The Outrageous Life of Legendary KISS Rockstar Gene Simmons

His Jewish upbringing remained an important part of his early life after moving to New York. He briefly attended yeshiva, and later said he once considered becoming a rabbi, a path that would have taken him far from the loud, theatrical world he eventually entered.

That religious background did not disappear when music became his focus. It stayed connected to his family history, his mother’s survival, and his sense of discipline. For a time, though, the future rock star could still imagine a very different calling.