Dianne Feinstein
Feinstein in 2009, photo by Prphotos
Birth Name: Dianne Emiel Goldman
Date of Birth: June 22, 1933
Place of Birth: San Francisco, California, United States
Date of Death: September 29, 2023
Place of Death: Washington, D.C., U.S.
Ethnicity:
*father – Ashkenazi Jewish
*mother – Russian, German, and/or Ashkenazi Jewish
Dianne Feinstein was an American politician. A member of the Democratic Party, she served as Mayor of San Francisco, from November 27, 1978 to January 8, 1988, and a U.S. Senator from California, from November 4, 1992 to September 29, 2023, her death; as well as, as President of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, from January 9, 1978 to December 4, 1978, Chair of the Senate Rules Committee, from January 3, 2007 to January 3, 2009, and Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, from January 3, 2009 to January 3, 2015, among other duties. As mayor she led the renovation of San Francisco’s cable car system. She was the first woman to preside over a U.S. presidential inauguration, in 2009, and the longest-serving senator from California; in 2012, she received the most votes by any Senate candidate in U.S. history, 7.86 million. She authored the 1994 Federal Assault Weapons Ban.
Dianne was the daughter of Betty (Rosenburg/Rosenberg), a model, and Leon Goldman, a surgeon. Her father was born in California, to a Polish Jewish father and a Russian Jewish mother. Her mother was born in St. Petersburg, Russia, and was of the Russian Orthodox (Christian) religion. It is not clear exactly what Dianne’s mother’s ancestry was. She may have had Russian, German, and/or Jewish ancestry.
Dianne identified as Jewish by religion.
Dianne was married to investment banker Richard C. Blum, until his death. She had a daughter, judge Katherine Feinstein Mariano, with her first husband, attorney Jack Berman. Her surname is from her second husband, neurosurgeon Bertram Feinstein, to whom she was married until his death.
Dianne’s paternal grandfather was named Samuel Gelleorivich/Goldman. Samuel was born in Poland.
Dianne’s paternal grandmother was Lillie/Lilly Kalfin/Kalvin (the daughter of Hershel/Hirsh David Kalfin and Chaya/Eva Sura Feitelberg). Lillie was born in Russia, to parents from Germany or Lithuania.
Dianne’s maternal grandfather was named David Michael Rosenberg/Rosenburg. David was born in Rica, likely Riga, Latvia.
Dianne’s maternal grandmother was named Helen/Elenia/Helene Michailovich (?) Achimia Mussiev/Moiseyev/Myiecaw/Maisaof.
Sources: Genealogies of Dianne Feinstein – http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com
https://www.geni.com
https://www.findagrave.com
Dianne’s mother on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Dianne’s mother on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Is Rica actually Riga?
I’m confused. Is there a question about her maternal grandparents – who were from St. Petersburg, Russia – having been ethnic Ashkenazi Jews? I’m aware they practiced Russian Orthodox Christianity, there, but I’ve never heard anything saying that they were ethnic Jews.
Per “Dianne Feinstein: Never Let Them See You Cry” (mainly), Betty usually denied being Jewish and told some untrue stories about her background to her children (she falsely claimed to have been actually born as “Pasha Pariskovia” or something like that). Leon, though, believed Betty actually was a Jewish girl, and was just in denial for whatever reason. Dianne herself only began identifying as a Jew in her 20s.
The book “Jews of Capitol Hill” says Betty’s family “had both Jewish and Eastern Orthodox sides”. I’d say that probably means David was a Jew and Helen wasn’t.
I see now that her mother’s sister married a Jewish man named Lloyd Livingston. Her mother’s brother listed their own mother’s name as “Romanoff” on one record, but a name that probably more closely resembles the real name on another. His spouse or spouses appear to have been Russian Orthodox.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MH43-RB4
With a surname like “Moiseyev”?
Likely Bessie originally was Paraskovia if believe some records, like her brother Ivan became John
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV9Z-3GVD
Helen listed as “Elenia” in few records and like “Eugenia” in another one
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:HLWG-ZPT2
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV9Z-3GVC
Her son Phillip (Bessie’s another brother) wrote her name as Helene Maisaof(?)
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QL41-BN1V
Probably nothing really new but peace by peace
**Weren’t**
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/141328214/betty-goldman
She looks like Zac Efron.