Meet the Winehouses: A typical Jewish family

Winehouse in 2007 (by Daniel Arnold)

To hear Amy's brother Alex tell it, the Winehouses are just another "typical Jewish family."

MSN Entertainment recently reported that Alex has curated a "special exhibition" of Amy's "life and faith" that will open at the London Jewish Museum this July.  Titled "Amy Winehouse: A Family Portrait" - it will not only feature her professional belongings (such as guitars, records, and stage outfits), but it will also honor her "Jewish-London roots."

Alex explained:  We weren't religious, but we were traditional.  Both parents are Jewish (Mitch and Janis, now divorced), and passed along the cultural side of Judaism to their children.  Shortly after Amy's death in 2011, Liz Spikol wrote these words for The Philly Post:  "Winehouse had an interesting relationship to her Judaism.  When she mentioned it, she'd acknowledge that it read as a contradiction to her public wild side."

Spikol offered this 2007 quote from Winehouse: "I love parties and rock 'n' roll, but secretly I'm never happier than when I'm cleaning.  In 10 years' time I'm gonna be looking after my husband and our seven kids…  At the end of the day, I'm a Jewish girl."

Unfortunately, the end of Amy's day came far too soon.  Spikol lamented:   "I dearly wish she'd lived long enough to make matzoh ball soup for her granddaughters.  She could have given them wise counsel about what it really means to be a Jewish girl."

Chutzpah and all…  

Resources

http://music.msn.com/music/article.aspx?news=807111&ocid=rr-mus-news

http://blogs.phillymag.com/the_philly_post/2011/07/25/amy-winehouse-rip/

Copyright May 11, 2013 by Linda Van Slyke   All Rights Reserved