Jewish Elvis Presley Jewish Ancestry Presley Family Tree Before Madonna discovered Kabbalah, Elvis studied Numerology and the Kabbalah Inside Judaism, it forms the foundations of mystical religious interpretation. Outside Judaism, its scriptures are read outside the traditional canons and laws of religion. Jewish Museum Berlin has a new exhibition named “The Whole Truth”, which tries to confront various questions about Judaism and being Jewish: which will feature a picture of Elvis wearing a Star of David (see below)
(Nancy Burdine was married to Abner Tackett. Nancy was of particular interest to Gladys for her Jewish heritage, often remembering Nancy’s sons for their Jewish names Sidney and Jerome. Nancy and Abner had a daughter Martha who married White Mansell. The a daughter which they named Octavia nick-named Doll who was Elvis’ maternal grandmother. Doll and Robert had nine children. Gladys Love was the fifth daughter born followed by 3 more brothers and one sister. Gladys’ sister Clette Smith married Vester Presley making Patsy Presley a double Cousin.
Jewish Elvis: In the book “Elvis and Gladys” Elaine Dundy discovered the Presley and Smith family tree to be a mixed bag of ethnic lineage from Native American Indian to Elvis’ Jewish ancestry. To be of Jewish is a maternal acquisition because there is no mistaking who is the mother of a child. Because Elvis’ Jewish line ran uninterrupted through his maternal grandmothers according to Jewish law Elvis Aron Presley is considered Jewish.
After his mother died Elvis personally sought to design his beloved mothers grave-site which included a Star of David on Gladys Love Presley’s tombstone. The decision was made by him in honor of his Jewish heritage. Something his mother was proud of and acknowledged to Elvis at a very early age. (Due to the bizarre ” break in” to steal Elvis’s body August 29, 1977, Elvis and his mother’s bodies were moved from their original burial place at Forest Hill Cemetery and reburied side by side in Graceland an area Elvis had named the Meditation Garden)
Later in life, when Elvis discovered the teachings of Judaism, Zen Buddhism and the occult teachings through his hairdresser Larry Geller he became familiar with the Hebrew alphabet and its symbols. Throughout 1977 Elvis wore a “Chai” necklace. When Charlie Hodge asked Elvis why this particular piece of jeweler was so important, without missing a beat Elvis retorted “I dont want to miss out on going’ to heaven on a technicality.” The “Chai” symbol is simply the Hebrew word for “Life” The typical Jewish toast is L’Chaim (to life) Gifts to charity are routinely given in multiples of 18 (the numeric value of the word Chai)
Elvis was well aware of his Jewish ancestry, as a child was instructed not to advertise the fact because “people didn’t like Jews” according to his parents. Yet, Elvis, who lived in an apartment below a Jewish rabbi, would often visit. The widow of the rabbi talks about Elvis. She recalls how, Elvis would visit their house on Saturday in order to turn on lights and do things they weren’t allowed to do. Elvis carried a yarmulke in his pocket. He was fascinated by Jewish music. As an adult, she remembers how Elvis donated to several Jewish organizations.
Elvis Presley wearing a Star of David 1972 One day the Memphis Jewish Welfare sent a delegation to Graceland to see him and ask if he could contribute. At Christmas every year he would donate $1,000 to a number of Memphis charities and one of them was the Memphis Hebrew Academy, and so they thought maybe they could get a dpnation. They explained what they do, taking care of Jewish orphans. Elvis excused himself for a minute. When he came back, he handed the delegation a check. They didn’t know what to expect. They thought $1,000 would be nice. The check, it was for $150,000. The equivalent of a million dollars today. The man said, ‘Elvis, you must have made a mistake.’ Elvis said, ‘I didn’t make a mistake, I know what I’m doing.’
Elvis the Shabbat Boy: The story of Harold Fruchter’s is truly a conversation stopper. Fruchter, a singer and guitarist in a Jewish wedding band, and the son of a rabbi, was born in 1952. When he was a baby, and up to the age of 2, his family lived in the upstairs apartment of a two-story flat in Memphis. Their downstairs neighbors were the Presleys. The two families formed a friendship, and the future King of Rock, just a teenager then, learned to pick up the cues when the Fruchters needed someone to turn on a light or unlock a door on Shabbos. The Fruchters, for their part, helped Elvis out materially (if not spiritually) on occasion. Where is Gladys Love Presley Original Head Stone
