Profile Text
Birth Name: Lee Michael Zeldin
Place of Birth: East Meadow, New York, U.S.
Date of Birth: January 30, 1980
Ethnicity: Ashkenazi Jewish
Lee Zeldin is an American attorney, politician, and U.S. Army intelligence officer. A Republican, he has been Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), since January 29, 2025. He was previously a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York, from January 3, 2015 to January 3, 2023.
Lee is the son of Merrill and David Zeldin. His great-uncle was Rabbi Isaiah Zeldin, who founded Stephen S. Wise Temple, a Reform synagogue in Bel Air, Los Angeles, California. He grew up in Suffolk County, New York. He was raised in a mix of Reform and Conservative Judaism.
Lee is married to Diana Gidish, with whom he has two children. Diana is a member of the LDS (Mormon) church.
Lee’s paternal grandfather was Abraham Jack Zeldin (the son of Movsha Froim “Morris” Zeldin and Esther Shlyapocznik/Shlapochnik/Shlapotznik/Shlyapochnik). Abraham was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Belarusian Jewish parents, from Petrikov, Gomel, Belarus. Morris was an organizer of the United Jewish Appeal of New York, and a Zionist pioneer. He was the son of Abraham Israel/Yaakov Zeldin and Sarah Bassie/Basha Sachs/Zaks. Esther was the daughter of Meyer/Meir/Meer Movsha-Borukhovich Shlapotznik/Shlapotznick/Shlyapochnik and Lea Lichtstrahl.
Lee’s paternal grandmother was Jean Cohen (the daughter of David Cohen and Eva Ellenport). Jean was born in New York, to Ukrainian Jewish parents. David was the son of Yankel Kosorovitzky, and of a woman surnamed Cohen. Eva was the daughter of Morris Ellenport and Brucha.
Lee’s maternal grandfather was Lewis Paul Gaines/Ginsburg (the son of Gilbert Martin Ginsburg and Ethel Shirley Newberger). Lewis was born in New York, to a Jewish family. Gilbert was the son of Louis Ginsburg and Lena Resnick. Ethel was the daughter of Joseph Newberger and Jeannette Samuel.
Lee’s maternal grandmother was Shari Lynn Tobocman (the daughter of Abraham Tobocman and Clara Rotter). Shari was the daughter of Jewish emigrants. Abraham was born in Lipcani, Briceni, Moldova, the son of Miriam. Clara was born in Cluj Napoca, Romania, the daughter of Yaral Rotter and Bertha.
Sources: Genealogy of Lee Zeldin – https://www.geni.com
Genealogies of Lee’s paternal grandparents, Abraham Jack Zeldin and Jean (Cohen) Zeldin – https://www.findagrave.com