A stage veteran, Tovah Feldshuh has portrayed many iconic Jewish women --from Golda Meir to Ruth Bader Ginsberg to Dr. Ruth Westheimer. "My role is to depict the Jewish woman in her many splendid colors," she once told
Hadassah
magazine.
Feldshuh also played the title role in the Broadway show
Irena's Vow
--now a feature film--about a non--Jewish nurse who risked her life to save Jews during World War II.
Off stage, she is using her platform to stand up for the Jewish people, including participating in
Broadway Responds to Antisemitism
last spring. Then, after October 7, Feldshuh spoke at the "March for Israel" in Washington, D.C., telling the massive crowd that "we are engaged in a battle fighting for a civilized world."
In celebration of her 50 years on Great White Way, she recently established the Feldshuh Fund for Women's Health, supporting early detection of cancers for women in the arts.
Recently, the six-time Tony and Emmy nominee joined the cast of the Broadway revival of Funny Girl and has been performing her one-woman show.
What was the last book you read?
Barbra Streisand's memoir,
My Name is Barbra
.
What's your all-time favorite movie?
A Walk on the Moon
and
Kissing Jessica Stein.
I wonder why! [Pssst: She appeared in both films!]
What's your favorite Jewish food?
Vegetarian chopped liver.
What are you listening to these days?
My one-woman show
Aging Is Optional ('Cause G-d I Hope It Is!)
because I just completed eight concerts in five days.
Who was the last person you texted on your phone?
Katie Couric, so we could deal with a Qatar-funded classroom map in PS 261 in Brooklyn with the state of Israel omitted.
If you could invite three people, famous or not, to a Shabbat dinner, who would they be?
Please permit me to invite four people! Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Golda Meir, and Barack and Michelle Obama.
If you could have any other occupation, what would it be?
A diplomat.
Who are two of your biggest role models?
Tom Brady and Ruth Westheimer.
What are you currently binging on TV?
The Crown
.
If you could offer the teen version of yourself one piece of wisdom, what would it be?
Never give up and always reach for the stars so you can land on the roof. Reach for the roof and you'll never get off the ground.
