Is Ella Emhoff Jewish? Kamala Harris stepdaughter's $8 million Gaza fundraiser sparks controversy online

United States Vice President Kamala Harris' step-daughter, Ella Emhoff, has raised more than a few eyebrows after she shared a Gaza fundraiser on her social media. The 24-year-old shared a campaign supporting "Urgent Relief for Gaza’s Children" on her personal Instagram account.

Ella, who boasts over 300,000 followers on the social media platform, urged them to donate to the cause. According to ProPublica, the fundraiser, which raised $8 million, is operated by the Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund, a non-profit based in Kent, Ohio.

Collin Rugg's comment on X (Image via X/ @CollinRugg)

Ella Emhoff is the daughter of Doug Emhoff, the second gentleman of the United States, who is Jewish and is a strong advocate against antisemitism, and film producer Kerstin Emhoff. However, she is not Jewish. In 2021, a representative for the 24-year-old told Forward:

"It's not something she grew up with. Ella truly has no qualms with the faith, but she does not want to speak on behalf of Judaism, as she does not celebrate herself."

Ella Emhoff sparks debate online after promoting a fundraiser in support of children in Gaza affected by the Israel-Palestine conflict

As news of Ella Emhoff sharing a campaign on her profile spread, many were quick to raise concerns and speculate on its end goal. People commented that the money would go into the hands of Hamas, who attacked Israel on October 7, starting the ongoing war that has left more than 4,000 Palestinian children dead.

Republican representative Jeff Van Drew was left appalled and told the New York Post:

"It’s of tremendous concern and I find it abhorrent... I am kind of stunned by it. It’s disturbing to the maximum degree."

Here are some comments seen on X under news media personality Collin Rugg's post about the same:

A comment reacting to the news (Image via X/ @MAryMArtis4)

A comment reacting to the news (Image via X/ @World_Movement_)

A comment reacting to the news (Image via X/ @texan_maga)

A comment reacting to the news (Image via X/ @qige1863)

A comment reacting to the news (Image via X/ @Rozmfg)

A comment reacting to the news (Image via X/ @GeneralProps)

A comment reacting to the news (Image via X/ @KevinMNelsonUSA)

A comment reacting to the news (Image via X/ @RaphelUzie)

A comment reacting to the news (Image via X/ @mizzpeeps1)

A comment reacting to the news (Image via X/ @RealNickMugalli)

A comment reacting to the news (Image via X/ @svmbaekohau)

A comment reacting to the news (Image via X/ @casuburbanmam)

A comment reacting to the news (Image via X/ @FilippoTurati4)

A comment reacting to the news (Image via X/ @)JoeyMannarinoUS)

Ella Emhoff's stepmother Kamala Harris has stated that she believes in Israel's right to defend itself but added that there is "no conflation between Hamas and the Palestinians."

"The Palestinians deserve equal measures of safety and security, self-determination and dignity, and we have been very clear that the rules of war must be adhered to and that there be humanitarian aid that flows," she added.

While Ella Emhoff shared the campaign on her Instagram profile, it remains unclear if and how much she donated to the cause.

Kamala Harris has not responded to the development at the time of writing this article.

About the author

Nirali has been a popular culture writer at Sportskeeda for the past 1.5 years, covering celebrity/influencer trends and profile/histories, political news, crime reports, and lifestyle. She completed her Bachelor's in Architecture from University of Mumbai and Masters in Heritage Conservation from University of Southern California. Professionally, Nirali has a strong 7.5-year experience working as an architect, an Assistant Archivist and a Digital Archivist across three companies.

Nirali’s educational qualifications and unique career trajectory put great emphasis on research and writing, which along with her personal interest in popular culture, led her to the current role at Sportskeeda. Her specialties are researching histories, crime stories, and developing general knowledge pieces.

The most crucial step in Nirali’s reporting is rigorous fact-checking, and she relies on information from primary sources only for her news. In the absence of a primary source, Nirali double, and even triple-checks information from multiple sources before presenting them to her readers. Strictly anti-AI, she believes in giving credits wherever necessary.

Nirali’s favorite celebrities are Mark Ruffalo and Dolly Parton, and she admires them for their support of humanity and advocacy for what is right. An avid reader, Nirali can be found nose-deep in a new book when she is away from her keyboard. Nirali also loves to illustrate in her free time.

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Edited by Prem Deshpande