Was Rod Steiger Jewish?

Hi, He WAS jewish.

As far as I know, he was NOT Jewish. However, having been an extra on the film, I can tell you that his beard in this film was real, and his accent (learned from a local Jewish butcher) was quite authentic.

Rod Steiger was not Jewish. He grew up in a neighborhood with a mix of cultures and races. Among them was a large Jewish population. In interviews Mr. Steiger had often spoken of his experience as a child and young man at being hired as a "Shabbat Goy". That is a term for a Christian who is hired, or as a favor, will turn on and off lights, stoves, heaters and various appliances for extremely religious Jews such as those portrayed in "The Chosen". The belief for Orthodox and Hasidic Jews is such that the Sabbath is to be a day where nothing is done except to contemplate God. This is in commemoration of the creation of the world in six days and that God rested on the seventh day. The Sabbath for the Jews begins on Friday at sunset and last until Saturday at sunset.

So no doubt that Rod Steiger had a very up close and personal experience at seeing a variety of Jews in the most intimate of settings for a long time. He was such an amazingly empathetic, talented and imaginative artist, which is why he was widely thought of as being Jewish as his performances of Jewish characters were so real and alive and detailed. In this film in particular, his Hebrew and Yiddish is impeccable.

Some of Rod Steiger's greatest performances have come from him playing a Jew such as this film and perhaps his greatest role as Nazzerman in "The Pawnbroker".

Mr. Steiger was an amazing actor and an incredibly empathetic man. For every role he played he would prepare by utilizing exercises of the imagination such as going into a large department store and imagining what that character would buy. He pursued his craft for his whole career with an intense dedication to his own personal approach to acting.

I had the pleasure once to be on a set for a week and watch Mr. Steiger work. It was the most impressive and powerful experience. He gave 1,000% on every take in the most focused and yet relaxed way-- even when it was not his close-up or when the scene was not necessarily an important one. He was very giving to all the actors and crew. He had amazing concentration and had a presence in person that believe it or not dwarfed his movie presence. I had been in the business for some years by then and was not easily impressed with "stars". I'd had the pleasure of working as crew on set with a number of great actors and actresses. Mr. Steiger was an unforgettable and a very rare artist who stood above most of his contemporaries as a man and in his work.

I was wondering that stuff my self as he also played a Jew in The Pawnbroker.

JPC

The more important question remains: is Mike Myers JEWISH???

'cuz he sure out-Jews Steiger with his own portrayal of "Linda Richman"!

"Oh my Gawd - welcome to "Cawffee Tawk" - have a little cawffee...we'll tawk..."

"Don't call me 'honey', mac."
"Don't call me 'mac'... HONEY!"

He was not Jewish, but his gorgeous wife was (is).