My interview with Leonard Nimoy

Some 10 or 12 years ago, I got an unusual request from my rabbi, John Rosove at Temple Israel of Hollywood. One of my fellow congregants was, along with his wife, sponsoring a major classical music concert series at the synagogue, and would I be willing to interview this person for the Temple Observer – the then-monthly missive sent out to all members.

I was, and am, a professional writer, and at the time was working for the L.A. Times, so the request was one more task I might have passed on, except the donor I was being asked to interview was Leonard Nimoy.

Nimoy and his wife, actress Susan Bay Nimoy, were great supporters of the temple, and very close to the rabbi, who is a cousin of Susan. So this was not a small favor, and also quite exciting. Who wouldn’t want to interview “Star Trek” star Mr. Spock? That calm, clinical temperament. Those ears!

Of course, we all knew that Nimoy,