Don Pravda was born in New York, to a Jewish couple whose roots were in Russia and Romania. He identifies as a Levite and is called upon in Synagogue to recite a special temple prayer of his ancestors. He raised in Queens and received his entire education in the New York city public school system until high school graduation from Jamaica High School. In his senior year he received a national award in Journalism from Washington and Lee University of Virginia from the legendary Roger Mudd of CBS News.
He parlayed his background and interest in Politics by working in Washington DC for US Congressmen William Lehman, Jerry Litton, US senator Lawton Chiles, and US senator Edward Kennedy. In his early years he even worked for former First Lady, Jacqueline Kennedy Onasis.
Don acquired skills as an Actor and Public speaker by studying at the theatre – film department at Columbia University where he Graduated. Don also studied at Cornell and Johns Hopkins University. Mainly studying History and Politics.
Don owned several small businesses in Miami, Florida, before returning to his native New York City where he entered the world of show business and has appeared in over 300 TV shows, Movies, and Commercials. He has appeared in Films like Once upon a time in America, The Departed, Bridge of Spies, The Post, The Irishman, and Television shows like Law and Order, 30 Rock, Saturday Night Live, and The American Comedy Awards.
Don has proudly worked with some of the most famous directors and actors in the world including Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks and Hundreds of other great performers.
He is currently a member of the SAG-Awards Committee for the years 2021 -2022.
In addition to politics and acting, Don works as a real estate broker specializing in Commercial New York Real estate.
He has been called upon to be a guest speaker, narrator, and emcee, and is joining the Twist as a cohost and voice of the New York City Jewish community which is the largest Jewish community in the world outside of Israel. New York is the world headquarters to branches of Hasidism and other Haredi branches of Judaism. In addition to several leading Jewish organizations.
.Don has held the post of President or Vice President of four major Jewish organizations. This includes AIPAC America’s Pro-Israel Lobby, The Simon Wiesenthal Center, which is known for Holocaust research and remembrance, hunting Nazi war criminals, combating anti-Semitism, tolerance education and defending Israel. The friends of Israel Defense Forces headquartered in NYC, which is dedicated to the support of the men and women serving the IDF and families of fallen soldiers, and the American Red Magen David for Israel, which is the exclusive support arm for the MDA, which is Israel’s equivalent to the Red Cross Society supporting the Medical, Ambulance Blood and Disaster Services.
Don Pravda also presides over the “House of Aaron” which brings together Jews with Levitical lineage for discussions of the Third Temple and Israel.
In the course of Don’s career, he met many high-profile politicians, and this included US presidents before they were elected to office. This is in addition notable rabbi’s and leading members of New York’s Jewish political society.
According to Don Pravda, “Never before since the founding of Israel in 1948 has there been a more dramatic and compelling time in the history of this nation. We have seen the unfolding of peace through the legendary Abraham Accords therefore Israel can attract peace partners and countries that accept Israel as a multipolar friend in commerce, opportunity and as a democratic example.