Is designer Terry Heckler Jewish?
March 27, 2014 3:22 PM   Subscribe

I know this sounds strange, but I'm working on an article about Jewish logo designers, and I haven't been able to determine if Terry Heckler (responsible for the original Starbucks logo) is Jewish. Any mefites out there know him personally (or been to a seder with him?), who could answer the question for me? Thanks!
posted by ericbop to Religion & Philosophy (7 answers total)
 
His son runs the company. Why not just call their media relations dept and ask?
posted by Ideefixe at 4:59 PM on March 27, 2014


At the risk of stating the obvious, have you tried contacting him through his firm to ask? This bio, which he presumably wrote, is pretty humorous, which makes me think someone might respond to you if you did.

(Your article sounds interesting, I'd like to read it when it's published!)
posted by DestinationUnknown at 5:06 PM on March 27, 2014


Response by poster: OK, a little more intensive googling led to Terry's dad's obituary, which included being a deacon at his church, so there's my answer.
posted by ericbop at 5:48 PM on March 27, 2014


Not necessarily. Probably, but Judaism is matrilineal, so if his mom was Jewish, then he could be considered Jewish as well, even if he wasn't raised (religiously/culturally) as such. Whether or not he would consider himself Jewish in that instance is something else, but his dad not being Jewish doesn't mean he isn't.
posted by rtha at 7:38 PM on March 27, 2014 [1 favorite]


And, of course, he could have converted to Judaism (or his father could have converted to Christianity).
posted by Jahaza at 7:42 PM on March 27, 2014


That obituary lists Merle's wife (and presumably Terry's mom) as Vieva Wonder, who is perhaps this person, shown at the YWCA in the 30s - so I doubt she was Jewish. I know the Y isn't strongly Christian anymore, but I imagine it was back then. And the page also mentions Christmas presents.
posted by needs more cowbell at 9:32 PM on March 27, 2014


Please don't assume that he isn't Jewish just because his father was a deacon. Just because my ma is Baha'i and I don't believe in god doesn't mean I'm not Jewish.

If you want to deliver the facts instead of distorting them, you've got to get a definitive yes or no answer.

Otherwise you'll destroy history with your written words.
posted by oceanjesse at 11:12 PM on March 27, 2014


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