Gwyneth Paltrow has shared heartfelt details about her upbringing in an interfaith household and how her parents’ marriage was initially met with disapproval. In a conversation with Noa Tishby to celebrate the first night of Hanukkah on December 25, the Oscar-winning actress opened up about the challenges her parents faced and the cherished traditions that shaped her childhood.
“My mother’s Christian, my father’s Jewish,” Gwyneth began. “It’s interesting — I grew up in a time in the ’70s where interfaith marriage was still kind of a big deal. And so it was really hard for both of my parents’ parents that they were marrying each other.”
Reflecting on the family tension, she revealed, “It was a bit scandalous. Nobody was happy about it. They definitely grew to accept it later in life and kind of let go of all of that”, reported by the New York Times.
Despite the early resistance, Gwyneth expressed gratitude for the cultural diversity her parents’ union brought into her life. “I felt so fortunate because I got to grow up with these two very different worlds and very different faiths. I always felt an incredible pull to my Jewish family — I still do,” she said, adding with a smile, “And just the traditions and the warmth and the unconditional love. And the food and the yelling and the family!”
In the interview, Paltrow revealed an unexpected family connection to Jewish history. “I came to find out that we are from 17 generations of rabbis,” she said, expressing pride in her heritage.
The Shakespeare in Love star also shared fond memories of childhood Hanukkahs, recalling visits to her grandparents’ house on Long Island. “My most favorite is when I go back to being at my grandparents’ house and getting the Hanukkah gelt,” she said. “I have such a strong memory of the gold round coins and my brother and I tearing into them.”
Despite the initial struggles her parents faced, Gwyneth reflected on the deep bonds her blended family forged over the years. “We’re all kind of interwoven and so important to each other,” she said. “We just show up for each other again and again.”
Gwyneth’s candid reflections offer a glimpse into the love, challenges, and traditions that defined her upbringing and continue to influence her life today.