One of the most important Green Lanterns in DC Comics is also one of the most bland - but a little-known Jewish element of Hal Jordan's backstory could add much-needed depth to the character. The Green Lantern franchise is not as popular as it once was, owing to the failure of a 2011 live action film adaptation and being overshadowed by more relatable DC heroes. But the character is also one of the very few Jewish superheroes in DC Comics history - and DC ought to capitalize on this aspect of their most famous space cop.
Hal Jordan may be the most famous Green Lantern, but he wasn't the first. That honor goes to Alan Scott, debuting in 1941 (with a much more colorful costume than his successors). Scott's popularity diminished along with all other superheroes after World War II (with the exception of Superman), but DC revisited the idea of the Green Lantern hero in 1959. This version, Hal Jordan, was a test pilot who received his ring from a dying alien. Owing in part to the ongoing space race between the United States and the Soviet Union, the combination of pilots and spaceships resulted in a fairly popular series for DC.
Though Hal Jordan's backstory and origin would be further explored throughout the following decades, one aspect would not: his Jewish heritage. Although Jordan was raised Catholic after his father, his mother was Jewish - which, according to Jewish law, makes Jordan Jewish as well. Mentions of Jordan's heritage are few and far between, such as in the panel below. But clues to Jordan's identity as a Jew exist within the Green Lantern mythos itself.
According to the Green Lantern lore, the universe is divided into 3,600 individual sectors by the Guardians of the Universe (custodians of the Green Lantern power rings). 36 is an important number in Judaism: 36 candles are used during the eight days of Hanukkah, and 36 is a multiple of 18 (18 corresponding to חַי, the Hebrew word for life). Perhaps most importantly, 36 is the number of Righteous Ones, or "Lamed Vav Tzadikim," who act as agents of light who fight off the darkness and help others - and their identities are a mystery.
Hal Jordan's Jewish heritage ought to be explored in greater detail, especially considering the amount of Jewish symbolism in the greater Green Lantern universe. It would certainly serve to make Jordan a more interesting character, or at least add depth to his backstory that is sorely lacking when compared to other heroes. The success of Moon Knight and other Jewish heroes suggest that Green Lantern would benefit from a greater Jewish influence.