Mad Men Forums

I keep wondering if Don ISN'T Jewish, why all of the Jewish references in Mad Men? It was very common at that time to hide being Jewish in order to assimilate, and for job advancement. Beyond the constant Rachel Menken storyline, and the 6th episode with the "Jewish Riviera" plots, they keep dropping all of these hints: Don claiming he was Moses in episode 2, I think (born of Jews, raised and named by non-Jews). Then, the guy on the train referring to him as Richard "Dick" Whitman - a surname not unknown among Jews, the guy being named (according to IMDB) Larry Kryszinski - which if it were Krysinski, is also possibly a Jewish name. As for the Adam/Richard connection, if Richard had a different mother (but apparently the same father), it is also possible that his mother was Jewish (making him Jewish, both in the genetic sense and the religious sense). If it was his father that was Jewish, and not his mother, then he would be genetically Jewish - but not considered religiously Jewish, especially in the 60s. Which makes the comments of Rachel's sister, Barbara, interesting - the whole "Then he isn't Jewish" as to whether their father will approve of him. Lastly, there is the song that ends Babylon, where it looks like Don might begin to weep.

I think the Jewish thing is not the answer, allot of critics thought that would be the suprise ending of the first episode rather than him being married. From the flashback, and the title for the next episode, I think it's more likely a Grapes of Wrath tale, and that he was maybe a Hobbo riding the trains. It also would fit in wth the way the story is going, in the contrast between the burbs and the city, and now the countryside and the city.

My money says he's Jewish. He paid off his 'brother' to disappear, the Moses reference, the fact he's got questionable parentage.

I don't think so. Isn't Roger Sterling Jewish, in which case that would debunk the theory that Don would hide being Jewish if his boss is. He seems like he would be agnostic if anything bc the woman who raised him was religous and he disliked her.

He's not Jewish, he was born to a whore and then given to his father (assuming he was the father...) who wasn't a good man. It's all in the flashbacks he occasionally has. His Brother is only his brother through blood.