Jonathan Silverman

Silverman at the party celebrating the launch of Nintendo’s Game Console Wii. Boulevard 3, Los Angeles, California. November 16, 2006. s_bukley/Bigstock.com

Birth Name: Jonathan Elihu Silverman

Place of Birth: Los Angeles, California, United States

Date of Birth: August 5, 1966

Ethnicity: Ashkenazi Jewish

Jonathan Silverman is an American actor. He is known for his roles in the films Girls Just Want to Have Fun, Brighton Beach Memoirs, Caddyshack II, Stealing Home, Weekend at Bernie’s, and its sequel; Class Action, Age Isn’t Everything, Little Sister, Breaking the Rules, Little Big League, French Exit, Neil Simon’s The Odd Couple II, Denial (1998), The Cookout, Beethoven’s Big Break, Crawlspace (2013), and Frank & Ava; on the series Gimme a Break! and The Single Guy; and in the made-for-tv movies Traveling Man, 12:01, Sketch Artist II: Hands That See, These Old Broads, and Bobbie’s Girl.

Jonathan is the son of of Devora and Hillel Emanuel Silverman, a rabbi, in the Conservative denomination. His father was born in Connecticut. His mother was from Jerusalem, Israel. His parents were both Ashkenazi Jews.

Jonathan is married to Canadian actress Jennifer Finnigan, with whom he has a daughter.

Jonathan’s paternal grandfather was Rabbi Morris Silverman (the son of Simon D. Silverman and Lena Friedland/Friedlander). Rabbi Morris was born in Newburgh, New York, to Russian Jewish parents. He edited the High Holiday Prayer Book, known as the “Silverman Machzor,” which became the official prayer book of Conservative Judaism for over half a century. He published it through his Prayer Book Press.

Jonathan’s paternal grandmother was Althea Harriet Osber (the daughter of Philip Osber and Rose Wolkenberg/Woldenberg). Althea was born in New York, to Russian Jewish/Polish Jewish parents. Rose was the daughter of Harris Abraham Hershel Zvi Woldenberg and Rebecca/Rivka Lipka.

Jonathan’s maternal grandfather was Eliya Yosef/Joseph Halavan/Halaban (the son of Yitzchak Yaakov Halaban and Haya Bluma Cohen). Yosef was born in Jerusalem, Israel. Yitzchak was the son of Efraim Halaban and Sara Tzvia Belea, who were from Shkloŭ, Mogilev Region, Belarus. Haya was the daughter of Zvi Hersh Cohen and Shprinze.

Jonathan’s maternal grandmother was Frieda/Freida Yona Neviaski/Naviskey (the daughter of Yakov Yisrael Neviaski and Chana Leah Evianski). Yakov was born in Kaunas, Lithuania, the son of Eliezer Kalman Neviazhsky and Tauba Volk. Chana was the daughter of Naftali Evianski and Pesha Tovah Kelmer, whose family were also from Lithuania.

Sources: Genealogy of Jonathan Silverman – https://www.geni.com

Marriage record of Jonathan’s parents – https://www.familysearch.org

Jonathan’s father on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Obituary of Jonathan’s father – https://eng.bharattimes.co.in

Marriage record of Jonathan’s paternal grandparents, Rabbi Morris Silverman and Althea Harriet Osber – https://www.familysearch.org

Jonathan’s paternal grandparents, Rabbi Morris Silverman and Althea Harriet Osber, on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org