The Jewish World of Elvis Presley

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So that’s where the Copen family menorah sits today, on display for the museum’s 50,000-100,000 annual visitors to view.

All this talk now about Elvis being Jewish — that’s really disturbing,” Judy Fruchter said. “Because if he was Jewish, my father was making him desecrate Shabbat. He’s probably turning in his grave.” Persoonlijke gegevens Petri "Pieter" Ponsie (Ponci)". genealogieonline . Retrieved August 19, 2023. Tablet magazine has a charming podcast (originally broadcast on Santa Monica public radio station KCRW-FM, they note) of Memphis native Harold Fruchter, son of the late Rabbi Alfred Fruchter, reminiscing about his family’s relationship with Elvis Presley. Elvis lived downstairs from the Fruchters as a teenager, befriended them and occasionally served as their Shabbos goy. Elvis’s and Harold’s mothers were friendly and Mrs. Fruchter sometimes helped the impoverished Presleys with the grocery bills. Fruchter says he once heard that Elvis had made a donation to a Jewish organization to honor the Fruchters, and he found that most gratifying.This portrait of Gladys Presley hangs on the wall inside the Graceland mansion in Memphis. (Dan Fellner) a b c d e f g h i j k l m 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–" . Retrieved May 28, 2023. One of Elvis’s more famous contributions to the estate was a meditation garden, where he, his parents and his grandmother Minnie Mae Presley are buried. Watching over them is a looming marble statue of Jesus Christ on the cross, engraved with the name “Presley.”

The Presleys once lived in an apartment directly below the family of Rabbi Alfred Fruchter, the first principal of the Memphis Hebrew Academy. The rabbi’s son, Harold, who now lives in Maryland, said that Elvis actually served as the Fruchters’“Shabbos goy,” a non-Jew who performs household tasks for observant Jews that are normally forbidden on the Jewish Sabbath. Fruchter said his parents “never had even an inkling” that Elvis had Jewish roots. Werner, Michael (August 12, 2018). "A New Light On Colonel Tom Parker". elvis.com.ua. Elvis.com.ua . Retrieved August 19, 2023. Nash, Alanna (July 13, 2010). The Colonel: The Extraordinary Story of Colonel Tom Parker and Elvis Presley. ISBN 9781451613575. Through the fundraising, Parker headed to Tennessee to find acts to perform at his charity events, [17] among them stars such as Minnie Pearl and Eddy Arnold. [18] Eventually, he began getting more involved in music promotion again, this time for himself rather than the Society. [17] In 1945, Parker became Arnold's full-time manager, signing a contract for 25% of his earnings. [18] Over the next few years, he helped Arnold secure hit songs, television appearances, and live tours. [18] Janelle wanted to show that Elvis liked all faiths,” says Copen. “I would rather people see the menorah there at the museum than at my house. Maybe this will help everybody appreciate each other and say, ‘We are all one people.’”

He was always searching for answers as to why he was chosen to be who he was,” Marchese said. “I think he found some of those answers through different religions.” In the scenes in which he promotes Hank Snow, Parker talks about staging a carny wedding at an upcoming stop. Parker routinely did this during his days with the carnivals. Remembered Alan Fortas, a member of Elvis’s “Memphis Mafia” entourage: “He performed a wedding ceremony on a Ferris wheel. They had the bride and groom in one car, and the bridesmaids in the next one.” He so identified with that lifestyle that he sought the company of concessionaires, midway operators, and sideshow performers long after his carnival days were over. An Elvis Biography Review … "Elvis: What Happened" ". www.elvis-history-blog.com . Retrieved April 17, 2023. This edit request to Elvis Presley has been answered. Set the |answered= or |ans= parameter to no to reactivate your request. Gladys Presley’s grave marker, now on display at Graceland. It was designed by her famous son to honor the family’s Jewish heritage, a Graceland archivist says. (Dan Fellner via JTA)