Fwd: Re: Sean Paul

[Sam Weiss <SamWeiss...>]

The long memory of the Internet can get pretty interesting.  In the summer
I posted a short note to this list about how Sean-Paul's "Get Busy" sounds 
to me a little bit like Haftarah chanting, if you discount the steady 
beat.  Recently I received this email:


>You wrote in July on the Shamash board. I found it in a google search. 
>FYI, Sean Paul's father's family is a Jewish Jamaican family that has been 
>there for centuries.  His mother is Chinese (no idea if she 
>converted).  He went to the Hillel Academy in Jamaica.

Upon asking Mr. Bloom how he knew this, he wrote:

>This is mentioned---Sephardic Jewish and attending Hillel Academy--- in a 
>recent issue of Vanity Fair.  Once I had his last name and knew he was at 
>least part Jewish, I was able to do some more research and fill in some of 
>the details---like his mother being of Chinese Jamaican background----and 
>that his family---the Henriques--are among the most famous Jamaican Jewish 
>families.
>
>I write a column on Jewish celebs that is the San Francisco Jewish paper 
>and is carried by a few other papers---so I look for this stuff.  I would 
>like to know more details about his background---but that can prove 
>difficult.
>
>Chris Blackwell, btw--despite his name---the founder of Island 
>records--and a member of the rock hall of fame---is also Jamaician 
>Jewish---his mother's family are also old Sephardic Jews on the 
>Island---the Lindos. He was raised Jewish---although he practices nothing 
>now. His father's family were of the Cross and Blackwell jam and other 
>fancy foods family.  Blackwell had no problem signing the observant Jaron 
>and Evan Lowenstein---he knew all about not playing on the Sabbath.
>
>Nate Bloom  NTeibloom (at) aol(dot)com
>Columnist


_____________________________________________________________
Cantor Sam Weiss === Jewish Community Center of Paramus, NJ


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