Thomas Friedman
Birth Name: Thomas Loren Friedman
Place of Birth: St. Louis Park, Hennepin, Minnesota, United States
Date of Birth: July 20, 1953
Ethnicity: Ashkenazi Jewish
Thomas Friedman is an American political commentator and author. He writes 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, who served in the U.S. Navy, and Harold Friedman, who was vice president of a ball bearing company, United Bearing. His mother was also a Senior Life Master duplicate bridge player.
Thomas attended Hebrew school in his youth, and spent his high school summers working on kibbutzim in Israel. Thomas is married to Ann Bucksbaum, with whom he has two children.
Thomas’ paternal grandfather was Solomon 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 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
Father: Harold Abraham Freidman (1916-1973) was the son of Solomon Freidman (1883, Russia) and Sarah Chaya Caplan (1889). Solomon was the son of Romanian Jewish parents Abraham Tzvi Avrum Hirsch Freidman (1844) and Freida Brsiu (1848). Sarah was born to a Lithuanian Jewish father, Max Mordechia Kaplan (1860) and a Russian Jewish mother Rebecca Riva Kramer (1863).
Sources/obituaries: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/80371591/harold-abraham-friedman
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/117609984/solomon-friedman
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/117609959/sarah-friedman