Was Steve Jobs Jewish?
Steve Jobs was one of the most influential tech entrepreneurs of the 20th century, and one of the questions that is frequently asked about him is whether or not he was Jewish.
The answer is both yes and no. Jobs was born to two Syrian Muslims, making him a Muslim by birth. However, his adoptive parents Paul and Clara Jobs were Jewish, and he was raised in a Jewish household and considered himself Jewish.
Jobs was also highly influenced by Zen Buddhism, reading Zen books and attending Zen retreats with his Zen teacher, Kobun Chino Otogawa. He was deeply impacted by Zen concepts and often prevented them in his work and life.
Leading up to his death, Jobs had reconnected with his biological father, Abdulfattah Jandali who is of Lebanese-Syrian descent and is said to have been an atheist.
Although Jobs never practiced any faith, his connection with both Judaism and Buddhism spoke to his open-mindedness and search for spiritual fulfillment.
5 Interesting Facts About Steve Jobs and Judaism
- Jobs attended regular religious services with his adoptive parents. Jobs experienced both Christianity and Judaism during his time with his adoptive parents and regularly attended Sunday church services until his death.
- He was bar mitzvahed on his thirteenth birthday. On his 13th birthday, Jobs underwent a traditional bar mitzvah ceremony to celebrate his transition from childhood to adulthood and acceptance of his Jewish faith.
- Jobs partnered with a Jewish charity. Jobs and his wife Laurene teamed up with the Jewish organization Avi Chai to help support Jewish education.
- He was an active member of a Jewish synagogue. Jobs was known to attend synagogue on the High Holidays and attended services at the Beth Am Jewish center in Los Altos, California.
- He also supported Islamic charities. Despite his adoption of the Jewish faith, Jobs also donated to charities supporting Islamic causes. He was a supporter of Mideast Children’s Alliance, an organization dedicated to helping the children of Palestine, Iraq, and Lebanon.
In conclusion, although Steve Jobs was born to Syrian parents, he was raised Jewish and connected to spirituality in a way that transcended religion. He was a man of open-mindedness and curiosity, a strong supporter of both Jewish and Islamic charities, and was able to draw wisdom from many different sources.