In 2004, Shia contributed this short essay to the book, I Am Jewish. It is a collection of statements por well-known Jews inspired por the last words of journalist Daniel Pearl. Pearl was murdered por Islamic terrorists because he was a Jew. The book was edited por Judea Pearl, Daniel's father.

Shia writes:

First off, let me make clear that I am in no way a Jew who attends Shabbat every Friday or puts t'fillin on before I go to sleep.
I am what you would call a claimer Jew. See, I claim to be Jewish because it is beneficial to be Jewish. I benefit from saying I am Jewish. How?
I have a personal relationship with God that happens to work within the confines of Judaism.
Judaism to me is the name of the telephone in my coração that allows me to speak to God.
Really, I feel cocky when I say I am Jewish, not bad cocky, but good cocky. Because what I am really saying is that I am one of the few chosen ones out there. I made it; God chose me and I take pride in that