Is Whoopi Goldberg Jewish?

Is Whoopi Goldberg Jewish – Whoopi Goldberg is a famous American actress, comedian, and author and was one of the most prosperous actresses in the early 1980s.

She has been one of the 17 performers to win the EGOT, which incorporates an Emmy Award, a Grammy Award, an Academy Award, and a Tony Award.

Whoopi Goldberg has long been controversial for her past comments about Judaism, including when she claimed to be Jewish herself. All these comments and news have confused people about Whoopi’s connection to the Jewish community.

Whoopi Goldberg Ethnicity: Is Whoopi Goldberg Jewish?

Whoopi Golberg, in the past, has claimed to be Jewish and has called herself by the derogatory term “Jewish-American Princess.” But she didn’t clarify what that means as she neither possesses Jewish ancestry nor seems to practice Judaism.

In an interview with London Jewish Chronicle in 2016, Whoopi said, “I know I am Jewish. I practice nothing. I don’t visit temples, but I do remember the holidays. Religion is a lot of work, and it is tiring. So I keep it easy. I have a good relationship with God. We talk.”

After her statement, the Jewish community came up, pointing out that merely observing Jewish practices and believing in Jewish ideology are not requirements to be Jewish, nor are they enough to make one Jewish. If you are born Jewish, you are still so, whether or not you believe in or practice Judaism. If you are not born with Jewish ancestry, believing or feeling connected to the Jewish religion does not make you Jewish.

The controversy on her religion arose because she called herself Jewish, despite not being born Jewish. She adopted Jewish culture because of what she explained as her positive feelings towards Jewish culture, not for religious reasons.

Whoopi Goldberg was born in Manhattan, New York, to a Baptist father and a nurse mother. In 1994, her publicist told the Orlando Sentinel that her name Goldberg came from her mother’s side of the family. However, her ancestry and family tree outline her linkage to non-Jewish roots in West Africa.

Regardless, in Whoopi’s words, her connection with the religion made her feel Jewish. Even though she is not a regular preacher, she connects herself to the Jewish religion.

When asked by people if she were Jewish, Whoopi had a standard answer, “I always say, would you ask me that if I was white? I bet not.” She told the Chronicle, adding, “The name is wonderful for starting conversations.”

Whoopi Goldberg Parents

Whoopi Golberg’s father was Robert Johnson Jr. He was a clergyman.

Her mother was Emma Harris, and she was a nurse.

Whoopi’s father, Robert, left his family when she was quite young. Therefore, her mother had to take up multiple jobs to raise two children, Whoopi and her younger brother.

Whoopi suffered from dyslexia, so her school was another difficulty for her, but her mother was a strong woman who cared for her children alone and supported them in every hardship. She credits her mother’s care, love, and support for making it through her tough time in life. Her teachers started believing that Whoopi was being lazy instead of having a disability.

While talking about her mother, Whoopi said, “Mom would tell me, you know, I know you get this because if I tell you, you understand it. I do not know what you have or don’t have, but it is not something that will freak me out.”

She also added that when her mother finally discovered Whoopi had dyslexia, she said it was nice to know that she was not just lazy.

Whoopi Goldberg Family

Talking about her family, Whoopi was married thrice, but all her marriages failed.

She first tied the knot with Alvin Martin in 1973. Alvin was her drug counselor, and she has one daughter, Alex Martin, with her first husband. Her marriage with Alvin ended after six years, and the couple divorced in 1979.

Her second marriage took place with David Claessen, a Dutch cinematographer, in 1986 and ended after two years in 1988.

She married Lyle Trachtenberg, IATSE union organizer, for the third time in 1994. Out of the three, her third relation was the shortest to survive. They divorced after one year of their wedding in 1995.

Whoopi does not have any children from her last two marriages.

Apart from her marriages, Whoopi’s family consists of her daughter, three grandchildren, and a great-granddaughter.

Alexandrea Martin

Commonly known as Alex Martin, she is the first and only child of Whoopi Golberg to her first husband, Alvin Martin.

She was born in 1973. As of 2022, Alex is 49 years old. Like her mother, Alex is a successful actress and producer.

Amarah Skye Dean

Amarah is Whoopi’s first grandchild and was born in 1989.

Amarah is a wife and mother to a daughter named Charlie Rose. With her birth, Whoopi became a great-grandmother at 58. She shared this news by posting a video on her Instagram account in 2014 after she was born. Her post read, “Everyone meets the new addition to my family Charlie Rose, and yes, I’m a tad awkward. It took me a minute and a long time.”

Jerzey Dean

Jerzey Dean is Whoopi’s second granddaughter and was born in 1998. She is a fashion designer and owns Jersey Kennedy Designs, a fashion brand in Los Angeles and New York City.

Mason Dean

Mason Dean is Whoopi’s only grandson. By his post on Instagram, he seems to be a budding rapper and musician. He released a single named “Focus” in 2020, and he is believed to have tunes for streaming on Spotify or other platforms.

Whoopi Goldberg Old Name

Whoopi Gogberg’s original name was Caryn Elaine Johnson. But she later changed it to Whoopi Goldberg.

In the 1970s, Whoopi, along with her daughter, moved to California in search of a better life.

There, she had to work many odd jobs. During that time, her co-workers noticed that she had a problem with passing gas often, and they called her “Whoopee cushion.”

When she talked to the New York Times in 2006 about where her name came from, Whoopi stated, “If you get a little gassy, you have got to let it pass. So people used to tell me, ‘You are like a whoopee cushion.’ And that is where the name came from.”

Later on, her mother didn’t like her name Whoopi Cushion, and she thought it sounded foolish. She said Whoopi would receive better in Hollywood if she took a Jewish surname. So, the name “Cushion” changed to “Goldberg.”

Whoopi Goldberg Religion

Whoopi’s real name was Caryn Johnson, and she was raised a Roman Catholic.

But she changed her name to Whoopi Goldberg and claimed to be Jewish.

Whoopi Goldberg Nationality

Whoopi Goldberg was born in Manhattan, New York City, United States, and holds American citizenship.