George Allen is Jewish?- UPDATED

Read this article from a respected Jewish weekly, The Forward.

It seems pretty solid that George Allen's mother is Jewish, which under Jewish law makes him a born Jew.

More thoughts on this coming later tonight.

UPDATE:  Dana Milbank has some thoughts, and I almost totally agree with his perspective.  As he says:

""It has been reported," said Fox, that "your grandfather Felix, whom you were given your middle name for, was Jewish. Could you please tell us whether your forebears include Jews and, if so, at which point Jewish identity might have ended?"

Allen recoiled as if he had been struck. His supporters in the audience booed and hissed."

I'll try to have more thoughts up on this in the morning.  It is hard to write about this.  Like George Allen, my mother is Jewish and my dad is Christian. Watching Allen supporters boo the possibility that Allen could be Jewish was stunning and disheartening to say the least.

Wonkette also has some thoughts.

Morning Update:  THE CONSERVATIVE NATIONAL REVIEW LABELS HIM SENATOR "FELIX MACACAWITZ"

Comments

HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA LOL HAHAHAHAAHHAHAHAHA

come someone explain to me why this matters? i voting for webb and could care less what religion Allen is.

[Not Huey Long]

I understand the debate question was odd and possibly out of bounds, but it matters because for some reason GFA is afraid to acknowledge his background...kinda strange.

Anon 10:29:

Allen's comments are a slap in the face to Jewish people everywhere.

What were his comments?

This is a big story. Probably bigger than Macaca.

Who cares?

[LAS]

Yes, a Jewish mother makes you Jewish under Jewish law. OTOH, Allen is a Christian, practicing I assume, therefore Jewish law does not apply. Your parentage makes no difference in Christianity. So who cares?

I think the question was beyond the pale; Allen had a right to be angry. OTOH, Jewish heritage, whether one's ancestors converted or not, is something to be proud of. Allen missed an opportunity here; but if he doesn't care to discuss his family heritage in public, that is certainly his business.

The name "Allen" by the way, is not the actual family name; it was originally something Eastern European. Apparently one of the ancestors on his father's side changed it--as did many, many immigrants.

It may be that Allen just isn't into family geneaology--again, certainly his business. Not everybody chooses to enshrine their ancestors like Webb--some people just don't see what it has to do with them and the here and now. One man's meat and all that.

This is a personal matter and should be left as such. IMHO.

[Mason Conservative]

Who cares if Allen's mother is Jewish? Are you accusing Allen of anti-semitism? THAT will be a tough case to make, considering Allen's unwavering support of the State of Israel.

[Mason Conservative]

Who cares if Allen's mother is Jewish? Are you accusing Allen of anti-semitism? THAT will be a tough case to make, considering Allen's unwavering support of the State of Israel.

Can't be bigger than Macaca w/o video. Did Allen actually say something offensive about Jews?

[Not Huey Long]

MC, you're trying to invent an issue.

[brimur]

Man, this guy is really a head case isn't he? Why can't he just say he's Jewish? Why can't he just say he's a Californian? Why can't he just say he's a little French?

Whoa ... gotta lay off the bottle ... I'm seeing double MasonCon posts.

[Stephen Braunlich]

Trying to invent an issue? What do you think NLS is doing right now? Someone please tell me how a candidate's ethnic heritage is relevent to their capacity to hold office.

Where is NLS saying anything about GFA not having the "capacity to hold office" because he is a Jew?????

That comment was anti-semitic Mr. Braunlich.

[Mason Conservative]

He's not Jewish, he's Christian. What religion does he practice? That is what religion he is. My granfather is Lutheran, does that mean I'm not Catholic? Some said I'm making an issue. I'm not. I'm trying to figure out what the issue is?

here's a better link for the article:

http://www.forward.com/articles/alleged-slur-casts-spotlight-on-senator%E2%80%99s-jewis/

I guess the point is made in the article - why does Allen hide his Jewish heritage, if he knows that he has a Jewish heritage?

I think this needs a lot more evidence and thought. For example, has Allen ever affirmatively denied having a Jewish heritage?

[Not Larry Sabato]

Mason, I'm still working on my thoughts, but please do not compare this to Christianity. Click on the link I put above- the Torah is very specific about this. It's nothing like Christianity.

[Virginia Centrist]

Folks -

Of course it doesn't matter if Allen is Jewish. That's the whole point! He should be proud of his heritage! That's why people are offended by his shameful denials.

[Not Larry Sabato]

Mason- here is the key from the link above:

"When we, the children of Israel, stood at Mount Sinai and accepted the Torah, we accepted new Laws that we had never been expected to keep until then. And from then on, Jewish lineage was passed down by the mother, whether or not one accepted Judaism."

Especially note those last 6 words.

[ALLEN IS ASHAMED. SHAME ON HIM]

From TNR:

http://www.tnr.com/blog/theplank?pid=33906

One of the questions I had about Eve Kessler's fascinating look at Senator George Allen's Jewish roots is whether Allen has known about this heritage but played it down, or whether it was news to him.

Bob Gibson, a longtime columnist for the Charlottesville Daily Progress, relays the following anecdote, which seems to clear things up:

"It's funny, but the only time that George Allen ever wanted a correction from me in 27 years of covering his races was when I wrote about his mother's Jewish family origins. He insisted, through a press secretary, that his mother was raised a Christian."

[Not Huey Long]

Could this be a case of political calculus, i.e. Allen is concerned that his rural, white, conservative, Christian base could soften even further if it's revealed he has Jewish ancestry?!?

Spring of 2004, remember that?

When some conservative sock puppets like Rush Limpo and Sean Insanity dragged out Kerry's family Jewish history, even after Kerry's camp detailed the history in the Spring of 2004, I was very upset.

NLS, for you to bring this up in this fashion is just wrong.

As a Catholic whose grandfather helped to liberate a concentration camp in 1945, I take great empathy for those who are Jewish, those who converted to Christianity from Judaism, and those who prefer to focus on their current faith without public knowledge of their family past. Allen was not raised Jewish, and neither were his parents.

Bringing this up in this way is not funny. Bringing this up is not a proper venue to assert your belief that Allen is racist. Instead, you are actually making Allen a victim in this fiasco.

I think you are very foolish for posting such an outlandish title, and you are certainly not helping the Webb campaign.

"Allen was not raised Jewish, and neither were his parents"

umm, Allen's mother is Jewish. No denying that. By Jewish Law, Allen is Jewish too.