THE CABLE WAVE COLLECTION"'
Did This Church(hill)
Have Jewish Ties?
Page diamonds
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A look at one of Britain's most famous leaders.
ELIZABETH APPLEBAUM ASSOCIATE EDITOR
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Q: On a trip last year to England, I
heard from a tour director that Win-
ston Churchill's mother, Jennie
Jerome, was Jewish. Is this true?
I noted that her grave had a cross
on it.
From reader E. W. in Huntington
Woods
A: Tell Me Why certainly wish-
es Churchill had a Jewish con-
nection — how can you not love
the man after hearing this sto-
ry: Quite tipsy at a party, he ran
into a woman who chided him
for having had too much to
drink "Madam," he said, "I may
be drunk now, but I'll be sober
in the morning. You, however,
are ugly now, and you will still
be ugly tomorrow." But there's
no evidence that any of
Churchill's ancestors was Jew-
ish. Specifically, his mother,
Jennie Jerome (1854-1921),
Lady Randolph Churchill, had
French, English, Scottish and
possibly Iroquois blood — and
was about as gentile as you can
get.
On her father's side, Jen-
nie was descended from
Huguenots, French Protes-
tants. In the 1500s, they sought
religious freedom in England.
Jennie's great-great-great-
grandfather was Timothy
Jerome, who emigrated from
the Isle of Wight to America in
1710. The Jerome family re-
mained Protestant.
Jennie's mother, Clara, was
the daughter of Ambrose Hall
and Clarissa Wilcox, neither of
whom was Jewish.
Q:Right after Thanksgiving and
throughout December the radio
stations play nothing but Christ-
mas music. Even my favorite clas-
sical-music station saturates the
airwaves with Christmas compo-
sitions by the greats. I'm sure the
program manager knows that
many of his listeners are Jewish,
and that at this time of the year
we celebrate Chanukah. Once in
a while the station plays a piece
with a Jewish theme, like Max
Bruch's "Kol Nidre" or Ernst
Bloch's "Shiomo," just for the
sake of playing something Jewish.
But these pieces have nothing to
do with Chanukah. I've wanted to
call the station and suggest some-
thing more appropriate, but I don't
think any of the serious composers
ever wrote music with Chanukah
in mind. Does Tell Me Why have
any suggestions?
A: Believe it or not, the
Chanukah story stirred the imag-
ination of at least one great com-
poser: George Frederick Handel.
His oratorio, Judas Maccabaeus,
centers on the heroic leadership
of the most famous member of the
Hasmonean family, Yehuda Mac-
cabi. Within Handel's grand corn-
or with your local music or Ju-
daica store, you may be able to
locate a CD that includes it.
Q: I've yet to understand this whole
Marilyn Monroe obsession. I mean,
she was OK-looking and an OK ac-
tress, but I'm convinced she's be-
come an icon solely because she
died under mysterious circum-
position is one of his best-known stances at a young age. That got
choruses, "See The Conquering me wondering about other celebri-
Hero Comes." (Someone in Israel ties with a Jewish connection who
even set the music to Hebrew died while still quite young. Can
words.) Not as well
Tell Me Why tell me
known, but also striking,
some?
Guess which
is the aria "How Vain Is
A: Certainly the
classical
Man."
youngest
Tell Me Why
found
The meaning of the composer
can find was Freddie
Chanukah
word chanukah in He-
Prime (whose father was
inspiring?
brew leads us to another
Jewish), the "Chico and
musical composition. Chanukah the Man" star who ended his own
can mean dedication, consecra- life when he was only 22. Here are
tion or inauguration. Ancient a few more: Jim Croce was 30
Jewish sources label the holiday when he died in a plane crash;
as chanuka ha-mizbeiach ("ded- "Mama" Cass Elliott was 33 when
ication of the altar"), referring to she died choking; Andy Kaufman
the cleaning of the altar in the was 35 when he died of cancer;
Temple defiled by the Greco-Syr- Lenny Bruce was 40 when he died
ians. Other sources call the fes- of a drug overdose; Jeff Chandler
tival
chanukat ha-bayit (born Ira Grossel) died when he
("consecration of the house" -- was 42, as did actress Judy Holl-
the "house" being the Temple iday; Gilda Radner died at 42 of
that was rededicated after its de- cancer, and Dennis Wilson (of the
filement).
Beach Boys, whose mother was
Although not written for Jewish) died of a drug overdose
Chanukah, a piece of music that when he was 42.0
is highly adaptable to the holi-
day is The Consecration of the
House overture, opus 124, by Send questions to Tell Me Why,
The Jewish News, 27676
Ludwig van Beethoven.
The traditional hymn, Maoz Franklin Road, Southfield, MI
Tzur, with its stirring melody, 48034, or fax to (810) 354-6069.
has been orchestrated and All letters must be signed and in-
recorded. It would sound mar- clude the writer's address. Ques-
velous on the radio. If you check tions answered in the column will
the catalogs of recorded music, feature only the writer's initials
and city of residence.