RUTHFULLY YOURS

The Jewish brother of President Obama told an Israeli newspaper that he is proud to be part of the Jewish people.

Mark Okoth Obama Ndesandjo is a businessman and musician, who lives in China. He published a book several years ago, in which he wrote about an abusive Kenyan father.

Mark Obama also directs the Mark Obama Ndesanjo Foundation, which promotes cultural exchanges between Asia, Africa and the U.S., and provides instruments and music teachers to needy children in China.

When his parents divorced, Mark Obama moved to the U.S. where he studied physics at Brown University and Stanford. He received an MBA from Emory University.

Mark Obama’s mother, Ruth Nidesand, the third wife of Obama Sr., was born in the U.S. to Lithuanian Jewish immigrants.

Mark Obama told the Israeli newspaper that he considers himself a member of the Jewish people. 

“I am a Jew not only because I have a Jewish mother, but because it is a great pride to be part of the Jewish people. I feel very good to belong to the Jewish heritage, Jewish culture, and to Jewish philosophers,” Mark Obama said.