So, in fact, are of Jewish origin?
Only when Katalin — Szegedi's mother — was a teen-ager did her father reveal that she was "of Jewish origin".
Like most Russian oligarchs, Vekselberg is of Jewish origin - he has a Jewish father, though he doesn't regard himself as Jewish.
Wittgenstein's family had converted, but it was of Jewish origin, and it is possible that Hitler met and disliked Wittgenstein.
Mr. Oppenheimer, who was of Jewish origin, championed the creation of black trade unions, and he lived to see those unions challenge the power of his mining companies.
The local mayor and MP, Jean-Francois Copé – also the national president of France's main centre-right party – is of Jewish origin.
Not all of the stories are of Jewish origin; many have parallels elsewhere and are derived from tales the Jews picked up from their non-Jewish neighbours in the lands of their dispersion.
Researching a book on Lenin, Prof Service came across details of how Trotsky, who was of Jewish origin, asked the politburo in 1919 to ensure that Jews were enrolled in the Red army.
The vendor of the painting, a certain Martin Brunn, was of Jewish origin: he was selling up in order to get his wife and children, and himself, out of the country.
The first Portuguese expedition to land in Brazil, 500 years ago last month, included a Polish-born Jew as its chief interpreter, as well as astronomers and mapmakers who are believed to have been of Jewish origin.
