 Jerome David Salinger was born in New York City , on New Year 's Day , 1919 . His father , Sol Salinger , sold kosher cheese , and was from a Jewish family of Lithuanian descent , his father having been the rabbi for the Adath Jeshurun congregation in Louisville , Kentucky . Salinger 's mother , Marie ( née Jillich ) , was born in Atlantic , Iowa , of Scottish , German , and Irish descent , but changed her name to Miriam and considered herself Jewish after marrying Salinger 's father . Salinger did not learn that his mother was not of Jewish ancestry until just after he celebrated becoming a bar mitzvah . His only sibling was his older sister Doris ( 1911 – 2001 ) . 
