Dennis Prager is an American radio and talk show host, as well as author who became known for his views on Christian rights. Prager is of the opinion that America is a Christian nation and as such often receives backlash from the far left who view him mostly as a conspiracy theorist. Originally a Jew, Prager is considered the Billy Graham of Judaism. He is the founder of the online institution PragerU, a non-profit organization that analyzes political, economic and philosophical topics from a conservative perspective. Follow us to learn more about one of America’s most respected speakers.
Dennis Prager – Biography,
Dennis Mark Prager was born on August 2, 1948 in Brooklyn, New York, as the second son of Max Prager (1918-2014) and his wife Hilda Prager (née Friedfeld; 1919-2009), both Jews of the Orthodox world. Her father was a World War II veteran who worked as an accountant while her mother was a nursing home administrator who had looks that could have made her look like a model or a Hollywood star.
Ironically, Dennis Prager, the man who would come to be famous for speaking, didn’t say a word until he was four years old. Prager was one of those kids who found school boring. However, in order not to get bored, he learned to spell the words backwards. A charismatic and very energetic young man, he was the class clown. As a result, he was often sent to the principal’s office where the secretary even appointed a chairman.
Prager’s school work was downright boring, he never had time to finish his homework. As a result, Prager got number 82 out of a school of 110 students. Despite his aversion to school, Dennis Prager was a very honest and ethical young boy. When cheating became too common at his school – Yeshiva of Flatbush, a private Modern Orthodox day school in Brooklyn, Prager launched a campaign against the school. You’d think his bold step robbed him of friends but it didn’t, Dennis Prager was just too charming for anyone to stay mad at him.
During his second year in high school, Prager became interested in classical music and all things Russian and began to study them himself. He would later meet Joseph Telushkin, his longtime friend. Telushkin is now a Jewish rabbi and, like Prager, a lecturer and bestselling author. The discussion between the two friends was mainly about the Jewish religion and their findings would later form the key elements of the book “The 9 Questions People Ask About Judaism”. Published in 1975, the best-selling book has been called the standard textbook. learn the basic principles of Judaism.
Prager’s new found interest in classical music, religion and Russian history did nothing to improve his studies, so he continued to produce mediocre grades. Due to his low grades, the only college Prager could apply to was Brooklyn College. At school, he pursued his passion for history and chose to study Middle Eastern Studies majoring in History.
Prager then participated in a school essay competition in which he emerged victorious and won the prize, which was a scholarship to the University of Leeds in West Yorkshire, England. In Leeds, Dennis Prager was contacted by the Isreali government who needed someone to smuggle Jewish artifacts into the Soviet Union and to smuggle out the names of Russian Jews who wanted to emigrate to Israel. Despite the risk involved, Prager gladly accepted the assignment.
Upon returning to the United States, Prager was asked by different Jewish groups to talk about his experience. This request paved the way for Prager’s career as a public speaker, which has seen him travel to more than 131 countries. Public speaking then opened the doors to a radio position in the early 1980s. Prager had settled in Los Angeles and began hosting a Sunday night radio show called Religion on the Line which aired on KABC (AM).
The show quickly gained traction, and soon began airing on Sundays and Saturdays and later became a weekday show. Dennis Prager attracted many admirers among them Hollywood writer and director, David Zucker, who spawned an idea for a sketch comedy about Prager’s many ideas about kindness.
He then began working with Allen Estrin to develop the script which would be made into a comedy short called For the Sake of God. It was released in 1993. Allen Estrin would also come to produce Prager’s national radio show and help make it more youthful in order to appeal to young people. In an attempt to reach more young people, the duo originated the idea of Prager University in 2009. PragerU has expanded Prager’s reach, not only demographically but also geographically, and continues to grow in the goal of achieving global reach.
Net value
Dennis Prager has undoubtedly had a lot of success in his career. He has published at least 8 books and produced no less than 5 films. Prager’s work with the Jewish retreat, the Brandeis-Bardin Institute from 1976 to 1983, became his first salaried job. Dennis Prager has amassed a net worth of $5 million in conference fees, book sales and radio salaries.
Family Information – Wife and Children
Dennis Prager wasn’t so lucky in the romance department. He had to go through two divorces and is currently married to his third wife, Susan Reed. They married in 2008. Prager was married to his first wife Janice from 1981 to 1986 and to his second wife Francine Stone from 1988 to 2005. He has no children.