Names That Ring a Bell

What’s it like to have a last name that rings a bell with everyone who hears it?

Do you ever dream of being famous? Do you ever imagine what it would be like to walk around and have everyone recognize your face and your name, and be constantly bombarded by people wanting you to sign autographs and take pictures with them? What if you’re just a kid, but it’s your father who has celebrity status in your community? What’s it like to have a last name that rings a bell with everyone who hears it?

Let’s talk to some kids whose last names may sound very familiar to you and see what life in the limelight is like:

Eighteen-year-old Yehuda Pollack is the son of the famous illustrator and author, Gadi Pollack. Yehuda, who lives in Eretz Yisrael, says that his last name brings an extra level of responsibility to his life. “I’m representing my father in a certain way, and I need to make sure he is represented with a shem tov,” he explains.

Nechama, Tova, and Yisroel Levine — 15, 14, and 11 respectively — are the children of the talented composer and singer, Baruch Levine. In Waterbury, Connecticut, where they live, their last name doesn’t get much attention, since everyone’s used to living with the famous personality in their midst. But outside of their relatively small community, they are often given celebrity status.