Punk Icon Patti Smith Reveals She Is Half Jewish
Legendary American singer and punk icon Patti Smith disclosed in her new memoir that she discovered on her 70th birthday that she is half Jewish through her father.
New Memoir and Discovery
In her memoir Bread of Angels, published on November 4, Smith writes that eight years ago she learned her patrilineal ancestry was "100 per cent Ashkenazi." This revelation came after she and her sister took a DNA test following their mother’s death.
“We wept upon seeing the results,” Smith recalls, noting that the discovery “put a great strain on my thought process, and for some time I was unable to write.”
Family Background
Smith’s biological father, Sidney, was a Jewish pilot. His family originally came from Russia, fled to Ukraine, and eventually settled in Philadelphia.
“I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a bit broken-hearted,” Smith admits upon learning that the man who raised her, Grant Smith, was not her biological father. “Grant will always be my father,” she added. “But now I have two fathers.”
Patti Smith’s Role in Punk Culture
Known as the Godmother of Punk, Smith was a key figure in New York City’s countercultural scene in the 1970s, associating with artists like Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen.
Author's Summary
Patti Smith’s memoir reveals her late discovery of Jewish heritage, reshaping her identity and family history with emotional impact.