Upon the discovery of Norma Jean's Bar & Grill in Panama, Iowa, and finding a photo of Marilyn Monroe with Miss Iowa, the Leader did more digging for Iowa connections -
We knew Monroe was Jewish (as was Elizabeth Taylor). What we learned is that she was also a Zionist.
How would she have reacted to the present war that began with the October 7th terrorist attack? Much in the same way other Zionist Jews have reacted, by supporting the state of Israel publicly.
How do we know this? Because she was prepared to give a speech supporting Israel in her lifetime.
But to back-track a little - Marilyn Monroe converted to Judaism when she married her third husband, playwright Arthur Miller.
We learned through the Jewish Museum that even though both Monroe and Taylor were of course widely reported on in their heyday, they somehow managed to keep their personal lives personal.
The conversion of both women remained private.
Taylor converted in the wake of her husband’s, producer Mike Todd (born Avrom Hirsch Goldbogen), death. She too passionately supported Israel and Judaism throughout her life.
In researching Monroe specifically though, we found that she was exceptionally serious about her conversion, and that she studied Judaic texts with her husband’s rabbi, Robert Goldburg.
Goldberg had said of her, “She indicated that she was impressed by the rationalism of Judaism. Its ethical and prophetic ideas and its concept of close family life.”
Born Norma Jeane Mortenson, her early life was, to say the least, unstable. She was raised by a foster family who were evangelical Christians, then by friends and even her own mother for a short while (who had initially given her up).
Later changing her name to Marilyn Monroe in Hollywood, it was during her successful movie career that she was introduced to Miller by her friend, Jewish director Elia Kazan.
When Miller and Monroe formally married under a chuppah, she converted to Judaism (conversion date: July 1, 1956), much to the pride of American Jews.
Miller himself wasn’t religious and never asked her to convert, nor take part in Jewish traditions - this, she did on her own. And though her marriage to Miller was short-lived, her dedication to Judaism remained steadfast.
She owned a siddur, which sold at auction for $25,000 a few years ago (it had handwritten notes in the margins!)
Monroe confided in another Jewish actress, Susan Strasberg, “I can identify with the Jews. Everybody’s always out to get them, no matter what they do - like me.”
For that very reason, she never attended synagogue. Of course, people cared more about the scandals that surrounded her rather than the comfort she sought, and she was well aware of it.
Monroe took the initiative of keeping a Mezuzah on her door, and she was given a menorah that played the Israeli national anthem as a wedding present.
She also loved Jewish food, especially when visiting her acting coach Lee Strasberg, where she had her own “Jewish icebox.”
But what we are concerned with in our Israel at War series is the fact that her connection with Israel was so deep that she had been scheduled to give a pro-Israel speech at the United Jewish Appeal conference in Miami in 1957.
She intended to speak about why she believed Jewish institutions and Israel deserved support. She also wanted to address why she became Jewish herself.
Yet, the “Red Scare” in 1950’s Hollywood saw so many people accused of communism, and she knew her husband was himself under investigation by the government, that many felt at the time that it was in his best interest not to give the speech.
In addition - Egypt had even condemned Monroe’s adherence to Zionism and the Jewish community and had banned her movies. She definitely made waves internationally for supporting Israel, though she surprisingly isn’t remembered for that.
It wasn’t until after Monroe divorced Miller, though she retained her Jewishness, that Egypt lifted the ban and invited her to perform in the country. Of course, she refused the invitation.
Though she was a Jewess, had the conversion document, and maintained Jewish custom until she died in 1962, Monroe was denied a Jewish burial.
Against her wishes, her funeral was performed by a Lutheran minister.
I believe that if she were alive today, she would advocate for Israel - and been sickened by the October 7th terrorist attack.
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