Shakespeare, a Jew?

Ever since I wrote Sticks, Stones and Words, I've been getting information that Shakespeare was really a "Crypto Jew." There is more information on David Basch's site.

Anything's possible.

Especially since I live in a community with neighbors who are converts from families with amazing stories, it seems more and more possible. A few of my neighbors come from descendents of Jews who fled the Inquisition. Some look like Peruvian Indians, but they grew up with customs and traditions of Jewish origins. Most of their family has returned to Judaism, converted and moved to Israel. Another is my Bible teacher who was born in Majorca and can trace his father's family history, since the Catholic Church kept detailed records all the centuries to show who was descended from "conversos," those converted. Another neighbor after decades of spiritual search converted to Judaism. He traced his family history and found many Jewish names. And another tells of a family custom to always have someone in the family named after a long-deceased member who had a double Biblical name, very common in Jewish families.

So, was Shakespeare a Jew? It's certainly possible.