Harry Styles Image by Getty Images

By Anne Cohen August 15, 2013

So, let’s admit it: it’s fun to be a member of the tribe.

Some people, like Dr. Tim Whatley (a.k.a the “anti-dentite” dentist from “Seinfeld”) convert to get in on the privileged sphere of the Jew joke. Others just like saying “shlep,” and “shvitz.” Still others just grew up in New York City.

But sometimes, this embracing of “chosen” culture just gets a little confusing. Which brings us to Harry Styles.

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis of the crisis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

There has been much speculation about the One Direction heartthrob’s Jewish connection. Is he? Isn’t he? Well, let’s examine the evidence.

Exhibit A: He rocked a star of David at the Teen Choice Awards on Sunday (see above).

Exhibit B: His tweets are pretty Jewish. Submitted for your approval:

Exhibit C: He likes kosher chinese. Back in January, kosher restaurant Met Su Yan in London was mobbed with fans after someone saw Styles eating inside.

Exhibit D: Styles sports a tattoo in Hebrew on his left shoulder, which spells out his sister’s name (Gemma).

According to the Jewish Chronicle, which recently ran a profile of the teen dreamboat, Styles grew up in Holmes Chapel, Cheshire, near the pretty prominent Jewish community of Hale, but has never been spotted attending the neighboring congregation.

Maybe he just picked up the lingo while hanging out with Gabriel Turner, director of independent film company Fulwell 73, who worked on the upcoming movie about the band, “One Direction: This is US” which will be released on August 30. According to the JC profile, Turner and co-founder Ben Winston, both Jews, are thought to be behind Styles’ masterful use of Yiddish.

In any case, the jury is still out on this one — unless a nice Jewish girl steps up to the plate.

A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda

At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse.

Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

Join our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.

$36 $500

$120 $180 Other amount