RASHI, RAMBAM and RAMALAMADINGDONG
A Quizbook of Jewish Trivia Facts & Fun
A Quizbook of Jewish Trivia Facts & Fun
Israeli actor Chaim Topol died last week at the age of 87. The actor, who professionally used only his last name because too frequently people would mispronounce his first name, Chaim, as “shame,” is most famous for playing the role of Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof. Topol starred as Tevye in the 1971 Norman Jewison film, and played the role on Broadway, on London’s West End, and on numerous tours around the world. In 2012 The Jerusalem Post called Topol “Israel’s most famous export since the Jaffa orange.” Besides singing and acting, Topol was known for what other skills and accomplishments?
Chaim Topol, 1967 by Ilan Bruner is in the public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
A. Topol was an accomplished artist, having illustrated more than two dozen books. He also drew a series of portraits of Israeli presidents which appeared in 2013 on Israeli postage stamps.
B. When he was in the Israeli army, Topol was trained in communications technology. After leaving the military, his first job was in a recording studio, and he continued to use these skills when he began acting, helping the small theaters where he worked with their amplification systems and sound effects.
C. Topol often served as a shaliach tzibbur, a prayer leader, in his synagogue in Tel Aviv where he grew up. Even after he gained fame as an actor, whenever he was in Israel he would return to that synagogue on Saturday morning to lead services with his beautiful baritone voice.
D. Topol was raised in a poor section of Tel Aviv, but after high school he moved to Kibbutz Geva, where he worked in the kitchen as a chef. Later, whenever Topol played Tevye (on Broadway, in London, and on tour) he would always cook dinner for the cast and crew following the Sunday matinee performance.
E. Before becoming an actor Topol had trained as an architect. He was particularly well known for designing houses in Israel that included one long staircase just going up and one even longer coming down. And one more leading nowhere, just for show.
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