Jon Ossoff

Birth Name: Thomas Jonathan Ossoff

Place of Birth: Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.

Date of Birth: February 16, 1987

Ethnicity:
*father – Ashkenazi Jewish
*mother – English, Scottish, Guernsey Channel Islander

Jon Ossoff is an American documentary filmmaker, investigative journalist, and politician. A member of the Democratic Party, he has been a U.S. Senator from Georgia, since January 20, 2021. He is the first person born in the 1980s to serve as a U.S. Senator or Governor.

His father, Richard, owns Strafford Publications, a specialist publishing company. His mother, Heather, co-founded NewPower PAC, an organization that works to elect women to local office across Georgia.

Jon’s father is from a Jewish family. Jon’s mother is Australian, and has English, Scottish, and Guernsey Channel Islander ancestry. Jon was raised Jewish. He went under the mikvah, and had a Bar Mitzvah ceremony.

Jon is married to gynecologist Alisha Kramer, with whom he has a daughter. Alisha is also Jewish.

Jon is the first U.S. Senator from Georgia to be of Jewish heritage since John S. Cohen, whose father was Jewish, and who served, from April 25, 1932 to January 11, 1933. He was also a journalist.

Jon’s paternal grandfather was Hyman Ossoff (the son of Israel Ossoff and Anna/Annie Schochet/Shochet). Hyman was born in Massachusetts, to Lithuanian Jewish parents, from Vilnius. Israel was the son of Zvi/Harry Ossoff and Jennie. Anna was the daughter of Yakov Schochet and Sarah Baila.

Jon’s paternal grandmother was Blanche Dorothy Hoffman (the daughter of Morris Peter Hoffman and Manya/Minnie Kopnick). Blanche was born in Connecticut, to Russian Jewish parents. Morris was the son of Pesach Hoffman. Minnie was the daughter of Aaron Zev/Victor Kopnick and Feige/Faygie.

Jon’s maternal grandfather is the son of Henry Edwin Fenton and Florence May Veronica De Cis. Henry was the son of Robert John Fenton, who was born in East Boldon, Durham, England, and of Rachel Marina Diamond, who was born on Saint Sampson, Guernsey, Channel Islands. Florence was the daughter of parents surnamed De Cis and Knox.

Jon’s maternal grandmother is the granddaughter of Stewart Doig, who was born in Forfar, Angus Council, Scotland, and Elizabeth “Lizzie” Rattray, who was also Scottish; and of Edward Charles Knox and Jessie Hamilton Blair Bryce.

Sources: Interview with Jon Ossoff – https://momentmag.com

Genealogy of Jon Ossoff – https://www.geni.com

Jon’s paternal grandfather, Hyman Ossoff, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Jon’s paternal great-grandparents, Morris Peter Hoffman and Manya/Minnie Kopnick, on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org