Jake Turx
Turx (standing, second from left) in 2017
Born
Abraham Jacob Terkeltaub

(1986-08-11) August 11, 1986
New York City, US
EducationColumbia School of Journalism
Occupation(s)Political contributor at Newsmax
Senior White House correspondent and Washington bureau chief for Ami magazine

Abraham Jacob Terkeltaub (born 1986) is an American journalist and humorist who writes under the pen name Turx. He is currently the senior White House correspondent and chief political correspondent for the magazine Ami.[1] He is also a political contributor at Newsmax.[2]

The first Hasidic Jew to become a member of the White House press corps,[3][4] Turx received international media coverage on February 16, 2017, after posing a question regarding anti-Semitism to President Donald Trump during a press conference.[5]

Early life and education

Abraham Jacob Terkeltaub, born in Borough Park, Brooklyn,[6] is the eldest of eleven children.[6] As a child, he studied in Yeshiva Bnei Tzion of Bobov.[6]

At a young age, Turx and his family moved to Los Angeles, California. There he attended the cheder of a Los Angeles elementary school and the Yeshivas Rav Isacsohn. For high school, Hamesivta of Los Angeles, and Telshe Yeshiva of Chicago.[6]

Turx also studied informally at Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism in New York, under New York Times columnist Professor Ari Goldman.[7] He speaks three languages: English, Yiddish, and Hebrew.

Professional career

Turx began his professional career as a camp counselor, and then as a head counselor, in Camp Machane Yehuda/Yeshivas Hakayitz. He also served as a rabbi/teacher in Yeshiva Rav Isacsohn.[6]

Turx is CEO of "TurxWurx" Studio. He is also on the board of marketing of The Voice of Lakewood, and a regular contributor to Zman, two local magazines.[8] He is also a contributor to Kol Mevaser, a Yiddish language news line. Turx was a teacher in the Lakewood Cheder School from 2008 to 2017, and is the program director at Camp Chevra.[9][10]

Ami magazine political correspondent

Turx began writing for Ami magazine in February 2011. As the magazine's political correspondent, he conducted interviews with dozens of United States senators, governors, congressional representatives, and presidential candidates. Turx met with, and interviewed, every candidate for president in the 2012 primary season,[11][12] as well as more than half of the candidates of the 2016 cycle.

He writes a regular humor/satire column in Ami, in addition to political commentary and analysis. Since the start of the Presidency of Donald Trump in 2017, he has been a member of White House press corps, and the Senior White House Correspondent and Washington Bureau Chief for Ami magazine.[9]

Trump press conference incident

Turx (foreground), featured on the cover of Ami, at President Trump's first press conference

On February 16, 2017, during President Trump's first solo press briefing, Turx began to ask a question regarding the government's response to an uptick in anti-Semitic threats across the United States. Trump cut Turx off as he was attempting to complete his question, and responded negatively, calling Turx a liar and telling him to sit down. As Trump responded to the question, Turx attempted to interject, prompting Trump to tell him to be silent.[4][13][14][15][16][17][18] Several Jewish organizations, including the Anti-Defamation League and David Harris, the chief executive of the American Jewish Committee, criticized Trump's handling of the incident.[4]

Following the incident, Turx appeared on several nationwide news programs, including Tucker Carlson Tonight[19] and Anderson Cooper 360,[20] where he stated that it was his impression that the president had misunderstood his question and that he continues to believe that the president is not an anti-Semite, nor are any of his senior staff.[21] Turx tweeted, "President Trump clearly misunderstood my question. This is highly regretful and I'm going to seek clarification".[22]

Newsmax Contributor

In 2021, Terkeltaub was named a political contributor at Newsmax, becoming the first hasidic person to hold such a high-profile position at a prominent news outlet.[23][2]

Relationship with Azerbaijan

Jake Turx has written positively about the Republic of Azerbaijan and the rise of Heydar Aliyev, father of current President Ilham Aliyev.[24] In 2023, in the middle of the blockade of the Republic of Artsakh, Jake Turx was one of the foreign journalists who traveled to Nagorno-Karabakh, and he reported not seeing any blockade, with cars being able to pass unhindered.[25] His statements have subsequently drawn criticism, with allegations that his trip was paid for and arranged by the government of Azerbaijan.[26]

Media appearances

Turx has appeared on Al Jazeera,[27] The Young Turks,[5] Tucker Carlson Tonight,[19] Anderson Cooper 360,[20] CNN Newsroom with Brooke Baldwin, i24news,[28] NPR's "1A" Show,[29] and Sky News.[30]

Published work

A book written by Turx, titled Stop, Drop, & LOL, was published by Menucha Publishers.[31]

Personal life

Turx resides in Washington, DC during the work week. His family lives in Toms River, NJ.

In 2018 for Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day Turx took two of his children to the White House to partake in a "press briefing" organized for the children of the White House correspondents. Donning a MAGA cap, his son asked press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders the following question, dubbed "kinda epic" by his father who said it was "his own idea": "After President Trump makes America great again, what job will there be for future presidents?"[32][33]

References

  1. ↑ McBride, Jessica (2017-02-16). "Jake Turx: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know". Heavy.com. Retrieved 2017-02-23.
  2. 1 2 "Jake Turx Named Political Contributor at Newsmax, First Hassidic Jew to Hold Such a Position". 5 Towns Central. 24 November 2021. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
  3. ↑ "Jake Turx: The Newcomer".
  4. 1 2 3 Goodstein, Laurie (February 17, 2017). "A Jewish Reporter Got to Ask Trump a Question. It Didn't Go Well". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2017-02-19. Retrieved 2017-02-19.
  5. 1 2 "The Young Turks - Cenk Uygur sits down with Jake Turx,..." Facebook. 2016-07-20. Retrieved 2017-02-23.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 "Avrohom Yaakov Terkeltaub Becomes Newsmax Contributor | Matzav.com". 24 November 2021. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
  7. ↑ "Jake Turx | LinkedIn". Archived from the original on 2015-07-20. Retrieved 2017-02-21.
  8. ↑ http://www.zmanmagazine.com/PDF/Z55%20Eric%20Maddox.pdf
  9. 1 2 https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaketurx/
  10. ↑ "VIDEO & PHOTOS: Resident Comes Downstairs to Find Stranger Sitting on his Kitchen Table; Offers him to Eat » The heartbeat of the lakewood community". The Lakewood Scoop. 2015-11-05. Retrieved 2017-02-23.
  11. ↑ "Ami Magazine". Ami Magazine. 2012-02-01. Archived from the original on 2014-01-11. Retrieved 2017-02-23.
  12. ↑ "Ami Magazine". Ami Magazine. Archived from the original on 2016-03-05. Retrieved 2017-02-23.
  13. ↑ Helen Chernikoff (2017-02-16). "Trump Lashes Out At Ultra-Orthodox Reporter After Softball Question About Anti-Semitism - National –". Forward.com. Retrieved 2017-02-23.
  14. ↑ Goldsteinyesterday, Nancy. "Jewish reporter scolded by Trump comes to president's defense - U.S. News". Haaretz. Retrieved 2017-02-23.
  15. ↑ "Ynetnews News - Haredi reporter, Trump talk past each other". Ynetnews. 16 February 2017. Retrieved 2017-02-23.
  16. ↑ Katie Little (2017-02-17). "Trump: I am the least anti-Semitic, racist person you've ever seen". Cnbc.com. Retrieved 2017-02-23.
  17. ↑ "After Trump exchange, reporter 'confident' admin will reach out to Jewish community". TheHill.com. 2017-02-18. Retrieved 2017-02-23.
  18. ↑ "Trump dodges question about how his administration will combat anti-Semitism". CBS News. 2017-02-16. Retrieved 2017-02-23.
  19. 1 2 "Tucker Carlson Tonight". Fox News. Retrieved 2017-02-23.
  20. 1 2 Vales, Leinz (2017-02-17). "Jewish reporter hopeful about Trump after clash over rise of anti-Semitism - CNNPolitics.com". Cnn.com. Retrieved 2017-02-23.
  21. ↑ "'I Understand Why He's So Defensive': Jake Turx Comes to Trump's Defense". Mediaite. 2017-02-16. Retrieved 2017-02-23.
  22. ↑ @JakeTurx (February 16, 2017). "President Trump clearly misunderstood..." (Tweet). Retrieved 2017-02-23 – via Twitter.
  23. ↑ "Chasidic Reporter Jake Turx Named Political Contributor at Newsmax". The Yeshiva World. 24 November 2021. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
  24. ↑ "Arms Open To All // An Azerbaijani Ambassador Talks About His Country's Unshakable Bond With The Jewish People". Ami magazine. 2017-07-28. Retrieved 2023-03-08.
  25. ↑ "Journalist from US: No blockade on Lachin road". Azerbaycan24. 2023-02-27. Retrieved 2023-03-08.
  26. ↑ Vik van Brantegem (2023-03-02). "Ottantunesimo giorno del #ArtsakhBlockade. Un giorno la giustizia prevarrà e arriverà la verità storica, oltre le menzogne azere". Korazym.org (in Italian).
  27. ↑ "Watch: Turx Appears on Al Jazeera at Trump Inauguration". Matzav.com. 2017-01-22. Retrieved 2017-02-23.
  28. ↑ "DEBRIEF | White House Reporter Jake Trux: Anti-Semitism Upsets Trump". YouTube. 2017-02-17. Retrieved 2017-02-23.
  29. ↑ "Religious Intolerance in the United States".
  30. ↑ "Trump's condemnation of anti-Semitic threats a 'step in the right direction'". News.sky.com. Retrieved 2017-02-23.
  31. ↑ "Stop Drop & LOL By: Jake Turx - Default Category - Jewish Books By Menucha Publishers". Menuchapublishers.com. Archived from the original on 2017-12-01. Retrieved 2017-02-23.
  32. ↑ Held, Amy (April 26, 2018). "Kids Of White House Reporters Take Over, And Trump Seems To Prefer It". National Public Radio.
  33. ↑ Cruz, Araceli (April 27, 2018). "Sarah Huckabee Sanders Faced a 'Tough Crowd' in a Mock White House Press Briefing on Take Your Child to Work Day". Teen Vogue.
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