Former US president Donald Trump grilled Jared Kushner about his daughter Ivanka’s conversion to Judaism, Kushner reveals in his forthcoming memoir.
In the new book, Trump’s Jewish son-in-law and trusted adviser opens up about his Judaism, his Shabbat observance, and Ivanka Trump’s decision to convert, a choice initially questioned by her father.
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Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner attend their wedding at Trump National Golf Club on October 25, 2009 in Bedminster, New Jersey. (Photo Brian Marcus/Fred Marcus Photography via Getty Images)
Kushner writes that his first meeting with Trump in 2007 was not smooth-sailing. At the time, Kushner was the publisher of the New York Observer weekly magazine, and Trump wrote him a letter unhappy about his position on the annual “Power List”.
Trump wrote: “Please stop sending me your paper, so I don’t have to read bullshit like this anymore!”
Two years later, Trump’s daughter Ivanka started dating Kushner, and after some time together, Ivanka told him that she would consider converting to Judaism.
“We began meeting with a rabbi and studying and practicing Shabbat together,” he wrote. “I saw that Ivanka was enjoying these rituals.”
Kushner writes that the couple spent Friday nights together eating take-away food from the 2nd Ave Deli, which was his favourite, until Ivanka offered to start cooking for the Shabbat meal.
“She loved it and quickly became an excellent chef,” Kushner writes.
As their relationship progressed and they began to discuss getting married, Kushner went to see Trump at Trump Grill in Trump Tower: “I could feel my voice shake as I managed to say that Ivanka and I were getting more serious and that she was in the process of converting.”
According to Kushner Trump replied: “Well, let me ask you a question. Why does she have to convert? Why can’t you convert?”
Kushner replied that she had made the choice herself and was comfortable with it, to which Trump then remarked: “That’s great. Most people think I’m Jewish anyway. Most of my friends are Jewish. I have all these awards from the synagogues. They love me in Israel.”
Trump then added that he hoped Kushner was serious because Tom Brady, the superstar NFL quarterback, was also courting Ivanka.
At their 2009 wedding at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey, Trump “was respectful of our Jewish traditions, and before he walked Ivanka down the aisle, he asked for a yarmulke to wear.”
