. \u201cI am Jewish, English and Italian. When I go to any of those places do I feel like, \u2018I\u2019m home! This is where my people come from.\u2019 No! That\u2019s not it. I\u2019m not home in any of those places. I don\u2019t feel a kinship toward any of those people because of what\u2019s happened to them. I have my own experience, living my own life in my own world.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Josh
Josh Silver<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Bill Tompkins, Getty Images<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Josh Silver<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Type O Negative keyboardist, producer and backing vocalist Josh Silver was raised Jewish, however he identifies as atheist. As you\u2019d expect, playing in a goth metal band presented conflicts with his upbringing. For example, in 1991 Type O Negative was accused of being Nazis. Silver rejected the suggestion, though he appreciated the \u201cgreat publicity\u201d it brought the band. In interviews, he pointed to his Jewish heritage as one of several reasons the rumors were false.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Neil
Neil Diamond<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ed Caraeff \/ Morgan Media, Getty Images<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Neil Diamond<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The son of Jewish immigrants, Neil Diamond was actually given the nickname \u201cJewish Elvis.\u201d He began singing when he was in school and at one point was in the same choir as another future star, Barbara Streisand. In a career spanning more than 60 years, Diamond has delivered a bevy of hits, including “Sweet Caroline,” \u201cCracklin’ Rosie,\u201d \u201cAmerica\u201d and “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers” \u2013 a duet with Streisand. Diamond has sold more than 100 million albums in his career and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2011. \u201cI am Jewish. I believe in God, love the traditions I learned growing up, and tend to be very spiritual,\u201d he stressed in Diamond: A Biography<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Billy
Billy Joel<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Hulton Archive, Getty Images<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Billy Joel<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Jewish by birth, Joel will be the first to admit that he’s Jewish only by heritage and that his family was never observant. His parents were both from Jewish families but he was not brought up in any religious way. Families who survived the Holocaust often tried to bury their Jewishness and this was the case with the Joels. In Mark Bego’s book Billy Joel: The Biography<\/em>, Joel quipped that “my circumcision was as Jewish as [his parents] got.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Steven
Steven Adler<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Eric Haggard, UCR<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steven Adler<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Born Michael Coletti, drummer Steven Adler is the son of an Italian-American father and a Jewish American mother. His mother changed his name after his father left the family, and when she remarried Steven took on his step-dad\u2019s surname. Adler became friends with Saul Hudson (aka Slash) in junior high school, and the two joined forces in Guns N\u2019 Roses beginning in 1985. Adler was part of the group’s classic lineup, performing on 1987’s Appetite for Destruction<\/em> and 1988’s G N’ R Lies<\/em>. Being in the biggest band on the planet came with plenty of temptations, however, and Adler spent many years battling drug addiction. He was fired in 1990, and it took decades for the drummer to get his career \u2013 and life \u2013 back on track.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Paul
Paul Simon<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Theo Wargo, Getty Images<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Paul Simon<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Paul Simon was born on Oct. 13, 1941, in Newark, N.J., to Hungarian-Jewish parents. He got his first taste of stardom when the song \u201cHey Schoolgirl\u201d \u2013 recorded with Art Garfunkel in the duo Tom & Jerry \u2013 became a minor hit. Still, Simon initially believed he was destined to be an attorney. Two years after his bar mitzvah, Simon entered Queens College expecting to graduate and go on to law school. Instead, the draw of music proved too much to ignore. With more than 100 million albums sold, 16 Grammys and an induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, it seems he made the right choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Pat
Pat Smear<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Mike Lawrie, Getty Images<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pat Smear<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Born Georg Albert Ruthenberg, Pat Smear would co-found the influential punk group the Germs, then serve as a touring guitarist with Nirvana and as a key member of the Foo Fighters. He’s half-Jewish by way of his Jewish-German immigrant father, and was surrounded by various religious and cultural influences during childhood. At 13, Smear reportedly ran away from home to join a religious commune. The Germs went on to become underground stars on the Los Angeles music scene, but split after frontman Darby Crash died of a heroin overdose. Smear later latched on with Nirvana, whose history ended in similarly tragic fashion. He\u2019s enjoyed two stints in Foo Fighters, one from 1994-1997 and another beginning in 2005. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Art
Art Garfunkel<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Kevin Winter, Getty Images<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Art Garfunkel<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The singing career of Arthur Ira Garfunkel began when he was just seven years old, performing at his family\u2019s Queens, N.Y. synagogue. The budding vocalist began regularly singing with his rabbi on Saturday mornings, and later performed as a cantor during his own bar mitzvah. He\u2019d team up with classmate Paul Simon in Tom & Jerry, the singing duo that lasted from 1956 to 1962. After a year apart, they\u2019d reconvene at Simon & Garfunkel in 1963, launching a legendary partnership that included such hits as \u201cMrs. Robinson,\u201d \u201cThe Sound of Silence\u201d and \u201cBridge Over Troubled Water.\u201d This relationship was far from perfect, as the duo had multiple acrimonious splits, but Simon & Garfunkel remain one of the most revered acts in rock history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Geddy
Geddy Lee<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ethan Miller, Getty Images<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Geddy Lee<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Rush co-founder Geddy Lee was born Gary Lee Weinrib on July 29, 1953. His parents were Jewish refugees from Poland who survived the Dachau and Bergen-Belsen concentration camps during World War II. Lee once told Rob Tannenbaum of Blender <\/em>that the two most Jewish things about him are “my nose and my sense of humor. I’m kind of a Jewish atheist: I bathe in the racial beauty of Judaism, but I don\u2019t really see what that has to do with a belief in God. The only time I pray is on the tennis court.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Perry
Perry Farrell<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Kristian Dowling, Getty Images<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Perry Farrell<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The world may know him as Perry Farrell, but he went by his Jewish birth name of Peretz Bernstein long before forming Jane\u2019s Addiction. He’d admittedly held religion at a distance throughout his youth, and even \u201cgot kicked out of Hebrew school for making trouble,\u201d but Farrell is very spiritual these days. He’s an adherent of Kabbalah, or Jewish mysticism, and regularly reads religious documents and interpretations. \u201cI study and reflect on the teachings of the Torah every day,\u201d he admitted in 2019. \u201cIt\u2019s a living document to apply to our surroundings.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Adam
Adam Lambert<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ethan Miller, Getty Images<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Adam Lambert<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Nobody will ever really fill the shoes of Queen frontman Freddie Mercury, but Adam Lambert has done a commendable job since he started singing with the group in 2011. The American Idol<\/em> runner-up was raised in a mixed-faith household and attended Hebrew school as a child before dropping out around age nine. \u201cWe did celebrate Chanukah as opposed to Christmas,\u201d Lambert told the Jewish Journal<\/em>. \u201cSo we stayed true to our roots that way. And we celebrated Passover occasionally. I mean, I hate to say it, but we were kind of Jewish by form. Lightly Jewish. Diet Jews. More of a heritage thing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Leslie
Leslie West<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jorgen Angel, Getty Images<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leslie West<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Leslie Weinstein was better known as Leslie West, guitarist, singer and co-founder of Mountain. West changed his surname after his parents divorced and used it throughout his career. Though raised by Jewish parents, West never subscribed to organized religion. \u201cI\u2019m not a religious guy, man,\u201d he admitted to Goldmine<\/em> in 2016. \u201cFor me, though, the music, that\u2019s my church, so to speak. Except I haven\u2019t gone to confession lately.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Joey
Joey Ramone<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Gie Knaeps, Getty Images<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Joey Ramone<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Jews were instrumental in the rise of punk music in America, and at the center of the movement was the Ramones. Frontman Joey Ramone was born Jeffrey Ross Hyman. His parents met in the Borscht Belt, a famous collection of summer resorts in the Catskill Mountains where Jewish families regularly vacationed. Joey co-founded the Ramones in 1974 and was one of the band\u2019s two Jewish members, along with Tommy Ramone. The Ramones cut their teeth at New York\u2019s famed CBGB\u2019s, a Jewish-owned venue. In 2005, Ramone was honored posthumously at the first Jewish Music Awards, receiving the Heeb Magazine Lifetime Achievement Award.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marc
Marc Bolan<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Steve Wood, Getty Images<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marc Bolan<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

T-Rex lead singer and guitarist Marc Bolan was born Mark Feld. His father was a truck driver of Polish-Russian Jewish descent and though Marc was raised Jewish, he was technically only half-Jewish. Still, Bolan was proud of his heritage. In recognition, John Zorn spearheaded a 1988 tribute album called ‘Great Jewish Music’ that featured many artists covering T-Rex songs as part of the ‘Radical Jewish Culture’ series.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Peter
Peter Green<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Michael Putland, Getty Images<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Peter Green<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Peter Allen Greenbaum became known to the world as Peter Green, co-founder of Fleetwood Mac in 1967. He got his first break in John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, helping the group develop a devoted following in the U.K. When he splintered off to start his own band, Green recruited two Bluesbreakers to join him: Mick Fleetwood and John McVie. Drug addiction and mental health issues would later crumble Green\u2019s promising career. He left Fleetwood Mac in 1970 and only recorded sporadically until his death in 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Daryl
Daryl Hall<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Adam Bettcher, Getty Images<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daryl Hall<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Blue-eyed soul singer Daryl Hall was born into a Methodist family, but he converted to Judaism in 1969 to marry his first wife, Bryna Lublin. The marriage was over by 1972, but Hall stayed connected to his adopted religion. \u201c[Judaism] became a part of my life. I wasn\u2019t married to her very long, but Judaism still gives me an understanding of life,\u201d Hall said in a 2010 conversation with Heeb<\/em>. As half of Hall & Oates, he enjoyed an impressive run of success starting in the \u201970s and \u201880s. The duo scored six No. 1 hits \u2013 \u201cRich Girl,\u201d \u201cKiss on My List,\u201d \u201cPrivate Eyes,\u201d \u201cI Can’t Go for That,\u201d \u201cManeater\u201d and \u201cOut of Touch\u201d \u2013 and scored another 10 singles in the Top 10.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Mick
Mick Jones<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Hulton Archive, Getty Images<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mick Jones<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Clash guitarist Mick Jones is half-Jewish, born to a Welsh father and a Russian Jewish mother. He spent many of his formative years living with a maternal grandmother who had fled Russia during the Pogroms, the series of anti-Jewish mass executions in the late 1800s and early 1900s. When Jones co-founded his pre-Clash group London SS in 1975, he hid it from his family. Though he later insisted the band\u2019s name had nothing to do with the German paramilitary force known as the SS, Jones recognized the inflammatory nature of the title. \u201cWe were young and stupid,\u201d he admitted in 2008, adding that looking back on it made him \u201ccringe.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Mark
Mark Knopfler<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Phil Dent \/ Redferns, Getty Images<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mark Knopfler<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Dire Straits frontman Mark Knopfler is another half-Jewish rocker, born to an English mother and a Hungarian Jewish father. He bounced around various bands through the \u201860s and most of the \u201870s before founding Dire Straits in 1977 alongside his younger brother, David. The group scored a number of hits over the ensuing decade, including \u201cSultans of Swing,\u201d \u201cMoney for Nothing\u201d and \u201cWalk of Life.\u201d Dire Straits went on to sell more than 120 million albums worldwide, and earned induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Robbie
Robbie Robertson<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ernest Haas<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Robbie Robertson<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Band\u2019s Robbie Robertson was raised by his mother Rosemarie and father James. The couple split when Robertson was a teenager, at which point Rosemarie revealed that Robbie\u2019s biological father was actually David Klegerman, a Jewish man she had been with while James was stationed with the Canadian Army. Robertson was eventually introduced to his biological family, who happened to be members of Toronto\u2019s Jewish underworld. \u201cThey brought me into their world with tremendous love and affection,\u201d Robertson noted in the documentary Once Were Brothers<\/em>, adding that he\u2019d occasionally run \u201cerrands\u201d for his uncles. Still, Robertson didn\u2019t stray too deeply into the Klegermans’ business. Instead, he focused on music, forging a career spanning more than 50 years that has included his celebrated tenure with the Band, solo material and film soundtrack work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Mickey
Mickey Hart<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ethan Miller, Getty Images<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mickey Hart<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Born and raised in a predominantly Jewish area of New York, Mickey Hart was born Michael Hartman before admittedly lapsing following his bar mitzvah. Still, that didn\u2019t stop the Grateful Dead drummer from celebrating Passover while on tour. \u201cThat\u2019s right, it was at Nassau Coliseum in Long Island and at Madison Square Garden,\u201d Hart told The Jerusalem Post<\/em>, looking back on his days with the Dead. \u201cWe had communal Seders, with everybody joining in. We even had a rabbi there.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Lenny
Lenny Kravitz<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Matthew Peyton, Getty Images<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lenny Kravitz<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Lenny Kravitz\u2019s father Sy was of Russian Jewish ancestry, while his mother Roxie Roker was of African-American and Bahamian descent. As you\u2019d expect, he was raised to celebrate his various cultural backgrounds. Kravitz is Christian, but his father instilled in him a respect for his Jewish heritage. \u201cHe wasn\u2019t religious,\u201d Kravitz told The New York Times <\/em>in 2020. \u201cAs with many Jews in my family at the time, it was all about tradition and keeping that alive, especially after what people in the family had gone through in World War II. But I still got exposed to [the religion], from going to temple and spending the High Holidays with my family at their houses.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Rick
Rick Rubin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Craig Barritt, Getty Images<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rick Rubin<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Producer Rick Rubin was born Frederick Jay Rubin and raised in an upper class Jewish family on Long Island, New York. The music entrepreneur started Def Jam Records during his senior year of high school. By the mid-\u201980s, he was helping release some of the most influential albums in rap history. But Rubin\u2019s tastes extend far beyond hip-hop, and he has helmed albums from some of the biggest names in rock history. Among them, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Slayer, Tom Petty, AC\/DC, Johnny Cash and Joan Jett.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Donald
Donald Fagen<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Santiago Felipe, Getty Images<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Donald Fagen<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Donald Fagen\u2019s Jewish upbringing directly influenced his musical tastes, as the future Steely Dan co-founder found himself drawn to the broad spectrum of music surrounding him in New York. \u201cAll you had to do is turn on the radio and you could hear jazz and blues and soul music,\u201d he told Tablet<\/em>. \u201cThe whole musical generation of white kids in the \u201960s was really based on their love of Black music. And it worked both ways because a lot of the tunes were by Jewish songwriters. We really liked guys like Jerry Ragovoy and Bert Berns, who co-wrote \u2018Twist and Shout.\u2019\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Max
Max Weinberg<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Kevork Djansezian, Getty Images<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Max Weinberg<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

E Street Band drummer Max Weinberg has openly expressed his respect and dedication to his Jewish faith over the years. \u201cSome of my earliest musical experiences took place at the synagogue,\u201d Weinberg told the Jerusalem Post<\/em>, noting how important Judaism was in his upbringing. \u201cI have two older sisters and a younger sister. Between Hebrew school, Sunday school and services, I probably spent more time in the temple than I did any place else! My initial musical experiences performing took place there.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Chris
Chris Stein<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jacopo Raule, Getty Images<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chris Stein<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Both of Chris Stein\u2019s parents were Jewish, yet the future Blondie co-founder didn\u2019t have much religion in his household growing up. “Both of them were ‘reds’,” Stein told the Jewish Chronicle<\/em> in 2011, describing his parents\u2019 membership in the Communist party. \u201cThey had met in the party so my Jewishness was limited. They were more atheistic in their views, and I didn’t have a bar mitzvah \u2013 although, of course, I had plenty of relatives who were practicing. In retrospect, I wish I knew a little more Hebrew. My father used to speak Yiddish with my grandfather quite fluently. I love listening to Lenny Bruce; I admire his ability to make Yiddish sound cool.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Bruce
Bruce Kulick<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ethan Miller, Getty Images<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bruce Kulick<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Add another Kiss alumnus to the list! The guitarist was born in Brooklyn, New York and  attended Hebrew school. He spent 12 years in Kiss from 1984 to 1996. At the time, some people mistakenly claimed the group had an all-Jewish lineup, but Kulick himself pointed out that wasn\u2019t the case. \u201cThat\u2019s not really correct because there was no Jewish drummer in the band,\u201d Kulick explained to the Jewish Journal<\/em>. \u201cEric [Singer] kind of has a German name, his actual name, but he\u2019s not Jewish. Three of the band members were Jewish. But it\u2019s kind of funny that Paul [Stanley] and Gene [Simmons] and I, we do get that heritage thing and there are certain things about it. Gene being a little different, being half-Israeli and half-Hungarian, where Paul\u2019s parents and heritage were closer to my parents\u2019. It really always just comes down to work ethic and music and the love of what you do. Those guys are extremely successful, and there\u2019s a lot of really talented Jewish doctors, so I see them as doctors of music.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Bob
Bob Kulick<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Erica Echenberg\/Redferns, Getty Images<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bob Kulick<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As you\u2019d expect, Bruce\u2019s brother and fellow rocker Bob Kulick was also Jewish. Though uncredited, Bob contributed to three Kiss albums: Alive II<\/em>, Killers<\/em> and Creatures of the Night<\/em>. He also played on Paul Stanley’s 1978 solo album and on his 1989 solo tour. Bob, who died in 2020, also worked with Meat Loaf, Alice Cooper and Lou Reed during his career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Randy
Randy Newman<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Kevin Winter, Getty Images<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Randy Newman<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Randall Stuart Newman grew up in a Jewish household \u2013 not that he ever knew it. In fact, Newman was invited to a classmate\u2019s cotillion at a nearby upscale country club when he was about eight years old, only to have the girl\u2019s father call back and rescind the offer. \u201cI\u2019m sorry, Randy, my daughter had no right to invite you, because no Jews are allowed\u201d at the club, the parent reportedly said. \u201cThat\u2019s all right, sir,\u201d Newman replied before hanging up the phone and turning to his own father. \u201cHey, dad, what\u2019s a Jew?\u201d These days, he doesn\u2019t subscribe to any religion at all. Newman is \u201can atheist, until I really get sick,\u201d he insists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Trevor
Trevor Rabin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Frederick M. Brown, Getty Images<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trevor Rabin<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Trevor Rabin\u2019s grandfather, Gershon Rabinowitz, was a kosher butcher who immigrated to South Africa in the late 19th century. The family maintained Jewish traditions and regularly attended synagogue. \u201cI was a good singer, and every Saturday morning I would sing in the choir, so it was a rich upbringing in that way,\u201d Rabin told the San Diego Jewish Journal<\/em>. \u201cWe also always looked forward to [Passover], because it was just a great party with the whole family.\u201d He became a professional musician at 16, working with various artists and eventually becoming part of the successful South African rock group Rabbitt. Rabin latched on with Yes in 1983, remaining a member for more than a decade. His tenure coincided with Yes\u2019 most commercially successful era, as Rabin co-wrote the chart-topping hit \u201cOwner of a Lonely Heart.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Robby
Robby Krieger<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Robby Krieger<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Robert Alan Krieger was born and raised in a Jewish family, though they tended to hide their religion from the Anglo-Saxons who made up the majority of their affluent Southern California neighborhood. Still, Krieger and his brother Ronny actually attended Hebrew school for a while \u2013 until they were kicked out for causing trouble. Neither boy had a bar mitzvah. \u201cMy parents kind of rebelled against the whole orthodox Jew thing because their parents were into it,\u201d Krieger later told Guitar International<\/em>. The guitarist joined the Doors in 1965 alongside keyboardist Ray Manzarek, drummer John Densmore and frontman Jim Morrison. They\u2019d go on to have a legendary career, creating some of the most iconic rock of the \u201860s and early \u201870s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marty
Marty Balin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ron Pownall, Getty Images<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marty Balin<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Martin Jerel Buchwald was born in Cincinnati in 1942. The son of a Jewish immigrant, he relocated to the Bay Area as a child. Later, Buchwald changed his name to Marty Balin as he pursued a career in music. He co-founded Jefferson Airplane in 1965, and the band found itself at the center of the era\u2019s psychedelic-rock movement. They scored hits with \u201cSomebody to Love\u201d and \u201cWhite Rabbit,\u201d and played the Monterey Pop Festival and Woodstock. He left Jefferson Airplane in 1971, partially due to his bandmates drug habits (he didn\u2019t partake) and partially due to his reduced role after Grace Slick\u2019s emergence within the group. Jefferson Airplane’s various lineups featured three other Jews, including drummer Spencer Dryden and guitarists Paul Kantner and Jorma Kaukonen. Balin and Kantner were later in Jefferson Starship together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Al
Al Kooper<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Don Paulsen\/Michael Ochs Archives\/Getty Images<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Al Kooper<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Al Kooper was born into a Jewish family in Brooklyn, New York. The musician\u2019s real name was Alan Peter Kuperschmidt, but he changed it for his professional career. A unique character in music history, Kooper was a member of Blood, Sweat & Tears and even gave the band its name, but he departed before the group enjoyed mainstream success. Kooper was also a manager and producer for Lynyrd Skynyrd, helming the band\u2019s first three albums. He additionally worked as a session musician, collaborating with Bob Dylan, Stephen Stills and the Rolling Stones, among many others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Mike
Mike Bloomfield<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Don Paulsen\/Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mike Bloomfield<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Hailed as one of rock\u2019s greatest guitarists, Mike Bloomfield was born and raised in a wealthy Jewish family. Bloomfield was revered as a leader of Chicago blues, and enjoyed great success beginning in the \u201860s. He collaborated with a wide array of musicians in his career, most notably Bob Dylan. He was also a member of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, with whom he was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

SOURCE: www.loudwire.com Some of the biggest rock stars in history happen to be Jewish, either by birth or conversion. Given the rich musical tradition of the Jewish people, this should hardly come as a surprise. Songs are used in celebration, in times of happiness and in times of sorrow. Holy scriptures are shared out loud… Read More »Happy Hanukkah! Forty Rock Stars Who are Jewish<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":17580,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"","neve_meta_content_width":0,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":"","ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_themeisle_gutenberg_block_has_review":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17579","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mkultramagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17579","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mkultramagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mkultramagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mkultramagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mkultramagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=17579"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/mkultramagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17579\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17582,"href":"https:\/\/mkultramagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17579\/revisions\/17582"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mkultramagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/17580"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mkultramagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=17579"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mkultramagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=17579"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mkultramagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=17579"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}