Was the Red Hot Chili Peppers original guitarist Jewish?

Published March 23, 2022

It’s a right of Jewish passage to wonder who out there in the world is Jewish too, especially famous people like actors, singers, athletes, and even social media stars and YouTubers. It’s just something we do.

So, to better answer the question about whether that person is Jewish or not, we’re partnering with Team JONJ at Jew Or Not Jew, a website dedicated to this exact topic.

Hillel Slovak

One day — and this day will surely come — the child will come up to us and ask for a musical instrument. A guitar, most likely. Drums, if we’re really unlucky.No, we’ll say.

Why, the child will ask.

Because your mother says you can’t, we’ll answer.

If only it were so!

The truth? Well, look at the fate of Hillel Slovak, the founding member of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. His first guitar? A bar mitzvah present. His fate? A heroin overdose. Don’t tell us the two are not related!

And you know what? Maybe they aren’t. Or, perhaps, we can put the faith that our children will just say no. But a career as a musician?

Why not be a doctor, lawyer, professor, scientist…

What kind of Jewish parents do you think we are?