Mark D. Zimmerman

By Mark D. Zimmerman MELVILLE, New York — President Joe Biden visited Israel last week, his tenth trip to the country. Biden made efforts to strengthen U.S. relations with Israel, while furthering the process of the Abraham Accords, which he also is pursuing in Saudi Arabia where he traveled after leaving Israel. While in Israel, […]

By Mark D. Zimmerman MELVILLE, New York — Sausages have existed in many forms for centuries, long before the kosher hot dog made an appearance in America. In 1870, a German immigrant named Charles Feltman (there is dispute as to whether or not he was Jewish) began selling pork and beef sausages from a pushcart on Coney

By Mark D. Zimmerman MELVILLE, New York — A movie has just been released called Elvis, starring Austin Butler as Elvis Presley and Tom Hanks as Elvis’s manager, Colonel Tom Parker. It’s long been known that Elvis served as a Shabbos goy for Rabbi Alfred Fruchter and his family, who lived upstairs from the Presleys. A Shabbos goy

Perelman, the grandson of Litvak immigrants, was raised in a Conservative household, but became an Orthodox Jew in adulthood. He is a major financial supporter of the Chabad Lubavitch movement, and he is Sabbath observant and keeps kosher. In what unusual way has Perelman maintained his Jewish practices? [Mark D. Zimmerman]

Britney Spears has often been seen wearing a Star of David necklace, and she also has a Hebrew tattoo on the back of her neck. What does the tattoo say? [Mark D. Zimmerman]

By Mark D. Zimmerman MELVILLE, New York — A court-ordered redistricting in New York has resulted in two current Democratic members of Congress having to run against each other, as the newly-drawn district borders now encompass both of their residences. Jerry Nadler’s 10th district is primarily based on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, while Maloney’s 12th

By Mark D. Zimmerman MELVILLE, New York — Don McLean, the singer/songwriter best known for his song American Pie, was scheduled to perform at the National NRA convention last weekend in Houston but he withdrew following the horrific school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. McLean stated that because of that tragedy “it would be disrespectful and hurtful” for

By Mark D. Zimmerman MELVILLE, New York — Former NBA all-star Amar’e Stoudemire started his professional career in 2002 with the Phoenix Suns, where he won the NBA Rookie of the Year honor. He later played for the New York Knicks, the Dallas Mavericks, and the Miami Heat. He retired from the NBA in 2016, and

By Mark D. Zimmerman MELVILLE, New York — Lag B’Omer will be celebrated this Thursday. The name of the holiday means “the 33rd day of the Omer,” a period which begins on the second day of Passover. Counting the Omer historically references the harvesting of the new barley crop to be brought to the Temple,

By Mark D. Zimmerman MELVILLE, New York — Federal, state, and local authorities regularly consider and pass legislation that impacts Jews, as do authorities in other countries as well. What recent controversial legislation has gotten the attention of some in the Jewish community? A. The Supreme Court is apparently on the verge of overturning Roe v.

By Mark D. Zimmerman MELVILLE, New York — Passover 2022 is over, with a number of seders making the news. Vice president Kamala Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff hosted a seder at their residence at the Naval Observatory. Meanwhile many Ukrainian Jews celebrated seders in exile, while Jews world-wide added prayers for peace for the

By Mark D. Zimmerman MELVILLE, New York — French President Emmanuel Macron won reelection in a closely contested contest against Marine Le Pen. Le Pen, leader of the far-right National Rally Party, has been a controversial figure in French politics for many years, following in the footsteps of her father Jean-Marie Le Pen. She has alarmed

By Mark D. Zimmerman MELVILLE, New York — Jews worldwide celebrated Passover this weekend. Many held family seders, some joined with friends, and others participated in larger events with their synagogues or other Jewish organizations. Some Jews are celebrating the holiday in more luxurious ways, such as at Magical Passover in Orlando, the Luxury Pesach