[caption id="attachment_61056" align="alignright" width="100"] Mark D. Zimmerman[/caption]
Humorist Mark D. Zimmerman writes a weekly Jewish trivia column, offering multiple choice answers to challenge and enlighten the reader. Click on the link to see if you’ve guessed correctly.
Zimmerman is the author of a series of Jewish trivia books, under the title RASHI, RAMBAM and RAMALAMADINGDONG: A Quizbook of Jewish Trivia Facts & Fun. The quizzes are designed to challenge, educate, entertain, and make you laugh. Are Tzitzit disease-carrying Mediterranean flies? Are Israeli cherries harvested during the Jubilee year? Is Gefilte Phish one of Ben and Jerry’s best-selling Israeli ice cream flavors?
Raised on the Three Stooges, The Addams Family, Monty Python’s Flying Circus, and most importantly, the Marx Brothers, Zimmerman combines his comedic sensibilities with his background in Jewish Communal Service and synagogue and day school volunteer work to create Jewish trivia guaranteed to stimulate and amuse.
His books, available on Amazon, include:
[showhide type=”pressrelease” more_text=”Show More” less_text=”Show Less”]
* Rashi, Rambam and Presidential-Dingdong: A Quizbook of Presidential Jewish Trivia Facts and Fun
* Rashi, Rambam, and Ramalamadingdong: A Quizbook of Jewish Trivia Facts and Fun
* Rashi, Rambam, and Ramalamadingdong: A Quizbook of Jewish Trivia Facts and Fun, Volume Aleph
* Rashi, Rambam, and Ramalamadingdong, A Quizbook of Jewish Trivia Facts and Fun, Volume Bet
* Rashi, Rambam, and Ramalamadingdong: A Quizbook of Jewish Trivia Facts and Fun, Volume Gimel
* Rashi, Rambam and Ramalamadingdong: A Quizbook of Jewish Trivia, Facts, and Fun: Volume Dalet
* Zim’s Guide: A Survey of Family Attractions: 95-96 Long Island
[/showhide]
On what list did Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Hosseini Khamenei, rank three spots higher than Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu?
Jewish trivia quiz: Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Read More »
Mark D. Zimmerman, Trivia, Humor & Satire…A more complicated issue is whether a cigarette smoker could switch to vaping as a step towards cessation of all smoking, and on this authorities are still quite divided. There is rabbinic precedent that allows substitution of a less serious halachic violation for a more serious violation, i.e., that vaping, while harmful and generally forbidden, would be acceptable when replacing cigarette smoking, which is more dangerous. Authorities in this debate point to what other example where rabbis might allow a less serious transgression of Jewish law in lieu of a more serious one?
Jewish trivia quiz: Vaping Read More »
Jewish Religion, Mark D. Zimmerman, Science, Medicine, & Education, Trivia, Humor & SatireBy Mark D. Zimmerman MELVILLE, New York — A video entitled A Storm is Brewing in Rockland was recently posted on Facebook and has generated a lot of discussion in Rockland County, New York and beyond. What is the video about? A. It is a video made by the New City Jewish Center, a Reform congregation,
Jewish trivia quiz: Rockland County Read More »
Mark D. Zimmerman, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USABy Mark D. Zimmerman MELVILLE, New York — Following recent mass shootings in El Paso and Dayton, President Trump indicated a willingness to consider a number of laws to reduce gun violence, including improved background checks and red-flag laws, although he has since backed away from that support. Many rabbis and other Jewish scholars have
Jewish Trivia Quiz: Gun Control Read More »
Mark D. Zimmerman, Trivia, Humor & SatireBy Mark D. Zimmerman MELVILLE, New York — Donald Trump has recently expressed interest in the possibility of the United States purchasing Greenland from Denmark (Note: It is NOT for sale). While it is not exactly clear why Trump is interested, it may be related to the natural resources on the island (iron, oil, gold, uranium
Jewish trivia quiz: Greenland Read More »
International, Jewish History, Mark D. Zimmerman, Trivia, Humor & SatireBy Mark D. Zimmerman MELVILLE, New York — The Woodstock music festival took place 50 years ago this week. The event, attended by more than 400,000 people, featured performances by Richie Havens, Arlo Guthrie, Joan Baez, The Who, Santana, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and dozens of other musicians. Many of the people involved in Woodstock
Jewish trivia quiz: Woodstock Music Festival Read More »
Mark D. Zimmerman, Trivia, Humor & SatireBy Mark D. Zimmerman MELVILLE, New York –Theater director, producer, and impresario Harold “Hal” Prince died last week at the age of 91. Prince, who came from a German Jewish family, was involved in numerous Broadway and off-Broadway productions. Many of his shows had Jewish themes, connections, or stories, most famously Fiddler on the Roof, which
Jewish trivia quiz: Hal Prince. z”l Read More »
Mark D. Zimmerman, Trivia, Humor & SatireBy Mark D. Zimmerman MELVILLE, New York — Boris Johnson has just replaced Theresa May as prime minister of Great Britain. Johnson has been a strong supporter of Israel and an advocate for a two-state solution with the Palestinians. What was Johnson’s connection to Israel before he became a politician? A. Johnson attended high school at the
Jewish trivia quiz: Boris Johnson Read More »
Mark D. Zimmerman, Trivia, Humor & SatireBy Mark D. Zimmerman SAN DIEGO — With little recent progress in peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, many Israelis and Palestinians are focusing on people-to-people (P2P) approaches between the two communities, with a goal of promoting understanding and cooperation “on the ground.” One NGO (non-profit) that has taken this approach and has
Jewish trivia quiz: Project Rozana Read More »
Mark D. Zimmerman, Trivia, Humor & SatireBy Mark D. Zimmerman MELVILLE, New York — American financier Jeffrey Epstein was arrested earlier this month on child sex trafficking charges. After an early career as a teacher, Epstein became an options trader at Bear Stearns, eventually becoming a partner before going out on his own and building a highly successful financial consulting firm.
Jewish trivia quiz: Jeffrey Epstein Read More »
Mark D. Zimmerman, Trivia, Humor & SatireBy Mark D. Zimmerman MELVILLE, New York — Jared Kushner is heading to a two-day conference in Bahrain where he will be attempting to gain support for the Trump administration’s Israel/Palestinian peace plan. However, neither Israel nor the Palestinian Authority will be attending the meeting. Kushner will be presenting only economic proposals of support for Palestinians, which
Jewish trivia quiz: Jared Kushner Read More »
Mark D. Zimmerman, Trivia, Humor & SatireBy Mark D. Zimmerman MELVILLE, New York — Target was in the news this past weekend, as a major computer glitch caused the checkout registers in almost all of their stores around the world to stop working. Target has found themselves in the middle of some controversies within the Jewish community in the past. In
Jewish trivia quiz: Target Read More »
Mark D. Zimmerman, Trivia, Humor & SatireBy Mark D. Zimmerman MELVILLE, New York — In an effort to goad Mexico into taking more action against Central American migrants traveling through Mexico to the United States southern border, President Trump has announced that he will begin implementing tariffs on Mexican goods in the coming weeks and months. There is a long history
Jewish trivia quiz: Mexican customs Read More »
International, Jewish History, Mark D. Zimmerman, Trivia, Humor & SatireBy Mark D. Zimmerman MELVILLE, New York — Will Smith is currently starring as the Genie in a live-action remake of Disney’s Aladdin. What is a Jewish connection in Will Smith’s life? A. Smith grew up in West Philadelphia’s Wynnefield neighborhood, an area with a large Jewish population. When Smith first began rapping under the
Jewish trivia quiz: Will Smith Read More »
Mark D. Zimmerman, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Trivia, Humor & Satire