Mark D. Zimmerman

By Mark D. Zimmerman MELVILLE, New York — The Beatles are once again in the news, as they have finally allowed their music to be streamed on such music services as Spotify and Apple Music. What was the Jewish connection to the Cavern, the Liverpool nightclub where the Beatles performed regularly at the start of […]

By Mark D. Zimmerman MELVILLE, New York — Shmaltz Brewing Company offers a beer for Chanukkah. What is it called? A. Shmuel Adams.B. Chai-neken.C. Lone Six Pointed Star.D. Judah Maccabeer.E. Hanukkah, Chanukah: Pass the Beer. Link to answer: http://rrrjewishtrivia.com/answers/chanukkah-beer-answer.html * Mark D. Zimmerman is the author of Rashi, Rambam and Ramalamadingdong series of Jewish trivia e-books. Learn more at rrrjewishtrivia.com.  

By Mark D. Zimmerman MELVILLE, New York — Which of the following online deals is being offered from Israel for Cyber Monday shoppers?   A. El Al is offering round-trip first class fares between Tel Aviv and New York for $7040, a 20% discount off the regular fare of $8800. Travel must take place during Chanukkah week,

By Mark D. Zimmerman MELVILLE, New York — Because the turkey is native to America, it is not mentioned in the Torah. Therefore, a name was devised for this bird in modern Hebrew. What is that name? A. The turkey is called tarnegol hodu. Tarnegol means chicken. Hodu means thanks (the same root as todah.). By the time President Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving as a

By Mark D. Zimmerman MELVILLE, New York — To what did Ronald Reagan attribute his strong negative feelings about anti-Semitism? A. He credited his father, John Reagan, a traveling salesman, who told of checking into a hotel while on a sales trip. The clerk said to Mr. Reagan, “I’m sure you’ll enjoy it here; we don’t allow any

By Mark D. Zimmerman MELVILLE, New York — Bill Clinton was the first president to hold a candle lighting ceremony for Chanukkah at the White House, in 1993. What did a 6-year-old girl do at the event? A. She wandered off in the White House, eventually coming upon Chelsea Clinton in her bedroom. Chelsea and the girl played games

By Mark D. Zimmerman MELVILLE, New York — President Abraham Lincoln sent a Jewish man, Issachar Zacharie, as an emissary to New Orleans to promote loyalty to the Union and to spy on Confederate troop movements. How did Lincoln know Zacharie?   A. Zacharie was an attorney who gave Lincoln his first job in Springfield in 1836 after Lincoln

By Mark D. Zimmerman MELVILLE, New York –When Ben Carson visited Israel for the first time in December 2014, he quizzed his guide about the Israeli system of government, asking “In the United States, we have Republicans, Democrats, and Independents. What do you have?” When the guide explained Israel’s parliamentary system in the Knesset, he asked “And what

By Mark D. Zimmerman MELVILLE, New York — Jews worldwide are celebrating Shemini Atzeret by chanting the Tefilat Geshem, the prayer for rain. A group of Jewish witches in Northern California will gather in a sukkah built around a hot tub, while invoking Native American ancestors and the Canaanite storm and rain god Ba’al Hadad. What is this community

By Mark D. Zimmerman MELVILLE, New York — What did the late Yogi Berra say when he was told that a Jew was elected mayor of Dublin? A. Dublin? Nobody goes there anymore. It’s too crowded.B. It’s like déjà Jew all over again.C. Only in America.D. Why shouldn’t he? Jimmy Walker’s Irish, and he was elected mayor of New