He grew up in Mattapan, MA, my home town.
His Dad was a Barber on Blue Hill Ave, the main road that went from the center of Boston all the way out to the Blue Hills in Canton.
His family went to Temple Mishkin T’Fillah on Seaver Street (long ago moved out to Newton) and Leonard got the idea for the Vulcan Salute from the Priestly Blessing on Rosh Hoshana.
So I will quote the REAL “Live Long and Prosper”:
Numbers 6:22-27New International Version (NIV)
The Priestly Blessing
22 The Lord said to Moses, 23 “Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them:
24 “‘“The Lord bless you
and keep you;
25 the Lord make his face shine on you
and be gracious to you;
26 the Lord turn his face toward you
and give you peace.”’
27 “So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.”
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Remember driving into Boston with my mother in the '50s via Blue Hill Ave and seeing blocks of stores with hebrew lettering.
I wonder if Tolkien will slap him silly over the Ballad of Bilbo Baggins. I also liked him on Fringe.
That was sweet of you. Did you know his daughter, Julie is a rabbi? (Julie Nimoy Schwartz)