Jerry Orbach, the actor, was raised Catholic but is half Jewish on his father's side.

Lenny Briscoe, the character Jerry Orbach played on Law and Order and the part he is probably most recognized for, is Jewish. Or at least is identified as a Jew when it is convenient for the plot to have a character display anti-semitism (other times he's a lapsed Roman Catholic).

So just to be clear. The man we are profiling today, Jerry Orbach, is kinda-sorta-in-a-contrived-way Jewish.

The man we are not profiling today, the fictional character Lenny Briscoe who in many people's minds may as well be Jerry Orbach IS Jewish (sometimes).

Got it?