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J.K Rowling has said on Twitter that Porpetina and Queenie Goldstein are distantly related to Anthony Goldstein,

J.K. Rowling ‏@jk_rowling

Well, I think it's widely known that that characters of (Porpen)tina and Queenie are sisters, but not that their surname is Goldstein.

Mark ‏@marklynch2012

any rlation to Anthony Goldstein

J.K. Rowling ‏@jk_rowling

Yes (but distant).

whom she has previously confirmed to be Jewish.

ben ‏@benjaminroffman

@jk_rowling my wife said there are no Jews at Hogwarts. I’m a Jew so I assume she said it to be the only magical 1 in the family. Thoughts?

J.K. Rowling ‏@jk_rowling

Anthony Goldstein, Ravenclaw, Jewish wizard.

Was she trying to say that they are Jewish as well?

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  • 3
    you might want to clarify if you mean, religiously Jewish, or heritage/race Jewish.
    – Himarm
    Dec 22, 2015 at 21:02
  • 1
    It's funny, they don't looks Druish.... </obligatory_Mel_Brooks>
    – DVK-on-Ahch-To
    Dec 22, 2015 at 21:10
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    Also, in all fairness, "distantly related" can mean a lot of things. I'm very distantly related to Temuchin and Ceasar, I'm sure. Given the inbreeding in Wizarding Britain, everyone's more related to everyone else than European Royalty
    – DVK-on-Ahch-To
    Dec 22, 2015 at 21:17
  • 3
    @DVK - The guy who invented the salad?
    – Valorum
    Dec 23, 2015 at 20:43
  • 2
    Pfft. Magic is for all y'all who didnt get to be a jew.
    – Misha R
    Jan 19, 2016 at 20:34

2 Answers 2

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Likely yes - the actress playing Queenie says Queenie is Jewish.

It seems likely that Queenie Goldstein is indeed Jewish - Alison Sudol, the actress who plays her says that she’s glad to be playing a Jewish character and she’s proud of who Queenie is.

Alison (and all of us, really) loves that Queenie is “so unapologetically feminine”, and also said she’s proud to be playing a Jewish character:

“It’s a really cool thing. Diversity is important. I’m really proud of who she is.”
- Alison Sudol’s ‘Fantastic Beasts’ Panel at LeakyCon 2018 (The Leaky Cauldron)

Alison Sudol, at least, seems to think that Queenie is Jewish, so would likely be playing her with the intention of her being Jewish. She doesn’t mention if she knows or thinks Queenie’s sister Tina is also Jewish, but she certainly believes that her own character Queenie is Jewish.

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Unfortunately, there is no canon answer to your question. That said, I don't think it would be out of line to consider these two characters could indeed be Jewish.

I'm sorry to leave such a nebulous answer, but there simply isn't further information (that I was able to find on the Harry Potter Lexicon or Pottermore) available on Porpetina and Queenie Goldstein.

I can say, interestingly, that for years, many in the Harry Potter fandom thought there was a character named "Queenie Greengrass", and they attributed this to Slytherin student Daphne Greengrass having a sibling named Queenie. It was only when J.K. Rowling revealed Astoria Greengrass (who went on to marry Draco Malfoy, and who was an ardent supporter of peace between pure-bloods, half-bloods, and Muggleborns) was Daphne's younger sister, and Queenie Goldstein was distantly related to Anthony Goldstein, that fandom stood corrected. Just a vaguely related trivia tidbit.

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  • 1
    That's what people get for thinking The Original Forty is canon.
    – ibid
    Dec 23, 2015 at 21:03
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    @ibid - Han Shot First.
    – DVK-on-Ahch-To
    Dec 23, 2015 at 21:36
  • @Slytherincess: How do the facts you listed lead to the previous assumption of a character named "Queenie Greengrass". I don't understand.
    – ThePopMachine
    Jan 19, 2016 at 21:48
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    @ThePopMachine - "The Original Forty".
    – ibid
    Nov 21, 2016 at 5:30

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