Cameron Diaz & Benji Madden Had a Jewish Wedding: Why?

[moodygirl86]

There's a thing! I didn't know Benji was going to marry Cameron Diaz and I thought I was a Good Charlotte geek!

[2xx1xy1JD]

Not religious, but it is a common Canadian pastime. No one can bring up particular celebrities without someone saying "And did you know he's Canadian?"

[louisa05]

Not that i've ever seen. Ever since I married, when was using my married name i've played the "No, I'm not Jewish" game, since his baptist/methodist family has the same name as a well known rabbi in our last city and a name that is apparently very much a Jewish last name. I had no idea that so many people would ask on first introduction 'Are you Jewish." I had never asked anyone that question and still am not sure why people ask. I once was told "Your people have been such a asset to the Democratic Party." Which seemed like a really odd thing for anyone to say to anyone...

The family game my husband's mother played and mine now plays is the "do you remember so and so game which goes like this. "Do you remember so and so who lived at xyz?" to which the answer is generally "no" . "Oh, whe was married to such and such." "Still no, mom." "Oh, well she had cancer and died." "That is too bad, but I still don't know her."

[Sparkle]

As a Jew, of course I play "Did you know ________ is Jewish?" Also, that ever important "Jewish Geography."

As the original poster, I apologize to Benjamin Levi Madden. I did some further reading and discovered that his siblings' names are Joel Reuben (his twin), Joshua and Sarah (I know not only Jews use Biblical names, but those names are frequently used by Jews). Their devout Catholic mother's surname is Madden and their father's surname is Combs. I believe their legal surname is Combs. Their alcoholic father left the family when the Madden twins were 16, probably why they use their Mother's surname. I had a Jewish professor whose last name was Combs, so it is possible that Roger is Jewish. Reform Jews accept as Jews those with Jewish fathers. So, it is possible that Benji Madden considers himself Jewish based on his father being Jewish.

The Madden clan changed their name legally to Madden after Good Charlotte experienced some commercial success. The first 2 years or so that the band was out, they were using the name "Combs". They said they preferred to honor their mother than be associated w their father's name.

*puts away her " Waldorf Worldwide" shirt and plaid zipper pants* [emoji15]

[Hane]

ETA: Do other religions do this? Is there a Family Game Night version of "Guess Who's the Episcopalian?" or some such?

As a convert to Unitarian-Universalism, I find myself doing that all the time: "Wow! Louisa May Alcott was a Unitarian! Elizabeth Gaskell was a Unitarian! St. Therese the Little Flower was a Universalist[/Roman Catholic]!" and so on.

[salex]

As a convert to Unitarian-Universalism, I find myself doing that all the time: "Wow! Louisa May Alcott was a Unitarian! Elizabeth Gaskell was a Unitarian! St. Therese the Little Flower was a Universalist[/Roman Catholic]!" and so on.

The times I've been to Unitarian Churches, it has always been to some "event" and in the common areas there would be posters listing people who were Unitarians.... Right this minute, if I ever go to church again, it is one of 3 or 4 groups I might choose...

[Hane]

The times I've been to Unitarian Churches, it has always been to some "event" and in the common areas there would be posters listing people who were Unitarians.... Right this minute, if I ever go to church again, it is one of 3 or 4 groups I might choose...

Come over to our Dark Side--we have great potlucks and LGBTQIA open mic and game nights!