The Weakest Link – Jewish Questions

Q: Who was considered the first Jew?
A: Abraham (or Avram)

Q: How many sons did Jacob have?
A: 12

Q: Which of Jacob’s sons’ names means ‘son of my right hand?”
A: Benjamin (or Benyamin)

Q: How many sons did Adam and Eve bear?
A: 3.

Q: Who was the mother of Ishmael?
A: Hagar

Q: What was Abraham’s second wife’s name?
A: Keturah

Q: Which Biblical character’s name comes from the word ‘laughter?’
A: Isaac (or Yitzchak).

Q: Which two cities did God destroy in fire and brimstone?
A: Sodom and Gomorrah

Q: What was the matriarch Sarah’s original name?
A: Sarai

Q: What food is traditionally dipped in honey on Rosh Hashana?
A: Apples

Q: What traditional Middle Eastern food is made of fried chick peas?
A: Falafel

Q: What is the three-cornered cookie eaten on Purim?
A: Hamentaschen

Q: What fruits and vegetables usually compromise Israeli Salad?
A: Cucumbers and tomatoes

Q: Frying matzah in egg makes what peisadich breakfast?
A: Matza brei.

Q: What notorious giant did David slay?
A: Goliath

Q: With what weapon did David kill Goliath?
A: Slingshot

Q: Who was Rachel and Leah’s father?
A: Lavan

Q: What two Biblical sisters shared a husband?
A: Rachel and Leah

Q: Who was Abraham’s eldest son?
A: Ishmael

Q: Who is the villain of the Purim story?
A: Haman

Q: In what scroll do we read the story of Purim?
A: Megillat Esther (Or Esther, or megillah Esther).

Q: What is the blanket term for Jews living outside of Israel?
A: Diaspora or Galut

Q: What word, often mistranslated as ‘good deed,’ actually means ‘commandment?’
A: Mitzvah

Q: What is the Hebrew term for a chapter of the Torah?
A: Parsha

Q: Who is the only female scholar mentioned in the Talmud?
A: Beruriah

Q: Who was the only female Judge?
A: Devorah (or Deborah or Debra)

Q: Who invented silent prayer?
A: Hannah (or Chanah)

Q: Who was the first convert?
A: Ruth

Q: What were the names of the midwives in the Exodus story?
A: Shifra and Puah

Q: What was Moses’ sisters’ name?
A: Miriam

Q: What was Moses’ mother’s name?
A: Yocheved

Q: During which holiday do Jews traditionally eat Matzah?
A: Passover or Pesach

Q: What is the first parsha of the Torah?
A: Bereshit

Q: What are the seven days of celebration after a Jewish wedding called?
A: Sheva Brachot

Q: During a Jewish wedding, the groom steps on what?
A: A glass.

Q: Which Jewish holy day translates to Day of Repentance?
A: Yom Kippur

Q: Which holiday is known as the ‘Birthday of the Trees?’
A: Tu B’shvat.

Q: What is the most used kosher wine?
A: Manischewitz

Q: Which Jewish director is responsible for “Spaceballs” and “Blazing Saddles?”
A: Mel Brooks.

Q: Which Jewish comedian “gets no respect?”
A: Rodney Dangerfield.

Q: Which Dodger right-fielder refused to play this season on Yom Kippur?
A: Shawn Green

Q: Which famous Jewish Dodger was voted Baseball Athlete of the Decade for the 1960s?
A: Sandy Koufax

Q: What Pesach song title means “it would have been enough?”
A: Dayenu

Q: What nonsense phrase follows the lyric “if I were a rich man?”
A: Bidi-bidi-bidi-bidi-bidi-bidi-bidi-bum (or something similar)

Q: Complete this Zionist song title: “Yeryshalaim shel _____”
A: Zahav (or gold)

Q: What commonly used Yiddish word means “to chat?”
A: Kibbitz or schmooze

Q: The Hebrew alphabet is called what?
A: Alef-bet.

Q: The two Torahs are the Written Torah and the what?
A: Oral Torah or Mishnah

Q: How many candles are on a fully lit Chanukiah?
A: Nine.

Q: What is the name of the candle used to light the other candles on a Menorah?
A: Shamash

Q: What is the ceremony that officially ends Shabbat?
A: Havdalah

Q: What Jewish power hitter played for the Tigers?
A: Hank Greenberg

Q: What Jewish doctor discovered the polio vaccine?
A: Jonas Salk

Q: What Jewish author wrote “Exodus” and “Massada?”
A: Leon Uris

Q: What Jewish musician’s real name is Robert Zimmerman?
A: Bob Dylan

Q: Which Jewish musician wrote the song “Pianoman?”
A: Billy Joel

Q: Which Jewish musician was responsible for the song “I Hate Short People?”
A: Randy Newman

Q: What are the two commonly used names for the Jewish head covering?
A: Yarmulke and kippah

Q: Who was the hero of the Chaunkah story?
A: Judah Macabee

Q: What popular Hebrew girl’s name means “lily?”
A: Shoshana

Q: What term used to describe a person’s move to Israel means literally “going up?”
A: Aliyah

Q: Saying Birkat Hamazon is also known as what?
A: Benching or saying grace

Q: What hissing animal tempted Eve to eat the forbidden fruit?
A: A serpent or snake

Q: During what Jewish month does Passover occur?
A: Nissan

Q: From which Biblical book do the lyrics for the song “Turn Turn Turn” come?
A: Ecclesiastes

Q: Name the four main denominations of American Jewry.
A: Reform, Conservative, Orthodox, and Reconstructionist.

Q: Shalach Manot is a custom associated with which holiday?
A: Purim

Q: How many years did the Jews spend wandering in the desert with Moses?
A: Forty.

Q: In 1492, the Jews were expelled from what country?
A: Spain

Q: Jewish of Spanish descent are called what?
A: Sephardic

Q: Which country has the largest Jewish population in the world?
A: United States

Q: How many cups of wine are traditionally drunk on Passover?
A: Four

Q: For which holiday do Jews build a booth out of palm fronds?
A: Sukkot

Q: Which two characters from the TV Show “Friends” are Jewish?
A: Monica and Ross Geller

Q: Which doctor on the TV show “ER” is half-Jewish?
A: Dr. Mark Greene

Q: Complete this lyric from the popular song by Adam Sandler: “Put on your yarmulke, it’s time for…”
A: Chanukah

Q: Which Jewish comedian’s catchphrase is “Who are these people?”
A: Jerry Seinfeld

Q: Which Jewish actor played a rabbi in “Keeping the Faith?”
A: Ben Stiller

Q: Which Jewish actor created the voices for Looney Tunes?
A: Mel Blanc

Q: Which Jewish actor played a psychiatrist to a mobster in “Analyze This."
A: Billy Crystal

Q: What Jewish singing duo wrote “The 59th Street Bridge Song?”
A: Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel

Q: What Jewish actor provided the voice for Iago in “Aladdin?”
A: Gilbert Gottfreid

Q: What Jewish actor created the character Pee Wee Herman?
A: Paul Ruebens.

Q: Which Jewish actor played Latke on the sitcom “Taxi?”
A: Andy Kaufman

Q: What Jewish actress played roles in “The Opposite of Sex” and “Romy and Michelle’s High School Reunion?”
A: Lisa Kudrow

Q: This Jewish actor provides the voice for the cartoon “The Critic.”
A: Jon Lovitz.

Q: Which Jewish singer popularized the song “The Rose?”
A: Bette Midler

Q: This Jewish actor starred in “Honey, I Shrunk The Kids.”
A: Rick Moranis.

Q: This Jewish actor’s character’s catchphrase was “That is highly illogical.”
A: Leonard Nimoy

Q: This Jewish actor repeatedly said “Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.”
A: Mandy Patinkin

Q: Which Jewish actress stars in HBO’S “Sex and the City?”
A: Sarah Jessica Parker

Q: This Israeli actress’ most remembered role was in Star Wars, Episode One.
A: Natalie Portman.

Q: Which Jewish actress was featured in two Aerosmith videos?
A: Alicia Silverstone.

Q: Which Jewish director’s films include “A Clockwork Orange” and “Eyes Wide Shut?”
A: Stanley Kubrick.

Q: Which half-Jewish actress played Princess Leia?
A: Carrie Fisher

Q: Which member of the Rat Pack converted to Judaism?
A: Sammy Davis, Jr.

Q: Which LA Kings hockey player is Jewish?
A: Mathieu Schneider

Q: Which famous Jewish director was responsible for “E.T.” and “Jurassic Park?”
A: Steven Speilberg

Q: This Jewish author gave us “The Chosen” and “My Name is Asher Lev.”
A: Chaim Potok

Q: This Jewish singer and actress starred in “Funny Girl.”
A: Barbra Streisand