JW: As the President’s chief advisor, you are seen by many as a modern-day Mordechai from the Purim story.
JK: Yes, my shver would readily agree. It would make him Achashverosh, not Haman.
JW: Shver is the Yiddish term for father-in-law. Do you really call him that?
JK: All the time. He likes it. And I call Melania my shvigger (Yiddish for mother-in-law). Steve Bannon and Jeff Sessions think it’s hilarious.
JW: You describe yourself as an observant Jew, yet you rode in a limousine on Friday night at the President’s Inauguration. How was that possible?
JW: Ivanka and I received a heter (rabbinic allowance) from Rabbi Izzy Serious. He said we just had to be sure our seat belts were fastened the entire time. Then it was considered like we were wearing the limo, not riding in it.
