Joan Rivers' Jewish Identity Was Part Humor, Part Faith

Antonia Blumberg



Comedienne Joan Rivers died at the age of 81 on September 4 and will be remembered for her sharp and irreverent wit. As an pioneer in women's comedy, humor was central to her identity -- and, it seems, to her faith.

Born Joan Alexandra Molinsky in Brooklyn, New York, Rivers was the youngest daughter of Russian Jewish immigrants. As she pursued a career in acting and eventually found her way into comedy, her Jewish faith made its way into her humor:

"Everyone reaches God in any way they want to reach God," Rivers said on her reality show, 'Joan & Melissa: Joan Knows Best?' "And let's not forget, Jesus was Jewish... which made sense because he really loved his mother."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/04/joan-rivers-judaism_n_5767934.html