William Shatner autograph essay signed ''William Shatner / Capt. Kirk Proud Jew'', with Shatner describing his happy memories of growing up Jewish. Composed on his personal embossed stationery, Shatner writes about ''Some Hanukkah Memories'', in full, ''First of all I want to say I recently released a Holiday album - I was going to call it 'Dreidel Dreidel' but thought better of it. Maybe I should have - maybe.
I was born in Notre-Dame-de Grace - neighborhood of Montreal Quebec Canada to a conservative Jewish family - my Paternal Grandfather 'Wolfe Schattner' anglicized the family name to Shatner. All four of my grandparents were immigrants - they came from the Austria-Hungary and Russian Empires - the location of present day Ukraine and Lithuania.
Third - during my childhood the menorah was silver and black no matter how much polishing - it stood on the mantelpiece somewhere - it was there all year long until it was used - and then it was used with great reverence.
Fourth - my mother standing over the frying pan, pouring a mixture of potatoes - ground-up potatoes into the sizzling fat - the oil - and frying up potato pancakes. The memory of the potato pancakes and the applesauce and the family all around eating the pancakes - is indelible. / Happy Hanukkah / William Shatner / Capt. Kirk - Proud Jew''. Single page measures 7.25'' x 10.5''. Near fine condition.