Evelyn Beatrice Hall

Evelyn Beatrice Hall, writing under the pseudonym Stephen G. Tallentyre, is largely remembered for a single, iconic sentiment summarizing Voltaire's stance on freedom of expression: "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." This wasn't a direct quote from the philosopher, but rather her elegant distillation, which nevertheless cemented her place in the annals of intellectual discourse.

Hall dedicated much of her literary career to studies of French thinkers, particularly Voltaire. Her biography, "The Friends of Voltaire," published in 1906, is where the famous paraphrase first appeared. It's a testament to her skill that her interpretation became more famous than the original.

While her contribution to understanding Enlightenment thought is significant, there's absolutely no indication that Evelyn Beatrice Hall had any connection to the Tribe. Her English background and focus on French history offer no hints of matzo ball soup or seders. She stuck to writing about others' philosophies, not her own ethnic heritage.

So, while we applaud her for providing the perfect soundbite for free speech debates, Evelyn Hall remains firmly in the "Not a Jew" camp. Her legacy is in her words, not her lineage.