Paula Abdul
Abdul in 2011, joe seer/bigstock.com
Birth Name: Paula Julie Abdul
Place of Birth: San Fernando, Los Angeles, California, United States
Date of Birth: June 19, 1962
Ethnicity:
*father – Syrian Jewish
*mother – Ukrainian Jewish, Russian Jewish
Paula Abdul is an American dancer, choreographer, singer, songwriter, actress, and television personality. She is known for being a judge on the show American Idol.
Paula’s father, Harry Abdul, was a Syrian Jew from Aleppo, who emigrated to Brazil, and then to the U.S. Paula’s mother, Lorraine (Rykiss), is Ashkenazi Jewish, and is originally from Saint Boniface, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. All four of Paula’s maternal great-grandparents were born in Eastern Europe, Russia and Ukraine.
Some have associated her with the black community, because of her style of music.
Paula’s maternal grandfather was William Alexander Rykiss (the son of Avram/Avraham Rykiss and Bessie Peshe “Passy” Malamed). William was born in Katerburg, Ukraine. Bessie was the daughter of Moishe Malamed and Dvora/Dovrah Berg.
Paula’s maternal grandmother was Sally/Sarah Naomi Riceberg (the daughter of Moishe Leib “Maurice” Riceberg and Mariam Goldbreski/Golubitsky). Sally was born in Manitoba, Canada, to parents who were born in Russia and Ovruch, Ukraine.
Sources: Genealogy of Paula Abdul – https://www.geni.com
Genealogy of Paula Abdul (focusing on her mother’s side) – http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com
Paula talks about being Jewish – http://www.ynetnews.com
I am arabic(jordanian palestinian) from my fathers side and nicaraguan from my mothers side. I speak spanish and I know a few words in arabic. I am also learning german.
Syrian is a caucasian ethnicity, as are the Lebanese & most Middle Eastern people. Paula is white on both sides, just not Anglo-Saxon.
“Paula Abdul’s father is a Sephardic Jew and her mom is an Ashkenazi Jew”
thanks your right on that one. i just updated the profile.
Paula Abdul’s father is a Sephardic Jew and her mom is an Ashkenazi Jew (i think…)
Although Abdullah is commonly considered to be the complete word, Adbul is also used very frequently names. Abdul means slave and Allah means God, hence Abdullah means slave of God. So if only ‘Abdul’ is used, it means slave.
No wonder many people think Paula has Black roots as well…