Profile Text
Birth Name: Thomas Loren Friedman
Place of Birth: Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota, United States
Date of Birth: July 20, 1953
Ethnicity: Ashkenazi Jewish
Thomas L. Friedman, or Thomas Friedman, is an American political commentator and author. He has written weekly in the New York Times. His commentary covers foreign affairs, particularly the Middle East, environmentalism, and global trade.
Thomas is the son of Margaret Blanche, who served in the U.S. Navy and was a bookkeeper, and Harold Abraham Friedman, who was vice president of a ball bearing company, United Bearing. His mother was also a Silver Life Master duplicate bridge player. He attended Hebrew school in his youth, and spent his high school summers working on kibbutzim in Israel.
Thomas is married to teacher Ann Bucksbaum, with whom he has two children. Ann founded museum Planet Word, devoted to language arts. She is the daughter of businessperson and philanthropist Matthew Bucksbaum.
Thomas’ paternal grandfather was Solomon Samuel Friedman/Freidman (the son of Abraham/Avrum Tzvi Hirsch Freidman and Freida Brsiu). Solomon was born in Russia, to Romanian Jewish parents.
Thomas’ paternal grandmother was Sarah Chaya Caplan (the daughter of Max Mordechia Kaplan and Rebecca Riva Kramer). Sarah was born in Russia, the daughter of a Lithuanian Jewish father and a Russian Jewish mother.
Thomas’ maternal grandfather was Benjamin Phillips (the son of Moses David Phillips and Leah Lieb). Benjamin was a Russian Jewish immigrant.
Thomas’ maternal grandmother was named Rose Kapitznakoff. Rose was a Russian Jewish immigrant.
Sources: Genealogies of Thomas’ parents – https://www.findagrave.com
Genealogy of Thomas Friedman (focusing on his mother’s side) – https://www.geni.com