segs@mhuxv.UUCP (slusky) (07/20/84)
With respect to Dianne Feinstein's parentage, the story as I understand it is that her mother is a Christian and her father's last name is Feinstein and her father considered himself to be Jewish. I have no inkling of whether his mother was Jewish or not. In any case, Di Fi was given a sketchy education in both her mother's and father's religions, and told that she would be allowed to choose her religion when she attained adulthood. At twenty-one she "decided" to be Jewish. As far as I can discern, no conversion ever took place. Susan Slusky mhuxv!segs P.S. To her credit, she has said that she doesn't think that this "choosing when you're an adult" bit is such a great idea. -- mhuxv!segs
martillo@ihuxt.UUCP (Yehoyaqim Martillo) (07/21/84)
This is the story I heard which was partially confirmed in a recent Chicago Tribune article: Diane Feinstein's mother was a Russian not a Jewess. She attended a Roman Catholic high school and considered converting to Roman Catholicism (she was baptized Russian Orthodox). Her father (Gold) was hostile to Judaism and apparently made sure she knew less than he which was rather little. I was vague in my definition because even if one uses lenient standards, she seems hardly Jewish. Even though he meets the halakic standards, I am somewhat offended when Lustiger (Archbishop of Paris) actively identifies himself as Jewish. In an area where Jewishness does not harm vote-gathering ability, (incorrect) identification or self-identification as a Jewess may help gather funds from wealthy liberal Jews. -- Who wouldn't break for whales? Yehoyaqim Shemtob Martillo