Is Kathie Lee Gifford Jewish? Details On Her Religion And Faith

Fans are curious about Kathie Lee Gifford's religion after she talked about Jewish traditions in her recent interview.

French-born Kathie Lee Gifford is an established American television presenter, songwriter, occasional actress, singer, and author.

The actress rose to prominence with her 15-year run on the talk show Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee, which she co-hosted with Regis Philbin.

She was nominated for 11 Daytime Emmys and was the recipient of her first Daytime Emmy in 2010 as part of the Today team, where she served for her 11-year run with Hoda Kotb on the fourth hour of NBC's Today show.

From 1977 to 1978, Kathie appeared in her first television role as Tom Kennedy, a vocalist on the syndicated version of Name That Tune.

The TV presenter was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her contributions to the television industry on April 28, 2021.

Quick facts

Full NameKathryn Lee Gifford
Net Worth:$60 Million
Salary:$5 Million
Date of Birth:Aug 16, 1953 (69 years old)
Gender:Female
Height:5 ft 4 in (1.651 m)
Profession:Talk show host, Presenter, Singer, Actor, Television producer, Songwriter
Nationality:France

Is Kathie Lee Gifford Jewish?

Kathie Lee Gifford was born as Kathryn Lee Epstein in Paris, France, to American parents Joan and Aaron Epstein.

The television presenter told interviewer Larry King, "I was raised with many Jewish traditions and was raised to be very grateful for my Jewish heritage."

Her mother, Joan, was a singer, and her father, Aaron Epstein, was a musician and former US Navy Chief Petty Officer. Aaron was stationed with his family in France at the time of Gifford's birth.

She grew up in Bowie, Maryland, and attended Bowie High School.

She made her debut as a director with The God Who Sees. Kathie has appeared in several films and other television shows outside of talk shows.

Kathie Lee Gifford's Religion And Faith

Kathrin was raised in Jewish traditions. After seeing the Billy Graham-produced film The Restless Ones at age 12, she became a born-again Christian.

Her paternal grandfather was a Russian Jew from Saint Petersburg, and her maternal grandmother had Native American ancestry.

Kathie's mother is a relative of Rudyard Kipling, a descendant of French Canadian, German, and English ancestry.

Neither Gifford nor her son Cody nor daughter-in-law Erica is Jewish. They did unwittingly follow the Ashkenazi Jewish tradition of naming their son after deceased relatives.

Her grandson’s first name is Frank, after his late father, football star, actor, and sports commentator Frank Gifford.

Who Is Kathie Lee Gifford's New Partner?

Kathie Lee Gifford married Paul Johnson, a composer, arranger, producer, and publisher of Christian music. She and Paul have worked on various musical projects since their marriage in 1976. The relationship ultimately ended in divorce in 1982.

After their divorce, she married sportscaster and former NFL player Frank Gifford in 1986, who died of natural causes at 85 in 2015.

She and her husband raised the money to build and continued to financially support shelters in New York City for babies born with HIV or with a congenital crack cocaine addiction.

The celebrity revealed that she had found personal pleasure in her current life, and that's the best way she can put it, in an interview with PEOPLE.

The television presenter has two children: a daughter, Cassidy, and a son, Cody. In 2010, she and Cassidy appeared on The Suite Life on Deck. Later, Kathie Lee had a cameo in Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No!

Kathie Lee Gifford's Net Worth

Kathie Lee Gifford has a net worth of $ 60 million, and her annual salary is $ 5 million in 2022.

She has endorsed Slim-Fast drinks in the past and has appeared in Carnival Cruise advertisements.

She reportedly sold her longtime home in Connecticut in 2019 and moved into a $3.7 million house in Franklin, Tennessee.

Sources reveal that her husband left his entire estate to Kathie. Frank's estate included $10 million worth of liquid assets, a $2.5 million house in Florida, and a $22 million mansion in Connecticut.

Kathie Lee Gifford currently lives in her massive, $22 million mansion in Connecticut. The Spanish revival home features white stucco and red roof tiles in the exclusive Riverside neighborhood of Greenwich.

Also read: Devil In Ohio: Who Is Madeleine Arthur? Here's What We Know About The Canadian Actress

ncG1vNJzZmirmKTEo7XZnKarppWne6S7zGigrGWblsGptcRmo56dXZy2p7LOq5tmopWstrS0