Who The Folk?! Lonny Goldsmith

For this week’s Who The Folk?! we get to meet Lonny Goldsmith, TC Jewfolk’s new Editor and Jewfolk Media’s Director of Communications. Rather than come up with most of the questions himself, he turned the interview over to his daughters, Hannah, 11, and Emma, 6. The two of them spent a lot of time coming up with the questions.

Emma: Daddy, are you excited to be interviewed by us?
I’m a little terrified, to be honest with you.

Hannah: What are you most excited for with the new job?
I’ve been on the board of TC Jewfolk for over three years, so I’m not nervous about starting and I know a lot about the organization. I’m really excited to meet new people and learn about the community that we’ve lived in for a while. Fortunately, I’m not shy about asking questions.

E: How long have you lived in the Twin Cities?
I’ve been here since May 2002 after my wife, Ilyse, graduated law school in Chicago. Originally I’m from Michigan, though I’ve been coming here to visit family my entire life. I lived in Chicago from 1999-2002 and have been here since, with no plans to leave. I hate moving.

H: Aside from writing what else do you enjoy doing?
I like running and cycling. I like playing soccer.

H: Watching soccer
That too.

H: And screaming at the TV during soccer.
Am I going to get to answer these? And to be fair, I do that during most sports that I watch. But yes, I like watching sports on TV.

E: What do you like to do in your spare time?
I have spare time? When I’m not shuttling you two around, grocery shopping or any of other necessities that are required on a daily basis, I like spending time with you guys. Also riding and running. I do enjoy having you ride your bikes with me while I run. That’s usually fun.

H: What are some of your favorite sports to play or watch?
To play: Soccer and hockey, although it’s been quite a few years since I’ve played. To watch: Pretty much anything. I tend not to discriminate.

E: What’s your favorite way to celebrate Shabbat?
Anything that goes with our homemade challah. It usually ends with all of us watching a Food Network show on the DVR.

H: Are there any particular types of writing you enjoy?
That’s a really good question. I started as a sports writer in college and continue to write about hockey (shout out to prohockeynews.com). I like writing profiles about people because I’ve gotten to meet some very interesting people in my years of writing. Breaking news is a ton of fun because of the adrenaline rush that comes with something big happening.

E: Anything else I should know about you?
Good question.

H: That you lead a pretty boring life when you aren’t shuttling your kids around?
I wouldn’t say that. I really enjoy cooking. I cook dinner for the family most nights and it’s usually pretty fun. I do most of the laundry, although I enjoy that far less.

E: What’s your favorite Jewish food?
I can’t pick one. Blintz Souffle that I make for break-fast each year. It’s the one dish that is non-negotiable each year. The other is latkes, especially from Zingerman’s Deli in Ann Arbor, Michign. Bonus points if the latkes are served as a bun to a corned beef sandwich (the since retired No. 39, Good Golly Miss Molly). And fried matzah. I think that’s it. I think…

H: What’s your favorite Jewish holiday?
Hanukkah, because you were born on the first night. And also latkes. Always the latkes.

Know someone we should feature? Nominate them by sending an email to [email protected] (and Lonny will answer your emails there after he gets started on April 11!)