Natasha Lyonne

Lyonne in 2016, photo by kathclick/bigstock.com

Birth Name: Natasha Bianca Lyonne Braunstein

Place of Birth: New York City, New York, U.S.

Date of Birth: April 4, 1979

Ethnicity: Ashkenazi Jewish

Natasha Lyonne is an American actress and filmmaker. She is known for playing Jessica in the American Pie films, as well as for her roles on the series Orange Is the New Black, Russian Doll, which she also co-created, and writes and directs for; and Poker Face; and in the films Dennis the Menace, Everyone Says I Love You, Slums of Beverly Hills, But I’m a Cheerleader, Kate & Leopold, Party Monster, Die, Mommie, Die!, Sleeping with Other People, Antibirth, Ad Astra, The United States vs. Billie Holiday, and DC League of Super-Pets.

She is the daughter of Yvonne and Aaron Braunstein, who was a boxing promoter and radio host. Her parents were both Jewish. Her father was from New York, with roots in Poland, Ukraine, and Russia. Her mother was born in Paris, France, to Holocaust survivors from Hungary, and was raised in Argentina. Natasha spent time living in Israel during her childhood. Her maternal grandfather’s first wife had died in a concentration camp.

Her second cousin, once removed, is musician Rami Jaffee. Natasha’s paternal great-great-grandparents, Benjamin Jaffee/Juchwa and Bessie Kukelevsky, were also Rami’s paternal great-grandparents. She is also related to cartoonist Al Jaffee.

Natasha’s paternal grandfather was Jerome Yosef Braunstein (the son of Abraham F. Braunstein and Elsie Brender). Jerome was born in New York, to Ukrainian Jewish/Polish Jewish parents. Abraham was the son of Solomon Braunstein and Pesha/Pauline Malka Mauerstein/Maurenstein. Elsie was the daughter of Shraga Feivel “Philipp” Brender and Sima Gitel “Gussie” Ehrlich.

Natasha’s paternal grandmother was Bernice Jaffee (the daughter of Abraham Jaffee and Ethel Talesnick). Bernice was born in New York, to Russian Jewish parents. Abraham was the son of Benjamin Jaffee/Juchwa and Bessie Kukelevsky. Ethel was the daughter of Koppel Labe/Louis Talesnick and Ruchel/Rose Gellia.

Natasha’s maternal grandfather was Morris/Avrohom Meier Buchinger (the son of Juda/Yitzchok Buchinger and Regina/Miriam Rivkah Ungar). Morris’s uncle was Hungarian senator Mano Buchinger. While known mostly as a businessperson, Morris was also an ordained rabbi.

Natasha’s maternal grandmother was named Ella Netzer.

Sources: https://www.newyorker.com
https://www.independent.co.uk

Genealogy of Natasha Lyonne – http://www.geni.com

Natasha’s paternal grandfather, Jerome Yosef Braunstein, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org