Orthodox Apprentice

Lee Bienstock meets President Bush

2007-01-11T21:34:00.000-05:00

"Last month I had the privilege to be invited and visit the White House for the annual Hanukkah party hosted by the President and first lady...(and I got to bring my father as a guest). It was one of the most unbelievable experiences of my life and a privilege to walk to halls of the White House where so many of our great leaders had once stood. The President and first lady were extremely approachable, and personable. And the latkes?? The best I had ever tasted!!! I thought you might get a kick out of this picture....(my father is standing on the left looking proud).

I hope you are all well, and a happy new year to you and your families..."

-Lee

Donald Trump: Lee Bienstock, you're hired!!!

2006-09-07T22:51:00.000-04:00

Donald Trump has hired Lee Bienstock, the Orthodox Apprentice finalist.

Lee has accepted a position within the Trump organization as an Associate Vice President in charge of corporate development for Trump Mortgage LLC. He reports directly to the CEO of Trump Mortgage, which is headquartered at 40 Wall Street in Manhattan.

Separately, Trump fired Carolyn Kepcher last week and replaced her with his daughter Ivanka.

Leno, Lee and the Losers

2006-06-21T22:37:00.000-04:00

Orthodox Apprentice appearances....

Apprentice runner-up Lee Bienstock visited his cousin's 2nd grade class at Yeshivah of Flatbush in May and autographed pictures of himself for the students. On the yeshiva's website you can view a photo gallery of Lee's visit to Morah Raizy's class.

The day after Orthodox Apprentice candidate Lee was fired, Jay Leno showed reactions from Lee fans around the world. Leno also picked on an audience member -- Lee's brother. You can watch the video here until it's removed for copyright violations.

Last Tuesday, Daniel Brody made an appearance at a UJA Northern New Jersey Young Leadership Division event. Dan spoke about "his experiences on The Apprentice – including the gracious way the show met his needs as a modern Orthodox Jew."

Lee Bienstock did a good $%@#$% job

2006-06-12T21:39:00.000-04:00

Lee Bienstock: First off, I would like to thank everyone for their amazing support from day one. It has been incredible how many people got behind me through this whole thing. I am grateful for everything.

OA: What were you and Mr. Trump chatting about after he fired you Monday evening?
It is remarkable how many people picked up on this. Right after the show, Mr. Trump asked me to come over, and he told me to give him a call this week so we can meet up and talk about "being hired" by the Trump Organization. It feels great for my work to be validated by Mr. Trump. I started this whole thing so that I could learn from Mr. Trump and further my career. Even though I was the runner up, my goal can still be accomplished.

If you could get one do-over throughout the 14-week job interview, what would you have done differently?
I know it sounds unbelievably cliche, but I wouldn't change one thing. It seems like so many of my castmates look back and say, "I should have done this, or that". I make sure I don't get caught up in that, for my mental health. Certainly I made made mistakes, everyone does. I think I approached the whole process pretty flawlessly, I must have, to be the youngest contestant a make it all the way to the finals. There were so many times where my actions were misinterpreted, and I can't control that. The "Apprentice" has given me an great deal of experience in such a short period of time. I learned from everything and everyone; I wish I could do it again.

You were living in a suite in Manhattan. You worked on tasks in Manhattan, and in Queens and Long Island, not far from your hometown. Did you run into anyone you know?
I don't know how it happened, but I never ran into anyone where it became an issue. There were a couple of close calls though, I'll tell you that. One time we where shopping in Bloomingdale's in the middle of the day, and one of my mother's friends saw me with all the cameras swirling. She asked my mom, "is your son in showbiz?" Of course she denied everything, but it was difficult. I didn't spend to much time at any of my hot spots, like the kosher restaurants, bars, pizza shops around the city. I didn't see my friends and family for a while. When we do a task in the bowels of New Jersey at a Wal-Mart, we don't leave for days.

How did you prepare your teammates for the Jewish holidays? How did you explain kashrut?
It was challenging, because we had to be sensitive to how it would come out to the rest of America. I have had this conversation many times before, so I was used to it. I had non-Jewish roommates in college, and non-Jewish co-workers before. There was a lot of conversation centered around what makes something kosher, and what the Jewish holidays are all about. There were plenty of misconceptions out there like, " a rabbi needs to bless something, and then it becomes kosher."

Did you know the Holidays could create conflicts when you were selected for the cast? Did you expect production to stop for Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur? Was there any consideration of deferring your participation to a future season?
I certainly had an idea the holidays might be an issue, especially around the time we were taping. It made for television gold when it did come up. The 18 of us are like a family, we fight all the time but we love each other. I would like to absolve Lenny from some of the bashing he has been getting for the public's "perceived" view that he was not accommodating around the holidays. I didn't see it like that when we were living in the suite, and in fact he came to shul with me on Yom Kippur. Lenny even went as far as telling Mr. Trump in the boardroom that, "you know...Lee he talks to the g-d, I saw it." We all have something to learn, and it was great for Lenny and I to experience that together.

From the start of the season, many Modern Orthodox young professionals viewed you and Dan as role models. Were you surprised by that reaction and the level of excitement in the Jewish community? Do you view yourself as a role model?
I never realized that we would become role models. The reaction in the Jewish community has been crazy, its fantastic. It makes the whole process so rewarding. I get emails from people of all religions including pastors and rabbis, that tell me they love what I am doing. They want me to come talk to their congregations and community youth about principles and my experiences. It is kind of hard NOT to view myself as a role model.

Who do you stay in touch with from the show?
I stay in touch with the majority of the cast. I am very close with Allie, Roxanne, Summer, Stacey, Michael, Pepi, and of course, Lenny. Now that would be a monster team!! I speak to Brent from time to time and I think he was misunderstood on TV; he is a very caring and energetic person. It is amazing how close we all get in such a short period of time.

You knew for seven months that you were a finalist. How did you deal with the suspense? Who else knew? Your parents? Girlfriend?
My mom can't keep a secret for the life of her, let alone one worth millions of dollars. Nobody knew!!! It was so hard keeping it in, but I know it was for the best.

Last Monday night's live boardroom was a letdown. Trump only asked a couple questions. How much time did you spend preparing for the final boardroom? Did you and Lenny prepare a cheatsheet?
I never prepare for the boardroom. I like to shoot from the hip, and I never want my answers to sound rehearsed. I attribute a lot of my success in the boardroom to this strategy. We had a really long boardroom, that they only showed briefly. They did manage to ask, Tarek, Charmaine and Tammy what they felt though.....

There was no discussion of the final tasks during the live finale. Do you know how much money your event raised for the firefighters?
I raised over $85,000 during our event, which is why Lys was so happy. I was auctioning off everything but the kitchen sink during the final task. I auctioned a chance to play in the game, called "play with the stars", I auctioned off thousands of dollars worth of sports memorabilia, as well as other items like sitting on the bench with the players, the shirts off of every player's back (Michael J. Fox's alone got $4,500), and of course the cars. All during a span of two hours. I auctioned both cars for more than they were worth. They showed my lowest bid for a car, and [Synergy's] highest. The best part of the final task was when Dennis Leary said, "You did a good $%@#$% job". I might have been shortchanged, but the Leary Firefighters Foundation definitely was not....

How does it feel to be a celebrity?
I am not a celebrity. I am more of a recognizable figure. I will be candid with you though, it feels nice to be recognized for my talents. It feels great to get an email from a 19 year old who says I have inspired him/her.

Before The Apprentice, did anyone ever call you a politician? Any interest in politics?
Mr. Trump is pretty perceptive. All throughout school I always held student government positions, and I did study Public Policy at Cornell. Who knows, maybe I'll run for Senate one day.

What's next for Lee Bienstock?
There is so much on my horizon. I will be going on the speaking circuit, and my calendar is filling up pretty quickly. So many people are interested in hearing about my experience and what I have learned. Maybe a job at the Trump Organization, and I have been offered a number of career opportunities from various sponsors of the tasks, as well as others. I update my website very frequently and it has everything I will be up to, and people can book me to speak at www.leebienstock.com.

Is there anything else you'd like to share with your fans?
Thank you all for sharing this ride with me!!!

The Apprentice or Real World?

2006-06-12T21:30:00.000-04:00

The sneak preview for Season 6 mentions the mansions, the pool and the hot tubs.

Nothing about business.

It wasn't Lee's age

2006-06-08T23:17:00.000-04:00

We finally got some official insight into why Lee Bienstock was fired and Sean Yazbeck was hired.

From Trump University's "Lessons Learned":

What can we learn from this season?
Sean and Lee are both excellent leaders. But in the end, Sean's greater maturity made him this season's Apprentice. Remember, maturity is not a question of age. It comes from a winning attitude, enlightened leadership, attention to detail and the other traits we saw in Sean throughout this season.

It would have been nice if Trump had articulated these reasons at the final boardroom, but - at that time - he didn't provide any explanation for firing Lee and hiring Sean. The past few days there has been discussion of the fairness of selecting young candidates for the competition if their age prevents them from being hired. The statement above may be an attempt to address that issue.

Sean's an apprentice. Dan's a COO.

2006-06-08T21:32:00.000-04:00

We caught up with Dan Brody this week. Daniel was the first Orthodox Apprentice candidate to be fired by Mr. Trump.

He shared with us his final thoughts on the season...

The season was great! Sure, I was in it to win but to be honest I can not complain about the opportunity and success that my involvement with the program has brought me. I do believe that there were many valuable players that were eliminated far earlier than they deserved, ie. Pepi. He is very bright and talented and got a raw deal but now since he came back and Trump joked around about who he was Pepi has gotten amazing recognition and few will forget the name Pepi now.

The live Finale was great. Of course it was extra exciting to be there on stage in front of a live audience but I think it was a fantastic end to a great season.

He told us about the speaking circuit...

I have actually had several speaking engagements and that is one of the benefits of being eliminated earlier rather than later. As soon as you are fired you are released to speak to the public and since the show is still on air there was a great deal of momentum and interest in scheduling me. I have other engagements that will continue in to the summer that I have arranged months ago. I typically speak about both The Experience on The Show as well as my life and business experiences and little tips that I have been taught /picked up and have worked for me.

And what else keeps him busy...

VENCOR - Robeworks (VCOR.PK) has been a great opportunity for me. Vencor is publicly traded and I prepared and sold a business plan to them that outlines a marketing strategy to increase the company's Market Share. Since that time the company valuation has more than doubled and it continues to be exciting. Not only does Robeworks service many highend Resorts but the company claims recognized retail chains like "Restoration Hardware" as a valued customer.

Last week I signed on with GRACE a Multi-Million Dollar Japanese based headwear and accessory company as their new COO and Director of U.S. Operations with Headquarters in the heart of the Apparel District in NYC. It is a very exciting undertaking and I look forward to the challenge as we grow GRACE USA to become the leading headwear/ accessory company in this country.

Thank you, Mark Burnett....

I am grateful for the opportunity and the exposure that The Show has given me. It has opened many doors and that coupled with my business knowledge and experience has proven to be a fantastic combination.

From synagogue to basketball

2006-06-08T00:41:00.000-04:00

TV Guide asked Apprentice runner-up Lee Bienstock about playing ball in dress socks. Read the full interview here.

Also read about Steven Weiss' post-game chat with Lee.

Lee's Orthodox Apprentice Q & A is coming soon.

Episode 15: Lee, you're fired!

2006-06-05T23:40:00.000-04:00

Some high/lowlights of tonight's finale of The Apprentice:

Trump opens the episode asking the live audience who likes Lee? Mixture of cheers and boos. Who likes Sean? The crowd goes wild. And that's how the rest of the episode plays out.

Lenny talks about Jamie Foxx who isn't participating in the event. Is he thinking of an offspring of Jamie Presley (My Name is Earl) and Michael J. Fox?

Lys Hopper's jaw drops when Lee tells her that Lenny will handle the celebrities.

Sean Yazbeck wants the Barenaked Ladies singer to wear a panda outfit.

Jennifer of SLS Audio describes the Q Line home theater speaker system (available at BestBuy.com) to Tarek. He later dons a Q-Line hat for a high profile appearance.

Gold Rush meets with Christine DiCarlo of The Leary Firefighters Foundation. Lee and his team are not prepared with the level of details she expects. Lenny tries to crack jokes to remedy the situation.

Lenny assigns a size medium uniform to each hockey player.

Jason Priestly enters Chelsea Piers and no one from Gold Rush greets him or escorts him.

Lee Bienstock answers Mr. Trump's phone call, "How ya doin' pal?"

Donald informs Lee that he'll be there shortly, but no one from Gold Rush meets him at the door. Trump recalls that Rebecca Jarvis made the same mistake last season.

Best line of the night... Jamie Pressley to Lenny Veltman: "Your sh**'s not together, little apprentice boy!"

At the end of the event, Lys reflects on Lee's performance, "He did a good job. I have a big smile."

Back to the Orpheum Theater in Los Angeles....

Don Jr., Ivanka, George and Carolyn each praise both candidates without expressing any preference. Politicians!

Lenny tells Trump, "Lee is like gold. Gold can only appreciate in value."

Donald reveals the two projects: hotel / condo developments in Hawaii and SoHo. Both Sean and Lee prefer the New York project.

Trump asks the fired candidates to stand up for their choice of the new apprentice. Dan Brody stands for Sean.

Trump receives the final tally of NBC.com votes and is surprised that there's a clear favorite. However, he fails to reveal the results of the vote. He also neglects to announce the results of the fundraising events. How much money was raised? Which event was more successful? We'll never know.

"Lee, you're fired!"

In an unusual departure from past Apprentice finales, Donald fires a candidate. Usually he "hires" the winner without "firing" the runner-up.

Without any explanation. Without any criticism of Lee's performance. Without any praise for Sean. Trump leaves us hanging with many unanswered questions. We may never know why he chose to fire Lee. He didn't give a reason.

Lee's religious holiday observances were not mentioned tonight. Not in the season recap. Not in the boardroom. It's not an issue for Trump.

Sean drives away in his new Pontiac, "I'm the Apprentice, baby!"

Lee kept it exciting but came up short at the end. Lee has much to be proud of and his future is bright and promising. More thoughts to come. Stay tuned....

The Faceoff

2006-06-05T09:45:00.000-04:00

Today's Boston Herald reports that Christine DiCarlo -- who has run several charity events for Denis Leary -- was involved with Lee Bienstock's celebrity hockey event for his final task on The Apprentice.

The paper quotes her as saying, "Personally, I don’t think he did very well. He tried, but it was quite a long day. In the end, he pulls it off, but getting there was a struggle. It was so unorganized.... I have no idea what the outcome will be - since the viewers will do the voting, but I can see how Lee got as far as he did. He’s quite the politician.”

According to the Herald article, a silent auction was held at a VIP reception before the hockey game. A wealthy Bostonian offered the highest bid for a pair of bench seats at the game.

Among the celebrity participants were Cam Neely, Jason Priestly, Paul Guilfoyle (CSI), John McEnroe, Phil Esposito and Michael J. Fox. The teams were coached by Jaime Pressley (My Name is Earl) and former Boston Bruin Derek Sanderson. Lenny Clarke emceed the event.

So we know that Lee's team struggled through the planning and preparation stages of the task. But we also know that they held a successful auction for the VIPs (and there were many wealthy attendees) and, in the words of an eyewitness, "he pulls it off." It's all about results, isn't it?

Reports from Sean Yazbeck's task indicate that the Barenaked Ladies concert was a success and the WWF raised a nice sum of money at the event.

Tell Trump who to hire. It's not too late to VOTE FOR LEE!

Want to win $30,000?

2006-06-05T00:10:00.000-04:00

Just tell Trump who he should hire. VOTE FOR LEE!

Text message your vote to 51515 with the message "A" for Lee. Or vote online.

Limit 20 entries per person, regardless of method of entry. Must be 18 years of age or older and legal residents of, and are physically present in, the 50 United States and the District of Columbia (excluding Puerto Rico, Guam and the US Virgin Islands). All entrants who vote, regardless of their answer to the Question will be entered into the Grand Prize random drawing for $30,000.

Promotion ends at 11:00 p.m. ET on Monday, June 5, 2006.

Will Lee get leied?

2006-06-04T00:41:00.000-04:00

Trump International Hotel and Tower Waikiki Beach Walk is a planned 460-unit luxury hotel and residential condominium tower. The building's amenities will include a library, lobby bar, café, outdoor swimming pool, sun terrace with ocean views, indoor/outdoor dining and bar area, cabanas with tropical landscaping and views of the ocean and neighboring park, a private fitness center and spa, and resident and hotel lobbies. Public sales are expected to begin in late spring, with construction of the 350-foot tower starting in early 2007. Completion is scheduled for early 2009.

This project will be featured on Monday night's finale of The Apprentice. The winner could be hired to support this development in Hawaii, where kosher food would be a big challenge.

Upcoming Orthodox Apprentice Events

2006-05-31T22:58:00.000-04:00

(Pictured above: (l-r) Denis Leary, Lee, Jaime Pressley, Lenny Clarke, Derek Sanderson)

Lee's Hometown Finale Party
Lawrence/Cedarhurst Fire Station
Monday, June 5, 8:30 PM

From the FiveTownsShuls community e-mail list:

All are invited to attend a home town party for Lee Bienstock to cheer him on as he vies to become Donald Trump's Apprentice.

Lee is one of two finalists. Trump will make his decision during the live finale, this coming Monday June 5th. Seating will begin at 8:30. Come early!!!

The party will take place at the Lawrence/Cedarhurst Fire Station located at Central Avenue (corner of Washington Avenue).

NBC will be on hand to broadcast the party live at times during the finale.

Refreshments will be served.

A nominal donation of $5 per person is recommended. All proceeds will be donated to benefit the firefighters.

You are encouraged to bring posters cheering Lee on.

Young Leadership Shabbat Dinner with Lee and Dan
The Jewish Center (Manhattan)
Friday, June 9, 8:15 PM

Join the Jewish Center Young Leadership for Friday Night Dinner with The Apprentice's Lee Bienstock and Dan Brody.

$36 Members
$40 Non-Members

Advance registration required. Register on the Jewish Center website by Wednesday, June 7th.

Mincha / Maariv at 8:15 PM
Dinner promptly at 9:30 PM

Stuff the ballot!

2006-05-30T22:55:00.000-04:00

The final voting is underway. Vote for Lee at NBC.com and you could win $30,000.

You can now send questions to Trump about this season, his choices, the candidates or whatever else is on your mind. Donald will respond to selected questions during the live finale on June 5. What are you asking him? Post your questions in the comments to this post.

Steven Weiss talked to Mark Bienstock (Lee's father) and to Lenny Veltman about Lee. The interviews are available on Canonist.

Weiss also wrote this story on Lee Bienstock for JTA. Expect to see it printed in most Jewish weekly newspapers later this week.

We have learned that George and Carolyn will join Donald for the final boardroom on Monday. Lee is preparing for the inevitable question about why he chose Pepi. The episode starts at 9:30 PM ET/PT.

The next season starts filming this week in Los Angeles. Ivanka, Don Jr., George and Carolyn will all participate. US Olympian Angela Ruggiero is one of 18 candidates.

Congrats to Tarek Saab and his wife Kathryn on their wedding this past Saturday!

The Bienstock family's shul, Congregation Beth Sholom of Lawrence, NY, distributed this e-mail message today:

As everyone knows by now, Lee Bienstock, the son of our friends Flora and Mark Bienstock, has reached the finals of Donald Trump's Apprentice. Lee needs as many votes as possible to win. Donald Trump is deciding this time with our help and our votes can make the difference. You can vote by either going to www.LeeBienstock.com (which brings you to an Apprentice link) and clicking on Vote for Lee or by going to http://www.nbc.com/The Apprentice 5/

Voting started at 10:00 on Monday night and continues through June 5th.

Please join us in voting for Lee, as often as you can. Vote as many times as you can; it's free!

Gary Miller, President
Lester Henner, Chairman of the Board
Joel Shiff, Vice-Chairman of the Board

Episode 14: What about Dan?

2006-05-29T22:19:00.000-04:00

Episode 14 opens with Sean and Lee summoned to the boardroom where they learn that they're the final two candidates. Their new assignment is to each choose three fired candidates to join their team. As Lee exits the boardroom, Trump yells out, "Freaking politician, Lee!!!"

Back in the suite, the former candidates greet the finalists and they each lobby to be chosen for the new teams. Former Orthodox Apprentice candidate Daniel Brody takes an opportunity to sell himself to Sean. Mr. Yazbeck, however, quickly chooses Tammy and Andrea and then agrees on Tarek to complete his team.

Lee Bienstock outsources the team selection to his close friend, Lenny Veltman. In the words of Lenny, "Nobody better than me." Lenny chooses Pepi ("who the hell is he?") Diaz. It's likely that Lee and Pepi had never even met before, but Lenny had spent time with Pepi on Trump's "Exile Island". Lee asks for Lenny's thoughts on each possible candidate. "What about Dan?" he inquires. Lenny responds, "I don't trust Dan. [He and others are] not your friends." Lenny selects Roxanne for the final spot.

Lee explains to Trump that his picks are based on who likes him the most. (With two selections who never worked with Lee previously, it speaks volumes of Lee's relationships with the former Gold Rushers.)

Each candidate expresses a preference to work with bare naked ladies, but Lee agrees to take on the celebrity ice hockey event, sponsored by Pontiac, to benefit The Denis Leary Firefighters Foundation. Since Sean is from the UK, it might have been wise for Lee to hand him the hockey task. Sean's concert, also sponsored by Pontiac (with an additional sponsorship from SLS Audio), is to raise funds for the World Wildlife Fund.

Lee appears to have a very weak team. In meetings with the executives, they show no creativity, few ideas, minimal teamwork and no leadership. Pepi adds no value. Lenny doesn't say a word, not even a joke. Roxanne contributes the most, but not enough to make up for the others. Lee suggests a date auction (page 4), but the executive from Leary's organization is not impressed.

Sean's team is more energetic and everyone contributes to the project, but Sean spends too much time with Tammy poring over the catering menu. Eventually each team decides to auction off the Pontiac vehicles.

This episode appears to be edited with a preference towards Sean. Lee and his team were repeatedly shown in a negative way. The only strike against Sean's team is that Andrea left with a medical emergency.

It's now time to vote for your choice as the next Apprentice.

[Orthodox Apprentice has actual video footage from Sean's Barenaked Ladies concert at Trump Taj Mahal. If you have a website and are willing to store and serve the file, we will e-mail it to you and then link to your site. Please contact us by e-mail.]

LeeSpace

2006-05-27T23:14:00.000-04:00

Apprentice Tzedaka

2006-05-25T00:22:00.000-04:00

For anyone who hasn't watched earlier seasons of The Apprentice, the final tasks are two major fundraising events, each with a corporate sponsor and a designated charity.

As you know, the two final tasks for this season are a concert by the Barenaked Ladies and a celebrity hockey event.

This just in....

Orthodox Apprentice has just learned that Sean Yazbeck's BNL concert is a fundraiser for the World Wildlife Fund. Steve Page, the band's lead vocalist, sits on the Board of Directors at WWF. Page and his band have been involved in other fundraising efforts for the organization.

Lee Bienstock's event is a celebrity hockey game to benefit The Leary Firefighters Foundation. Starting May 30, hockey memorabilia from the final episodes will be auctioned off at CharityFolks.com.

Lee and Sean will plan and prepare for the events on next week's episode (May 29). The concert and hockey game will be shown during the June 5 finale, followed by the final boardroom, when someone will hear, "You're hired!"

5/25 UPDATE - NBC has just confirmed what we reported last night:

"Donald Trump will issue the final two tasks, which will unfold over the next two episodes beginning this week and resulting in the ultimate boardroom hiring of the fifth "Apprentice" on June 5, live from The Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles (9:30-11pm ET). "

"This week, Sean and Lee are reunited with their former team members and have the tough assignment of re-hiring four candidates each to help them with their final task. One finalist faces off with a tough executive while putting on a Pontiac celebrity hockey event benefiting the 'Dennis Leary Fire Fighter Foundation,' while the other tries to please a crowd while staging a Barenaked Ladies Concert in Atlantic City benefiting the 'World Wildlife Foundation.' "

Episode 13 - Vote for Lee!

2006-05-22T23:51:00.000-04:00

Mazal Tov to Lee Bienstock! He's one of two finalists (with Sean Yazbeck) who can become the next Apprentice.

Tonight's episode was Gold Rush all the way. Lee demonstrated his business and marketing savvy and Sean provided his metrosexual skills. Their skills complemented each other well and took both candidates to the finals.

Lee put himself in the shoes of the judges. He pointed out that it didn't matter what the executives wanted. Since the hotel employees were judging the task, Sean and Lee needed to learn what the employees wanted in their uniforms. Lee listened to the Embassy Suites team members and learned that they only wanted tweaks to the current design; not a complete redesign. Most importantly, the clothing had to be functional.

Synergy, on the other hand, felt that they knew what the employees should want. Allie Jablon had trouble listening to the employees. Roxanne took a low profile, hoping that only Allie would take the fall if they'd lose. Instead of asking the workers for suggestions, Allie recommended culottes to the housekeepers. She received blank stares but moved forward with her design idea. Allie emphasized style over function. That wasn't what the employees had in mind.

Sean's reaction to the Synergy designs: "It was horrendous!" The hotel employees agreed, with 69% of them choosing Gold Rush's uniforms.

One employee commented, "Gold Rush rocks!"

As a reward, Sean and Lee dined with the Trump children at Aquavit, a Scandinavian restaurant in Manhattan. Lee enjoyed a green vegetable salad. [Not that it's relevant, but the pastry chef at Solo, an upscale kosher restaurant, previously worked at Aquavit.]

We told you a week ago that two candidates would be fired this week. Allie and Roxanne were the victims of the latest double-firing.

Next week Sean and Lee will start planning and preparing for the final tasks (read about them in the previous post). On June 5 we'll see how the final events turned out and Mr. Trump will choose the next Apprentice.

Now it's time to vote for your choice on Yahoo's The Apprentice site. Show your preference for Lee by wearing a Vote for Lee button or tee shirt. You could also get a teddy bear, beer stein, even boxer shorts or a thong.

OA EXCLUSIVE: The Final Tasks

2006-05-21T00:55:00.000-04:00

We've been gathering more information on the final tasks. We've told you about guest appearances by Michael J. Fox, Jaime Pressly, Denis Leary, Jason Priestley, Stephen Baldwin and the Barenaked Ladies. We've also told you about the celebrity hockey event and the rock concert.

Now we're ready to provide further details and to share some photos and videos.

Celebrity Hockey Task

One finalist was challenged to put on a celebrity hockey event. Michael J. Fox and Denis Leary are huge hockey fans from Canada so we suspect they were involved with this task. Along with NHL hall of famer Cam Neely, they're heavily involved in charity work, supporting The Leary Firefighters Foundation, The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research and The Cam Neely Foundation for Cancer Care. The three of them (pictured together in uniform, but not from The Apprentice) appear together annually at the Betting On A Cause & A Cure event that supports all three organizations.

We reported earlier that the rock concert task took place on Tuesday, November 8, 2005. We don't have the exact date for the hockey event, but we know that Leary and Fox were together in Toronto Monday night, November 7th, for Cam Neely's Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Will this interfere with the celebrity hockey event? Final tasks on The Apprentice have a history of celebrity no-shows, including Chris Webber and Joe Piscopo. Stay tuned to see what happens.

Stephen Baldwin played hockey in Slap Shot 2, so we suspect he's also involved in the sporting event.

It's more difficult to figure out Jason Priestley's role in the show. He's also a hockey fanatic from Canada. On the other hand, he's close friends with the Barenaked Ladies (pictured here with the band, not from The Apprentice). They performed at his wedding and he directed their documentary. They even use the same webmaster. He could be involved with either the hockey event or the concert.

Barenaked Ladies Concert

For the other candidate's final task, BNL played a private concert at Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City. As Jessica Simpson did for her Apprentice event, the band members appeared at a "meet & greet" event prior to their performance.

Then they went on stage to play at least 15 songs, including fan favorites such as It's All Been Done, One Week and If I had a Million Dollars. Their encore performance was Brian Wilson (video here). We don't know if they played any of their three chanukah songs.

Thanks to this blogger, we have pictures from the event. Unfortunately, none of the candidates are visible.

SLS International investors are speculating that the company stock may jump after an appearance on the season finale. They're wondering how much airtime their company's product will get. Much to their dismay, the SLS audio system is not the focus of the show. As seen in the picture below, though, their speakers were visible to the Taj Mahal audience. As you can see, Pontiac is the corporate sponsor. Earlier rumors of Best Buy's involvement in the finale appear to be false.

Episode 13 Preview

2006-05-18T22:17:00.000-04:00

Episode 13 - Monday, May 22, 9:00 ET/PT

In the final four task, Lee and Sean compete against Allie and Roxanne. Each team partners with a fashion firm to design new uniforms for employees at the Embassy Suites Hotel in lower Manhattan. The product ultimately developed by the winning team will be rolled out to the entire hotel chain in late 2006.

One team (Synergy?) uses its love of fashion while the other team models its designs on market research (Gold Rush?).

Ivanka and Donald Jr. oversee the task. Embassy Suites employees select the winning design. The winners dine with the Trump children for a chance to get last-minute advice and pointers on how to become the next Apprentice. Two candidates will be fired during this episode. Anything is possible!

Vote for the next Apprentice?

The "Vote for Lee" link has been removed from Lee's website. Roxanne is soliciting votes on her site and Sean has a link to vote on his myspace page. We haven't found a voting link on Allie's website. Oddly enough, fired candidate Tammy is asking for votes on her website.

What does all this mean? Absolutely nothing.

Episode 12 - Sean, Lee, You're Hired!

2006-05-15T23:10:00.000-04:00

If you missed tonight's episode, you didn't miss much at all. Here's a brief lee-cap:

Sean and Lee got along well and didn't clash at all on their task.

Tammy volunteered as Synergy's project manager, but couldn't gain the respect of Allie or Roxanne. Tammy Trenta was in it for herself and her teammates didn't give her any support. Their constant eye-rolling became an issue during the task, in their on-the-street interviews and in the boardroom.

The Wal-Mart judge preferred Gold Rush's Xbox 360 display because it was more focused on selling store merchandise. The Microsoft judge went along with that decision.

For their reward, Lee Bienstock and Sean Yazbeck flew to Hollywood to provide the voices for Lunch Table Larry and BBQ Barry in the Dreamworks animated film Over the Hedge. Bruce Willis, Garry Shandling and Steve Carell are the lead voices.

Jeffrey Katzenberg turned to Sean and Lee and said, "You're hired!"

Allie Jablon tried to keep quiet in the boardroom. Roxanne Wilson blamed the loss on Tammy. Trump agreed and fired the businesswoman from New Jersey.

Lee didn't do much to strengthen or weaken his position this week. Other than stay out of the boardroom, which is huge for him.

Episode 13: Monday, May 22, 9:00 ET/PT
Next week, it's the two guys against the pair of women. The task is to create a new line of uniforms for Embassy Suites hotel staff. One team uses its love of fashion to try to stitch together a win, while the other team models its designs on market research. The winners hit the town with Trump's favorite apprentices, while the losers struggle to survive the boardroom. Two candidates will be fired before the next (and final) task.

If you missed our preview for Episode 14, click here.

The Final Task

2006-05-13T23:03:00.000-04:00

Episode 14 - Monday, May 29, 9:00 PM

The final two candidates take on their toughest tasks yet, coordinating two massive charity events. One finalist faces off with a tough executive while putting on a celebrity hockey event and the other lets his heart lead him astray while staging a massive rock concert in Atlantic City.

["His" and "him" are generic pronouns that could refer to either male or female]

Pontiac is a corporate sponsor for this episode.

Orthodox Apprentice has learned that the concert was performed by Barenaked Ladies on Tuesday, November 8, 2005, at Trump Taj Mahal. The event was not open to the public. Free tickets were given to Taj Mahal employees. All attendees were required to sign a waiver/non-disclosure. George and Donald were in attendance.

The playlist included these songs: It's All Been Done, Life (in a Nutshell), Taj Rap, Pinch Me, Get in Line, Upside Down, Curry Yogurt Rap, Alcohol, Shopping, What a Good Boy, Too Little Too Late, One Week, Old Apartment, If I had a Million Dollars, Brian Wilson (encore).

It's unlikely that they played any Chanukah songs from Barenaked for Hanukkah.

Two candidates will be fired in the previous Episode (#13).

Episode 12 preview & spoiler

2006-05-11T22:20:00.000-04:00

Episode 12 - Monday, May 15, 10:00 ET/PT
(Special time following a 2-hour Deal Or No Deal)

The final five candidates are challenged to create an in-store home theater display at Wal-Mart for customers to demo the Microsoft Xbox 360 videogame console. The display will highlight the game system's features, within a fully accessorized environment, for the digital entertainment lifestyle. The teams are challenged to demonstrate the Xbox 360 as a complete home entertainment system for non-gamers, featuring a DVD player, stereo system, slide show, video console and more. The team to build the most compelling promotion, as judged by Microsoft and Wal-Mart executives, wins the task.

The winners take a private jet to Hollywood to meet Jeffrey Katzenberg of DreamWorks Animation Studios. The studio executive coaches them through a voice-over session for the new animated film Over the Hedge, starring Bruce Willis, Garry Shandling and Steve Carell. Other voices in the movie include Nick Nolte, Avril Lavigne and William Shatner. Sean Yazbeck provides the voice for BBQ Barry and Lee Bienstock provides the vocals for Lunch Table Larry.

(Thanks to aeropostale676 at Survivor Sucks for finding the spoiler and to Walt/Wallyhorse who first brought this spoiler to our attention.)

The losers face the boardroom where one candidate will be fired.

Microsoft posted some rather bizarre interviews on Xbox.com, asking fired candidates Brent Buckman and (Jose) Pepi Diaz about the Walmart / Xbox 360 task. Brent answered each task question with "I don't know." Pepi actually answered a couple questions, but he also threw in one "I don't know." How bizarre!

In case you missed the hints up above, Lee is in the Final Four!

Previews for Episode 13 and the finale were posted last week.

Tarek: those guys seemed extremely observant

2006-05-10T22:36:00.000-04:00

Last week we posted a quote from Tarek's website that generated a heated discussion in the comments area. Based on his quote about Sukkot and other information, many commenters on this site have been asking questions about how Lee and Dan handled certain situations during the show. We strongly believe in gathering facts rather than making assumptions and accusations, so we decided to get further information from a source close to the situation.

Lee is still very much alive on the show, so he's not available to talk to us. Since Dan was gracious enough to answer our questions last month, we decided to reach out to Tarek Saab. We asked Tarek to elaborate - from his perspective - on how Dan and Lee handled the Jewish holidays and other religious issues, and how it was perceived by their teammates.

A huge thank you goes out to Tarek for responding to us quickly, thoroughly and openly.

Here's what he wrote: [passages colored in blue for emphasis by OA]

OA,

First of all, thank you for the compliment. I will return the compliment by saying that I think you have a great site. I have visited several times.

I want to preface this e-mail by saying I have a very rudimentary understanding of Judaic tradition, so please forgive anything I say that might seem ignorant (I am in the lower-echelon of Mensa!). Dan (my roommate in the suite) was very clear early on that religious observance was going to take priority over anything related to the show, and he explained this to everyone on Gold Rush. Obviously, I am aware of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, but Dan mentioned to me that there were some other holidays coming up that would cause an issue - Sukkot was one. I really respected him for taking the stance and sticking to it. I am religious as well, so I get it.

To answer your questions, those guys seemed extremely observant. Dan was getting kosher packages from home regularly, and there were times when the boys wouldn't speak on a cell phone. If I remember correctly, there were also times when it would be pouring out and they wouldn't use an umbrella or drive in a car. It was impressive, and I am sure there were other things they did that I didn't even notice. Even when we won the Post task and received a gourmet meal from Jean-Georges, the boys wouldn't eat it. (Actually, I ate Dan's meal in addition to mine). Later on in the season, our team would try to order all kosher food for dinner so Lee could get a good meal.

The topic of skipping tasks because of the holidays was very sensitive in the suite. Not everyone was in support of it because they thought it was an unfair advantage. (In truth, it can be a disadvantage as well because you can't prove your worth if you don't participate). As I explained on my website, I was in support of their decision even if they needed to take off additional time down the road. However, this was not the case with everyone. It was NOT an easy position to be in, and if they had taken off more time, I don't know how the others would have reacted. Damned if you do, damned if you don't. Some have commented that they had an advantage because they were able to rest while we were working, but if I am not mistaken they were fasting during that time, so it wasn't exactly a vacation.

Dan was fired after the fifth task, so he was able to avoid future conflict. By default, I just assumed that Lee would maintain his stance and observe Sukkot after Dan left. Please understand that my comments are in no way an indictment of Lee or his beliefs or the way he chooses to practice his faith. I am not even familiar with the traditions related to the Sukkot holiday. I was just surprised that the issue wasn't addressed because I knew it was so important to Dan, that's all. I expected to lose Lee for another task. I didn't raise the topic with Lee because, quite frankly, it was none of my business.

I hope this helps. If you think your readers would find this interesting, feel free to post. Let me know if you have any other questions.

Best,
Tarek

Another vote for Lee

2006-05-09T21:12:00.000-04:00

From Michael's interview with NBC:

NBC: Now we're down to five. Some very interesting and distinct personalities are still in the race. Who should we be looking out for in the weeks ahead?

Michael Laungani: I think Lee is one person to watch. I believe he is a stand-up, honest guy who speaks his mind. He's smart and aggressive, and has out-of-the-box ideas. He plays the game well and he's been very strategic in the boardroom so far.

Episode 11 - Lee survives another boardroom

2006-05-08T22:06:00.000-04:00

Sean Yazbeck volunteered to join Gold Rush, but their losing ways continued. In a surprising move, Orthodox Apprentice candidate Lee Bienstock volunteered for his third stint as project manager. Lee reasoned that the task is about college and sports; it's what he knows best. Teammates Arinash Michael Laungani and Sean were surprised to learn that Lee was a recent college graduate, demonstrating how little fraternization there had been between Synergy and Gold Rush. Sean and Michael had each been PM just once, but they let Lee take charge without any resistance.

While introducing the task to the teams, Trump teased "The Politician". He physically acted out his impression of Lee dancing around a question. It was better than Trump's dance to the Arby's jingle in Episode 6.

Speaking of Arby's, on that task Trump had said that he loves the fast food chain; it's his favorite. In tonight's epsiode, he proclaimed his love for Outback Steakhouse. "They're the best," he said. So which is it... Arby's or Outback?

Lee might have been deciding between Glatt 27 and Mei Garden Cuisine for his Shabbat meals. Both glatt kosher restaurants are in close vicinity to Rutgers University, and Shabbat was fast approaching as the task kicked off. Kosher sandwiches and salads were also available at Douglass Cafe on campus.

[On a side note, Season 4 Apprentice winner Dr. Randal Pinkett attended the game, but did not appear in the episode. He'll speak at the Rutgers College graduation next Thursday.]

Lee quickly gained the respect of his teammates and they planned an exciting party for gameday (Saturday, October 29, 2005). However they did not focus their efforts on sales and they priced their menu much lower than Synergy. Gold Rush fell short by $1000 and Lee went back to the boardroom.

Sean and Lee placed the blame on Michael. Lee told Trump that he had stepped up as project manager. Carolyn said he looked desperate, but Michael's performance was worse. Trump agreed. He fired Michael and told Lee and Sean that they were lousy too.

Lee now has a 2 - 1 record as project manager and all of his potential allies are out of the competition. Aside from this task with Sean, he hasn't worked with any of the remaining candidates. Roxanne Wilson remains a strong candidate. Allie Jablon and Tammy Trenta are looking good too.

Last week's religion debate can continue in the comments to this post.

Info on upcoming episodes and the finale is available here.

The Apprentice Party

2006-05-04T23:35:00.000-04:00

Lee Bienstock and Lenny Veltman got together recently, with friends & family, for The Apprentice Party.

Click on the picture to enlarge it.

Future Episodes & Finale Details

2006-05-04T21:42:00.000-04:00

[MAY 6 UPDATE: Details added below for Episode 13]

Episode 11: Monday, May 8, 9:00 ET/PT

The candidates relive their younger days by putting on a tailgate party event featuring blooming onions and other items from the Outback Steakhouse menu. The team that generates the greatest revenue from the sales wins. One team creates a spectacle with an eating contest while members of the other team dress up as cheerleaders. The winners travel via helicopter to Raphael Vineyard on Long Island to blend and create their own private label wine. The losers go to the boardroom. One candidate will be fired.

This task took place on Saturday, October 29, 2005, at the Rutgers University homecoming football game against Navy. Sean Yazbeck switches sides to join (Orthodox Apprentice candidate) Lee Bienstock's Gold Rush team. Roxanne Wilson leads Synergy's Allie Jablon and Tammy Trenta.

Randal Pinkett (winner of Season 4) attended the game. He's a Rutgers graduate and his wife works for the university's Alumni Association. The big question is if Randal's appearance at the game makes it into the episode. Season 4 was airing while Season 5 was filming. Last fall, Randal knew he was in the final two, but he hadn't been hired by Trump yet. The Season 5 candidates wouldn't know anything about Randal since there's no television in the suite.

Episode 12: Monday, May 15, 10:00 ET/PT (special time)

The final five Apprentice candidates are challenged to assemble the perfect home theater display at a Wal-Mart store for the Microsoft Xbox 360 videogame console. The display will highlight the game system's features for potential customers. One candidate feels they are being undermined by their team, while the other group worries that their display will not be completed in time. The winners take a private jet to Hollywood and get a chance to appear in a movie, while the losers face off in the boardroom. One candidate will be fired.

We suspect that the "undermined" candidate is on the three-person team and the "worried" team has two candidates. (Could an individual be undermined by a team with just one teammate?)

Tammy Trenta will watch this episode at her high school, Bishop George Ahr HS. Advance tickets are $10 each ($5 for current students). All proceeds go directly to the high school's alumni association and to Tammy's Theresa Kathryn foundation.

Episode 13: Monday, May 22, 9:00 ET/PT

The final four candidates create a new line of uniforms for Embassy Suites hotels. One team uses its love of fashion to try to stitch together a win, while the other team models its designs on market research. The winners hit the town with Trump's favorite apprentices, while the losers struggle to survive the boardroom.

Season 5 Finale: Monday, June 5, 9:30 - 11:00 ET/PT

The 15-week job interview culminates as the final boardroom begins on The Apprentice and two candidates vie for the $250,000 year-long 'apprenticeship' during the live season finale. After four seasons in Manhattan, the finale moves to the Orpheum Theater in Los Angeles, California, where Donald Trump will hire his new Apprentice. Trump's newest employee will join the ranks of the previous winners - Bill Rancic, Kelly Perdew, Kendra Todd and Randal Pinkett.

Special guest appearances during the final task include Michael J. Fox, Jaime Pressly, Denis Leary, Jason Priestley, Stephen Baldwin and the Barenaked Ladies, among others.

For the first time in the show's history, fans will have the chance to advise Trump on who should be the next "Apprentice." In the penultimate week, viewers will be able to vote for one of the final two candidates via phone and on-line. The results of America's favorite candidate will be presented to Trump during the live finale before he makes his final decision. "I'm very anxious to see who the fans choose for their favorite finalist -- their decision could have a big effect on my ultimate decision," said Trump.

Viewers will also be able to log onto www.nbc.com to write in questions for Trump to ask the final two candidates during the live boardroom finale.

One of the final tasks will include the debut of SLS International's Q Line Gold Home Theater Surround Sound System.

Tickets to the finale and after-party

A limited number of tickets to attend the live finale and the after-party are available through VIPGetaways.com. Tickets are $1,750 each.

The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation has been trying to auction off tickets to the finale and the after-party. Auctions for four separate pairs of tickets -- at $1,500 a pair -- ended on April 25 with no bids. The eBay auctions were re-submitted at $1,000 a pair and ended on May 2 without any bids.

Scheduling of the finale

The final boardroom was originally scheduled to take place over two hours, in New York City, on Monday, June 12. No episode was scheduled to air on May 15. The official rules for the Excedrin sweepstakes still include the original schedule.

However, Mr. Trump (and The Apprentice production crew) is leaving New York on June 1 (Erev Shavuot) to spend five weeks at Trump National Golf Club in Los Angeles for the taping of the next season. Accordingly, the taping of the finale was moved to the Orpheum Theater in Los Angeles. It was also reduced to 90 minutes and rescheduled to Monday, June 5, possibly to clear up the schedule for a Stanley Cup game, as Walt has been telling us.

To accomodate the earlier finale, Episode 12 will air on May 15, originally an off-week. (Earlier in the season, the 7-11 episode was moved up a week from April 17 to make room for a week of Celebrity Cooking Showdown.)

Sorry, Walt, no indication that the finale was ever scheduled for a Friday.

BARUKH HASHEM from Lenny

2006-05-03T22:39:00.000-04:00

After returning home from his Norwegian Cruise Line vacation, Lenny Veltman ("The Russian") answered questions from Orthodox Apprentice.

First, could you settle something for us. Val or Veltman? What's the story behind that?
Originally I am actually Veltman (translation men of the world,Velt+man), after an article in the HNT I became “Val,” which I don't care about much. The girl who did the interview made a mistake that's it, there’s no mystery there.

And what's LENSA all about?
It's just a joke, if Mensa exists why can't I create and name my own club LENSA similarly to Mensa. Some people are very proud to be members of LENSA, did I repeat LENSA too many times? LENSA can offer you the same benefits, except the fact it’s free as opposed to $50. Our members don't get advice, they just interact with one another. “A word to the wise ain't necessary - it's the stupid ones that need the advice,” said Bill Cosby.

In your final episode, Gold Rush's meeting with the Ace Hardware executives didn't look good on TV. Was it really that bad? Why wasn't your team prepared with questions?
I agree, it looked funny. I wouldn’t say it didn't look good, simply because it’s a show and for the show it looked great, i couldn’t stop laughing. It looked like I was completely oblivious to the meeting, which isn‘t true. We asked enough questions to get an idea for the project. We asked very few direct questions and they didn't answer us, simply because it was too direct and they weren’t allowed to give us a lead answer. Like I already posted on my LENSA site. We had a meeting with the lady who has been running this place for twenty years. Her objectives were that they have a program, teaching kids piano, but complete lack of instruments. Not to mention 95% of the kids are Hispanic or African-American, who love to play instruments and absolutely can't live without music. By saying not everyone loves music is completely incorrect and a misleading statement.

What lessons did you learn from competing on the show?
To be honest I did not learn anything I didn‘t already know. I did learn, however; a lot new words. My English now is 100 times better than it was before I went on the show, thanks to Lee's (cheat sheet ha-ha).

How did your friendship with Lee develop? Early on we saw you criticizing him for not working on Rosh HaShanah. Then we saw you wish him well on Yom Kippur. Next thing we know, you're best friends. How did this happen?
Lee and myself became friends at the first hand shake, which happened in the airport (first episode). He gave me a warm welcome and that’s how it all started. I didn't bash Lee for taking a Rosh HaShanah off, i actually warned him, "you will be blamed if we lose." Of course not by me, I just was the voice of the team. I believe anti-Semitism is still a big issue in America, I have nothing to do with this, trust me. On Yom Kippur I went to Shoul with Lee, if you were watching you would see, only me and Lee were dressed up, we had just come back from the Synagogue. I also was fasting throughout the entire task. Being Jewish has never been easy, but I’m proud to be it.

Did Lee invite you to his house for the Passover seder? How close are you guys now?
Lee went to Florida for Passover and I had nice seder with my family. We are very close, in all good ways possible of course. I admire Lee for all his great qualities. He's a VERY Honorable man and he is a great friend, I mean a REAL friend. His Parents are very lucky people, and they are also very nice people as well.

Are you in touch with anyone else from the show?
Summer is most amazing women I ever met, we are also very good friends. I wish she would have stayed longer. I also told her I wish she was a Jewish too. She is very lovely, very honest and has an extra large heart. I keep in contact with a few others but not to often.

Could you tell us about your religious background? We know it was difficult (nearly impossible) for anyone to practice Judaism in the USSR. Have you been involved with any Jewish organizations since coming to the USA?
Religion was obsolete in the USSR, but because I had Jewish parents, who also had Jewish parents, who also had Jewish parents, I practiced Judaism. It was just like you said before, nearly impossible, or just impossible. But my Briss was performed by Rabbi, although I'm not sure if he was a real one. I never had a Bar-Mitzvah, but my Son had one, he's more lucky than I am, he has a nice father (kidding),but definitely a nice mother, and I'm very lucky guy. I haven't been involved with any Jewish organizations directly. I’ve only helped with job placements for people from the JFVS of Middlesex county in NJ. I offered to cater their parties, but my restaurant wasn't kosher, so they kindly declined my offer.

Are Lee and Dan the first Orthodox Jews that you've met? Were you familiar at all with their practices (kosher food, Shabbat, holidays, etc.) before you moved into the suite?
Of course not, remember I am a Jew myself. Strangely enough, it was hard to guess that they were orthodox Jews. I knew for sure Lee was a Jew from the get go, and I also knew he was kosher. In my understanding, being orthodox means you have very strict rules which were impossible in the Suite environment. The whole setting was very inappropriate for the strict rules of Judaism. However, Lee told me he was a modern day orthodox, but observant Jew. To be honest, I couldn't even imagine that my religion was so divided. I know exactly what Kosher food is and the whole idea about it. I also know what Shabbat and the important Holidays like Passover are. It's obvious to me what they are, even though I was portrayed in a different way in one of the episodes.

What's your opinion on the remaining candidates? Who can make it to the finals?
You all know my opinion of Lee, I just love this guy for being honest, smart and funny. It takes a lot of courage to stand up for someone, He did exactly that in the first episode. Like I already said somewhere, it had nothing to do with Lee it was about Summer (lovely girl, i wish she was Jewish, just kidding) and me. He was the only one who didn’t lie and told the truth, straight from his big heart. If until that moment I had any doubts about his dignity and integrity, it all disappeared. Additionally, Roxanne has individual qualities that are great. I also like Michael, but the only problem is that he doesn’t have enough life experience. On another hand, Lee is 22 and unbelievably mature. I wish I could tell you more, as I can see you guys have a very nice investigation department, you even found my outdated ad on Allibaba, that cement already sold, a simple transaction for almost 1/2 bill dollars.

What do you think of Donald Trump? Is there anyone like him in the USSR?
He is one of the best businessmen I’ve ever met, and I met quite a few. There are 33 “Donald Trumps” in Russia now, (according to "forbes") not in the USSR since individual ownership was prohibited. The funny part is, I’ll tell you the inside story "you hear this first here". Some of contestants, can't tell you the names, I can only tell you it was a him, said I'm from a third world country and didn't say it to me, he said it to a bunch of other people, that I know. You know what he's absolutely right, Russia’s #3 on the list of “number of billionaires“ (according to Forbes American magazine) which makes Russia the third country. Everyone on that show claims that they have a great education (except Lee) who actually has a stupendous education. I would recheck all the resumes once again. Some of the contestants said stuff that is hard to imagine for a normal person to say, or at least one who has an education.

Sean talked about living the American dream after immigrating to this country and competing on The Apprentice. Do you think you are living the American dream?
What is the American dream for Sean, did he come from a “third world country”, or from a Soviet dictatorship, of course not. He came from a very nice country actually, and I don't see what the change was for him. The language is even the same, except for me it's very hard to understand what he talking about, that accent sometimes makes me think he’s speaking broken Russian, other then that he's an ok guy. For me it's dream a come true. "Ideologies separate us. Dreams and anguish bring us together." Eugene Ionesco

What's next for Lenny?
Family is always first, business (cement,trading etc), friends and a whole lot of new things are next. It's always new for me, I believe our lives are undeveloped until you stop working. I try every minute of my life to find something new and exciting, otherwise life becomes boring. Thank you for your support and love, thank you for giving me a chance to express myself. BARUKH HASHEM!!!

Eugene Veltman, Lenny's teenage son, also talked with Orthodox Apprentice.

What are the most important lessons in life that you've learned from your father?
I've learned from my father, that in life, you should be yourself not who other want you to be. Also, I learned that education is the most important thing possible in life, with an education you have a great future ahead. Additionally, he has taught me to be strong, even though life has its ups and down, he's taught me to withstand those tough times and get through them with his help. He has created in me a great person. I am proud to be his son.

How has life changed for you since this season of The Apprentice started airing?
Well, it's been an exciting change. I have people coming up to me in school and talking to me non-stop about how great my father is. That's pretty much it besides the fact that I get to see my father on National Television every Monday.

What does Judaism mean to you?
Judaism to me is not only a religion but a way of life. Certain people treat this religion as their life and abide by its rules, and I totally agree with their views. However, in my opinion, one must live their own life, and yes he or she can follow the religion but they don't have to. It's not required to be religious, like me for example, I'm sort of religious. I had a bar-mitzvah at the age of 13. I celebrate all the Jewish holidays like Yum-Kippur, Rosh-Hashanah, Chanukah, and Passover. Judaism is a great thing, and I'm proud to be a Jew.

Has your impression of the religion changed at all since watching Lee and Dan skip the tasks to observe the holidays?
Not really, 99% of my friends are Jewish and they observe these holidays as well. But I didn't see them leaving school to go to Temple, but it's the persons choice. My impression is still the same, you choose to observe the holiday or you don't, but in the end you're still Jewish.

While watching the show, were there any moments when you were embarrassed by something that your father did?
I'm never embarrassed of my father. Yes he does humorous things, but it just makes me laugh not be embarrassed of him. He is without any doubt the greatest father in the world, and I love him with all my heart. He gave me everything, and I am so grateful.

THANK YOU to Lenny and Eugene Veltman for sharing your thoughts with us!

Bill Rancic on Lee & Religion

2006-05-03T21:07:00.000-04:00

Every Wednesday the politically correct Bill Rancic answers reader mail about The Apprentice.

This week several of the questions were about Lee Bienstock. The Orthodox Apprentice candidate seems to be on everyone's mind.

One question touched on the Jewish holidays:

John: Are you surprised of all of the starting members of Gold Rush, that Lee is the only one left standing? Also, when he left for religious reasons, do you think that helped or hurt him?

Bill Rancic: I am not surprised that Lee is still left standing. Although in the beginning there was some questions about him being too young, I think he a has really come through on some of the tasks more recently. As far as him taking off for the religious holidays, I think having a strong religious foundation can never hurt you.

Tarek and Charmaine speak out

2006-05-02T22:38:00.000-04:00

Candidates are required to sign a massive non-disclosure agreement to compete on The Apprentice. They can't say much at all until we see them fired or hired. Once they're off the show, however, they can talk to the media about their experiences. Tarek Saab and Charmaine Hunt are the most recent fired candidates, so now they're talking.

Fomer Orthodox Apprentice candidate Daniel Brody formed a strong friendship with Tarek. On Tarek's website, he writes about Dan.

I liked Dan a lot. He was my first choice and was my roommate in the suite. He's a good businessman and great dad.

Tarek also responds to a fan who asked for his thoughts on Dan and Lee Bienstock missing a task during Rosh HaShanah.

I was in total support of their decision. If it had been Christmas or Easter, I would have done the same. The Apprentice is not the real world, and we are not doctors or firemen. Faith comes first. If you view this as a game, it is unfair, but if it's an interview process it shouldn't really matter. I think the only thing that suprised us was that Lee didn't take off the Succot holiday as well.

In his NBC exit interview, Tarek was asked about his relationship with Lee.

NBC: You seemed to have a very solid friendship with Lee. In fact, a lot of people like him, including, it seems, Mr Trump. It looks like Lee goes into the boardroom wearing Teflon. Stuff just bounces off him. Do you think that's going to carry him through to the end or is the politician side of Lee going to be his undoing?

Tarek: This is a funny question, because Lee and I were not very good friends at all, actually. Early on, we had some major clashes that we really struggled to work through. Towards the end, we became more friendly and learned how to work together because Trump fired all of our allies. In the end, Lee hung me out to dry in the boardroom. I think Lee is a smart guy and has matured along the way, but politician or not, Trump seems to love him for whatever reason and that is singularly the most important thing in this game.

NBC asked Charmaine who we should be looking out for in the coming weeks. It appears as if a portion of her response was edited out by NBC. Here's what they printed.

Sean and Roxanne are also ones to watch - they both seem like very strong candidates, each with one win under their belt, and they haven't ruffled many feathers.

Usually an "also" is preceded by something. Here, the response starts with an "also". We suspect that Charmaine might have said something about the other candidates that NBC doesn't want us to know.

Switching topics....

Last night was the first time Mr. Trump did not watch an episode as it aired. Donald & Melania attended the Costume Institute Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. His daughter, Ivanka, was there too.

Orthodox Apprentice: Episode 10 - Lee fires two more

2006-05-01T23:21:00.000-04:00

Lately, Orthodox Apprentice candidate Lee Bienstock has been looking better and better with each episode. Today was no exception as Lee continued his ascent.

Here's the lee-cap:

The task was to promote the grand opening of a Hair Cuttery on Long Island. Synergy was assigned to the Oceanside, NY location. Lee would have been very familiar with the area - he lives just six miles from the store. On the other hand, since the grand opening was scheduled for Simchat Torah (Wednesday, October 26, 2005) and there's a large contingent of Orthodox Jews in the area, many potential customers were dancing with the Torah at their synagogue; not getting haircuts.

Lee's team was located in Carle Place, about 12 miles from the Bienstock residence, north of the Orthodox Jewish communities of Five Towns. As project manager, Charmaine Hunt's only concern was the display of hair products on the shelves. Lee wanted to go out and sell while people were still at the mall. He reasoned that they could return to stock the shelves after potential customers went to sleep. That strategy has proven to be successful with other tasks, but Charmaine didn't agree to it. She couldn't accept that the task results would be based on sales; not aesthetics.

Tarek Saab and Lee spent the day flyering car windshields. Charmaine got her hair done. Michael did nothing.

Synergy crushed Gold Rush in store revenue. As a reward, they were given another task. They had to help Burt Bacharach write some lyrics for his music. That's like showing Barry Bonds how to hit a baseb-, uh.... how to stick a needle in his arm.

Back in the suite, Gold Rush was preparing for the boardroom. Lee gave Charmaine advice - go up against Tarek because Trump doesn't like him. Lee gave Tarek advice - take down Charmaine. Lee gave Michael advice - just be yourself and no one will notice you.

We expected to see another Boardroom Cheat Sheet, but only Lenny got that special treatment.

Charmaine made it clear that she didn't want to go against Lee in the boardroom. No one has ever returned to the suite to talk about that experience.

Tarek admires Lee: "He's a really religious guy. Morals are really important to him... I respect that."

The boardroom went exactly as Lee planned it. Charmaine went after Tarek. Tarek went after Charmaine. Charmaine went after Tarek. Tarek went after Charmaine. (Was Michael in the boardroom?)

When Trump asked Lee about Tarek and Charmaine, Mr. Bienstock couldn't give a straight answer because he didn't want either of them to turn against him. Donald Trump, Bill Rancic and Carolyn Kepcher each called Lee out on this. As we've been hearing since Week 5 (when Orthodox Apprentice candidate Dan Brody was fired), Lee is a "politician". [Actually, Lee is currently working on a strategy project for city government.] Trump says "we'll see him in the Senate one day." Carolyn says he plays both sides of the fence. Bill is frustrated by Lee's non-answers.

But the attention shifts back to Tarek. And to Charmaine. And to Tarek. And to Charmaine.

"Charmaine, you're fired.... Tarek, you're fired." (Hair Cuttery thinks Donald made a mistake.)

The Politician orchestrated the double-firing of his Gold Rush teammates. Everything went exactly as he planned. Remember last week when he talked about "all the people [he] fired."? This week Lee fired two more.

Viewer Votes (East Coast results. Votes are counted separately in each time zone.)

For the second consecutive week, Lee had the most votes to be fired (18%) at the first tally. Fortunately for him, it's not American Idol and public opinion doesn't matter. (Just wondering... do a lot of people hate Lee or does he have one enemy that's voting over and over again?)

With all the votes counted, 31% wanted to fire Charmaine and 16% chose Tarek. Lee was next with 15%.

Later on The Apprentice

* Episode 11: Monday, May 8, 9:00 ET/PT

The candidates relive their younger days by putting on a tailgate party during a college football game. One team creates a spectacle with an eating contest while members of the other team dress up as cheerleaders. The winners wine and dine in the country, while the losers face a fierce boardroom. One candidate will be fired.

At least one team performed their task prior to the Rutgers University homecoming game against Naval Academy on October 29, 2005. They were promoting blooming onions from Outback Steakhouse.

Randal Pinkett (winner of Season 4) was in attendance at the game. He graduated from Rutgers and his wife is the Senior Alumni Relations Officer for the university's Alumni Association. The big question is if Randal's appearance at the game makes it into the episode. Season 4 was airing while Season 5 was filming. In October, Randal knew he was in the final two, but he hadn't been hired by Trump yet. The Season 5 candidates wouldn't know anything about Randal since there's no television in the suite.

Donald Trump also made an appearance at the Rutgers-Navy game.

Since Gold Rush now has two candidates to Synergy's four, and the girls were all shown together at the Rutgers game, expect Sean to join Lee and Michael for this task.

* Episode 12: Monday, May 15, 10:00 ET/PT (special time)

The final five Apprentice candidates are challenged to assemble the perfect home theater display at a Wal-Mart store for the Microsoft Xbox 360 videogame console. The display will highlight the game system's features for potential customers. One candidate feels they are being undermined by their team, while the other group worries that their display will not be completed in time. The winners take a private jet to Hollywood and get a chance to appear in a movie, while the losers face off in the boardroom.

We suspect that the "undermined" candidate is on the three-person team and the "worried" team has two candidates. (Could an individual be undermined by a team with just one teammate?)

Tammy Trenta will watch this episode at her high school, Bishop George Ahr HS. Advance tickets are $10 each ($5 for current students). All proceeds go directly to the high school's alumni association and to Tammy's Theresa Kathryn foundation.

Does this mean that Tammy stays on the show beyond Episode 12? Stay tuned to find out.

* Future Episode

The remaining Apprentice candidates design a new uniform for Embassy Suites.

Later this week

Orthodox Apprentice will tell you...

which candidate (other than the obvious) went to shul and fasted on Yom Kippur.
which candidate just returned from Passover in Florida.
why Sean is not living the American dream.
how you can get tickets to attend the live finale in Los Angeles

Episodes 10, 11, 12 Previews

2006-04-27T12:00:00.000-04:00

[April 30 UPDATE: Added to the end of this post... Episode 12 preview and a new spoiler.]

Orthodox Apprentice candidate Dan Brody was fired weeks ago, but Lee Bienstock is still very much in the running for the job. Here's a preview of the next two episodes.

Episode 10: Monday, May 1, 9:00 ET/PT

The eight remaining candidates travel to Long Island to put together grand openings for two new Hair Cuttery Salons. One locations is in Oceanside, about 6 miles from the Bienstock home in Lawrence, NY, and just one mile from kosher food. The other salon is in Carle Place. Hair Cuttery is using this episode to promote their plans to expand nationally with new franchise locations. New York entreprenuer Stuart Katzoff heads a group of investors that has agreed to open 40 salons on Long Island. Hair Cuttery CEO Dennis Ratner is expected to answer Trump's weekly introduction, "Your name please..."

The team with the most revenue from the one-day grand opening event wins and collaborates with legendary composer and songwriter Burt Bacharach at New York's Steinway Hall to create an original song. The losers sing a different tune in a particularly heated boardroom.

Sean admits to a crush on a Synergy teammate (previews point to Tammy), while one of the project managers decides to sit back and get her hair blown out. From earlier information, we know that the PM getting the hair done is on Gold Rush, so it must be Charmaine Hunt. Tarek Saab has not been project manager since Trump selected him for the first task.

The Apprentice cameras were rolling as Scotland Minister Jack McConnell met with Donald Trump in Manhattan on October 25. This coincides with the filming of this episode so Mr. McConnell could make a cameo appearance. That would be poor timing for the Minister since he's been taking some heat the past few days for his meetings with Trump.

Posted yesterday on Trump University's Lessons Learned blog:

What will happen next week? As we enter the final weeks, Lee has entered the top rank of contenders. Sean looks weaker after his halfhearted defense of Andrea, who fell fast and is now gone. New shakeups are sure to occur in the weeks to come, and we can hardly wait.

Episode 11: Monday, May 8, 9:00 ET/PT

The candidates relive their younger days by putting on a tailgate party during a college football game. One team creates a spectacle with an eating contest while members of the other team dress up as cheerleaders. The winners wine and dine in the country, while the losers face a fierce boardroom.

At least one team performed their task prior to the Rutgers University homecoming game against Naval Academy on October 29, 2005. They were promoting blooming onions from Outback Steakhouse.

Randal Pinkett (winner of Season 4) was in attendance at the game. He graduated from Rutgers and his wife is the Senior Alumni Relations Officer for the university's Alumni Association. The big question is if Randal's appearance at the game makes it into the episode. Season 4 was airing while Season 5 was filming. In October, Randal knew he was in the final two, but he hadn't been hired by Trump yet. The Season 5 candidates wouldn't know anything about Randal since there's no television in the suite.

Donald Trump also made an appearance at the Rutgers-Navy game.

Spoiler:

Tammy, Allie and Roxanne will not be fired on Episode 10. We know from the Survivor Sucks board, that they were still in the competition for Episode 11.

Episode 12: Monday, May 15, 10:00 ET/PT (special time)

The final five Apprentice candidates are challenged to create an in-store display for the Microsoft Xbox 360 videogame console at Wal-Mart. One candidate feels they are being undermined by their team, while the other group worries that their display will not be completed in time. The winners take a private jet to Hollywood and get a chance to appear in a movie, while the losers face off in the boardroom.

Tammy Trenta will watch this episode at her high school, Bishop George Ahr HS. Advance tickets are $10 each ($5 for current students). All proceeds go directly to the high school's alumni association and to Tammy's Theresa Kathryn foundation.

Does this mean that Tammy's on the show beyond Episode 12?

Spoiler:

Three candidates will be gone in the next two weeks (Episodes 10 & 11). It's the only way to get from the eight candidates at the start of Episode 10 to the five candidates at the beginning of Episode 12.

Orthodox Apprentice: Episode 9 - Lee is 2-0

2006-04-24T22:40:00.000-04:00

In Episode 9 of The Apprentice, Lee Bienstock volunteered as Gold Rush's project manager, ended the team's 4-task losing streak and upped his record as PM to 2 wins with no losses. As the remaining Orthodox Apprentice candidate, Lee is getting plenty of airtime, fueling speculation that he could make it to the final two.

Our lee-cap of tonight's episode:

Upon returning to the suite, Lee made a point of telling the other candidates that he likes Leslie a lot and that it was difficult for him to fire her. (Has he already taken over Trump's job?)

Then Lee told Charmaine Hunt that he's not mad at her for advising Trump to fire him.

In the first few minutes of this episode, we get a sense of Lee's true character. He doesn't personalize what happens in the boardroom, he loves his teammates and he doesn't hold a grudge. (Leviticus 19:18)

We also get a sense of Lee's savvy. He doesn't want to piss off any of his teammates or create any enemies.

Lee proceeded to inform his teammates that he needs to be project manager to save his ass from being fired. Tarek looked surprised since he was probably expecting to take on that role.

Mr. Trump introduced the Ameriquest executives to the teams with his now-standard line: "Your names?" This episode had the weakest tie-in ever between a sponsor and a task. Ameriquest had almost no presence during the episode and their role was limited to a logo on the back cover of the souvenir brochures. Does anyone even know what Ameriquest does? Does this Super Bowl commerical help?

Trump told Lee that he barely escaped last night. Lee didn't think it was so close. This brief exchange was significant because Trump and Mark Burnett blew the cover off their fictional 16-"week" job interview.

Two epsiodes ago, Lee predicted, "If we lose, Lenny will be fired." TRUE

Last episode, Lee predicted, "If we lose, Leslie will be fired." TRUE

This episode, Lee predicted, "If we lose, I'll be fired." TRUE???

Viewers were given the opportunity to vote for who they want to fire. During the Eastern time zone airing, Lee took an early lead with 27% of the votes.

Gold Rush started selling brochures at Battery Park and Lee declared, "This is all out war!"

Gold Rush easily won the task and Lee gave us another great quote: "Winning - best remedy for feeling like crap!" (Now available on men's and women's t-shirts.)

As we had been reporting for more than two weeks, the winning team went to Bedminster, NJ to play golf with Vijay Singh. And Tarek drove like a pro.

During the Eastern time zone airing of the episode, the final viewer vote was 31% for Andrea Lake. Trump agreed and fired her. Lee came in second with 22% of the vote. Allie was third with 11%. (Can anyone post the CT and PT results when they're available?)

Donald's final words: "Good job, kids."

Our final words on this episode: "Donald Jr., you're fired!" (Wasn't he awful?)

Other random notes:

This earlier post has a preview of some upcoming episodes.

Reminder: The 2-hour finale will air on Monday, June 5, live from Los Angeles.

A belated happy birthday to Allie Jablon's mother. It was three weeks ago. Yes, she's Jewish.

Since tomorrow is Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day), this is an appropriate time to commend Allie's mother for her work on the Columbia (SC) Holocaust Education Commission.

The Apprentice: Episode 9 Preview

2006-04-20T22:27:00.000-04:00

(April 22 UPDATE: Episode 11 preview added to the end of this post.)

Episode 9 of The Apprentice is scheduled to air on Monday, April 24 at 9:00 PM ET/PT.

Donald Trump's children, Ivanka and Donald Jr., watch as the candidates engage in an all-out street war while creating a souvenir program for Ellis Island. The teams race against the clock to take pictures, write copy, create and finally, sell their souvenir programs. The team with the most revenue from the one-day sales event wins and plays golf with Donald Trump and Vijay Singh at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, NJ. The losing team heads to the boardroom where one candidate is fired.

Gold Rush tries to break Synergy's four-week winning streak and struggles amongst themselves while half of Synergy's team misses the boat and gets left behind.

Spoiler:

As we've been reporting, Tarek Saab is on the winning team and he turns out to be one hell of a golfer. Although he had hit some balls at a driving range prior to competing on The Apprentice, Tarek had never played on a course prior to this reward.

Michael switched from Synergy to Gold Rush at the beginning of the the last episode. It's possible (but not likely) that there's further team shuffling prior to this task. Since the makeup of each team is uncertain at this time, we cannot guarantee that Lee is on the winning team. If Lee and Tarek are on the same team as the task starts, you can be certain that Lee Bienstock - the remaining Orthodox Apprentice candidate - will not be fired.

Looking ahead to Episode 10:

Monday, May 1, 9:00 PM ET/PT

The eight remaining candidates travel to Long Island to put together grand openings for two new Hair Cuttery salons. One location is in Oceanside, about 6 miles from the Bienstock home in Lawrence, NY. (The other location is Carle Place.) One project manager decides to get his hair done while a romance may or may not be blossoming on the other team. The winners collaborate with a legendary songwriter, while the losers sing a different tune in a particularly heated boardroom.

Fast forward to Episode 11 of The Apprentice:

Monday, May 8, 9:00 PM ET/PT

The candidates relive their younger days by putting on a tailgate party during a college football game. One team creates a spectacle with an eating contest while members of the other team dress up as cheerleaders. The winners wine and dine in the country, while the losers face a fierce boardroom.

At least one team performed their task prior to the Rutgers University homecoming game against Naval Academy on October 29, 2005. They were promoting blooming onions from Outback Steakhouse.

Interestingly, Randal Pinkett (winner of Season 4) was in attendance at the game. He graduated from Rutgers and his wife is the Senior Alumni Relations Officer for the university's Alumni Association. The big question is if Randal's appearance at the game makes it into the episode. Season 4 was airing while Season 5 was filming. In October, Randal knew he was in the final two, but he hadn't been hired by Trump yet. The Season 5 candidates wouldn't know anything about Randal since there's no television in the suite.

[If you've been trying to access The Apprentice Blog (www.theapprenticeblog.com) over the past week, you might have gotten a server error. The domain name expired last week and the owner of the blog failed to renew the name.]

Quotables: Lenny on Lee

2006-04-17T22:51:00.000-04:00

Lenny Veltman discussed Lee Bienstock - the remaining Orthodox Apprentice candidate - in an interview with TV Guide:

"I think Lee, he has everything. They talk about Lee being young, inexperienced, all this crap, but we hear that every season about someone. Some young kids are very mature these days and Lee is one of those kids. This guy has education, which is very appealing to Donald Trump. Very appealing. Ivy league school, 4.0, at the top of his class.... What else could be better, right? Also, I think Donald Trump himself is a very loyal person to his business partners and to his friends and so forth, and as I saw him I find out a little bit more about Trump. He's a very human, very funny person, a very nice and cool guy. Loyalty, Lee has it."

"You have to be born with [loyalty] and Lee has it — he has it. I don't think anybody else on the show does."

"Yeah, [Lee]'s my advocate. Everybody needs a good "lawyer" in this country, and I've got one."

"I'm not that religious, OK, so why would I [be absent]? We had, like, six Jewish contestants. I knew Lee from Day 1 and he's a kosher guy, he's observing Jew, and I knew he's going to take days off. That wasn't surprising for me. I didn't know same thing about [Dan, whom Lenny had words with in the suite]. That's why I was upset. I have no problem with the Judaism and I have no problem with Lee. I had a problem with [Dan], that's it. How can I be anti-Semitic, you know, if I'm Jewish myself?"

"Can you find [Lee]? I've been trying to find him for two days and I can't reach him."
(Orthodox Apprentice to Lenny: Didn't Lee tell you about the Passover holiday? He doesn't work and he doesn't talk on the phone.)

And on Lenny's website, he wrote this on April 14th:

"Yes, Lee is an amazing and VERY Smart guy, 4.0 from Cornell, nobody else comes even close to his intelegence.Vote for him."

On NBC.com, you can vote for who you want to be the next Apprentice. Leading up to the final two candidates, all the episodes of The Apprentice have been recorded and are just waiting to air. However, when it's down to the final two, the public vote could influence Trump's decision on who to hire.

So.... why is Lenny urging us to vote for Lee?

On a separate note:

On Tuesday, April 18th only, you can download a free Apprentice Season 5 highlights show, exclusively on iTunes!

Donald Trump on Jews: "They love this show!"

2006-04-11T23:30:00.000-04:00

Donald Trump and Jim Kerr discussed The Apprentice, Tuesday morning on New York's Q104.3.

Mr. Trump on Lee Bienstock:

"I was impressed with Lee. He showed great loyalty. I love loyalty. He showed great loyalty. Lee went to Cornell. He was a great student. He's a very smart guy."

Mr. Trump on Orthodox Apprentice mania:

"It's very interesting. The Jewish community is calling me. I have had more comments on Lee because he's so observant and everything else and they love this show. I have a lawyer who if it's a Jewish holiday, you can forget it. He's home. I think that's great. They love this show! Because we had two. We had Lee and we had somebody else. And they love this show. And I've heard so much about it and its terrific."

Speaking of that "somebody else", Daniel Brody has some public appearances lined up:

Last week Dan was the guest speaker at the second annual Sy Syms School of Business Stock Market Trivia Competition.

After the Passover holiday, Daniel will judge children's community service projects in a game called "MitzvApprentice", at the JCC-Y of Rockland's Mitzvah Day.

Orthodox Apprentice: Episode 8 - Lee vs Leslie

2006-04-11T01:02:00.000-04:00

Tonight's second episode of The Apprentice opened with Gold Rush returning to the suite. Charmaine Hunt told Lee that, for the first time, he showed his age in the boardroom. She was upset over Lee's strong loyalty to his friend, Lenny, and most importantly that Lee singled her out as the candidate whom Trump should fire. "I like to stick up for principle," Lee answered. Lee Bienstock is the remaining Orthodox Apprentice candidate, since Dan Brody was fired in Episode 5.

Prior to the start of the 7-Eleven P'EatZZa Sandwich task, Trump asked for a volunteer from Synergy to switch teams. Michael Laungani volunteered since he wasn't getting along with his teammates. Lee immediately embraceed Michael and welcomed him to the team. It was a wise strategic move since Lee just lost his only close ally with the previous task.

Although Leslie Bourgeois was the project manager, it appeared that Lee took the lead. In the evening (October 19, Motzei Yom Tov Sukkot), Lee visited the 7-11 at 23rd Street and Park Avenue and asked the store manager to remove sandwiches from the center display case, making room for pizza sandwiches. Lee asked the night manager about sandwich pricing and brought the information back to the team, late at night. (It's possible that Lee was putting in extra long hours that night to make up for what he couldn't do earlier in the day, on Yom Tov.) The team disagreed with Lee's price recommendation and Leslie made the decision to price the product higher, against Lee's advice.

The next day - Thursday, October 20 (Chol HaMoed Sukkot) - the teams went to their stores to sell P'Eatzza Sandwiches. Lee heard a couple employees (something seemed different about that group... not your typical slurpee crew) say the price was too high. Lee told Leslie, but she declined to adjust the price. She got upset with Lee and told him to go outside. Lee found a customer who was interested in purchasing 1,000 sandwiches. Lee consulted with Leslie and then offered a price of $3 a sandwich. The customer held his ground at $2. Lee checked with Leslie again and then offered $2.50, but the buyer wouldn't budge. It was a noble effort but unfortunately nothing was gained.

Lee's strong initiative and creative thinking were very evident in this episode. Unfortunately, as expected, Gold Rush lost.

With Lee as the lone exception, the team was united with Leslie during this task so she had no choice but to bring Lee back into the boardroom with her. Lee started talking and talking and talking and wouldn't pause for even a moment. "You're out of control!" Leslie told him. We were worried that he'd talk himself into a firing. Fortunately, he was making some valid points and Trump heard him. It all came down to the pricing. Lee wanted a lower price but Leslie chose the higher price. Trump, George and Carolyn all agreed that Lee was right. And that's why, "Leslie, you're fired!"

Lee scored major points on this task. He showed initiative, intelligence and persistence. And he went for the BIG sale. Trump likes that. In the previous episode, Lee also scored points for his strong loyalty.

Gold Rush has lost four in a row, but Lee is looking better than ever.

Ironically, The Apprentice is off next week during the Passover holiday. The next episode airs on April 24.

Orthodox Apprentice: Episode 7 - LL Squad

2006-04-11T00:06:00.000-04:00

Orthodox Apprentice candidate Lee Bienstock was front and center in both episodes of The Apprentice tonight. Although Gold Rush lost both tasks, not only did Lee survive but he thrived.

In Episode 7, Gold Rush chose a music theme for their Boys & Girls Club renovation. Project manager Lenny Veltman (otherwise known as Lenny Val) was thinking music or dance. (His teenage son is a championship ballroom dancer.) Unfortunately for Gold Rush, Lenny did not prepare for the meeting with the executives. He had no questions to ask them and no one else stepped up to the plate. Charmaine Hunt asked a question, but then she and the others went silent.

Throughout the task, it was clear that Lenny and Lee were working as one unit, with Tarek Saab, Leslie Bourgeois and Charmaine working as a separate group. Lenny and Lee went together to buy music equipment while their teammates installed a floor. On the return trip, Lee tried to direct the driver through Queens, not too far from his own neighborhood. When the executives entered the finished room, Lenny was the presenter, but Lee was filling in the blanks for him.

Synergy, led by (Arinash) Michael Laungani, spent an inordinate amount of time planning and strategizing but got a late start on their execution. In an awkward moment, Bill Rancic questioned the team about Michael's performance - during the task! As expected, Synergy won.

Prior to the boardroom, Lee drafted a "cheat sheet" and helped Lenny prepare his strategy and talking points. Lee advised Lenny what to say and what to avoid. "I'd do anything for Lenny... Lenny is my friend... I'd do anything for a friend," Lee said.

In the boardroom, Leslie, Tarek and Charmaine placed the blame on Lenny. Only Lee stuck up for Lenny and defended him to the bitter end. Lee even answered questions that were directed to Lenny, prompting Bill to ask, "Lee, are you his attorney?" Shortly thereafter, Carolyn asked Lee why he was defending Lenny. Lee answered, "I truly, honestly believe in Lenny."

It was a little strange when the resident of Lawrence, NY (median family income = $129,779) told Mr. Trump that he could relate to the Boys Club kids because he's from the inner city. But that was a minor point. [Lee grew up in Brooklyn, but Flatbush isn't quite the "inner city".]

Trump fired Lenny and told Lee that he admired his loyalty.

Lee showed us the value of true friendship. He and Lenny certainly came a long way from the Rosh HaShana incident. Clearly, Lee does not hold a grudge. Apparently, they remain good friends today - or at least business partners - as they designed these LL Squad t-shirts. We prefer these Orthodox Apprentice shirts.

From a business angle, Ace Hardware can't be too happy with the editing of this episode. They were relying on heavy exposure to their merchandise, but it didn't come through. There aren't many products they could now sell as "seen on The Apprentice," but that was the goal of their marketing plan.

Next up... Epsiode 8.

Looking ahead to after Passover

2006-04-08T22:37:00.000-04:00

The next few weeks for The Apprentice:

April 10 -- Episodes 7 & 8 -- 9:00 - 11:00 (more info here)

April 17 -- No episode scheduled for this week. (Passover break!)

and this just in...

April 24 -- Episode 9 -- Assault On Battery -- 9:00 - 10:00

Donald Trump's children Ivanka and Donald Jr. watch as the candidates engage in an all-out street war while promoting one of New York City's biggest tourist attractions. One team goes for broke in an effort to end a horrible losing streak, while the other struggles with an insubordinate teammate. The winners hit the links with one of the world's best golfers, while the losers head to the boardroom where another candidate is fired.

What we know:

The winning team plays golf with Vijay Singh at Trump's country club in Bedminster, NJ.
Tarek Saab is one of the golfers on the winning team. His first time on the course, yet he drives like a pro.

Speculation:

Gold Rush loses to Synergy in episodes 7 & 8, following their earlier losses in episodes 5 & 6.
Unless Tarek switches sides (highly unlikely since a contestant from Synergy is expected to join Gold Rush in episode 8) or there's a complete reshuffle of the teams, Gold Rush will win the task in episode 9.
The episode's title, "Assault On Battery," is likely a reference to Battery Park in Lower Manhattan. The tourist attraction could be the Statue of Liberty.

Lee now has to be better than everyone else

2006-04-06T23:10:00.000-04:00

Earlier this week, Q104.3 radio show host Jim Kerr chatted on the air with Donald Trump. Much of their discussion focused on Lee Bienstock, who, in Trumps words, has "taken two shows off... gotten two passes because of a religious holiday... essentially he's had 23% of the show off."

As the remaining Orthodox Apprentice candidate, Lee has missed tasks on The Apprentice for Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur.

Jim argued that "the real world is on Yom Kippur you're not going to be working if you're Jewish... employment discrimination based on religion violates Federal law... violating the Civil Rights Act of 1964." Trump joked that he'd get the electric chair for such violations.

Then Trump said, "That would have been very courageous to have fired Lee for taking religious holidays... There were many, many... contestants that felt I should do that."

When asked why a task was scheduled for Yom Kippur, Mr. Trump explained that a crew of 500 shoots every day for a period of six weeks, without taking a day off.

Jim's co-host Shelli Sonstein told Trump that she takes off for Yom Kippur and doesn't get fired for it.

Jim Kerr suggested that Lee needs to compensate in other ways for his absence. Similarly, Trump responded, "Maybe [Lee's] gonna have to work harder. Would you say that would be fair? If I set a standard where Lee now has to be better than everyone else."

Double Dose of The Apprentice

2006-04-06T21:44:00.000-04:00

4/10 UPDATE:

More on tonight's first task...

During tonight's first episode of The Apprentice, the teams will be challenged to complete their own Ace Hardware "New Faces for Helpful Places" community renovation project. Vinnie and Mike Costello, owners of 12 Ace Hardware stores on Long Island, assisted with the production of the episode, providing help to the teams, as well as Ace products for the two projects. Each team bought approximately $5,000 in products from two Ace stores on Long Island, including paint, tools, hardware and more.

More on tonight's second task...

7-Eleven will unveil the new wedge shaped P'EatZZa Sandwich, which will be available April 18 at participating stores. As we suspected, the product is not being launched simultaneously with the episode since the air date was moved up.

The teams had access to two Manhattan 7-11 stores (82nd St & 3rd Ave and 23rd St & Park Ave) to perform the task. Team 7-Eleven race car driver Tony Kanaan makes a guest appearance between Indy Racing League races to assist each team. In the P'EatZZa Sandwich (pronounced Puh-Eat-Zuh), pizza slices substitute for sliced bread. Between the two slices of cheese and pepperoni pizza flatbread, the sandwiches are filled with deli meats, cheeses and spreads. Served cold, the triangular sandwiches will be available in two varieties -- turkey and pepperoni on pepperoni flatbread with parmesan ranch spread and romaine lettuce; and a ham and salami on cheddar mozzarella flatbread with banana and red peppers, oil and vinegar dressing and romaine lettuce. (NOT KOSHER!!!)

ORIGINAL POST:
In case you missed our announcement earlier today (in the comments to this post), back-to-back episodes of The Apprentice will air on Monday, April 10, starting at 9 PM ET/PT. Episode 8 was rescheduled to make way for a new reality series - Celebrity Cooking Showdown - which will air at 9:00 nightly during the week of April 17.

APPRENTICE SPOILERS BELOW

Episode 7 - 9:00
Ace Hardware is using this episode of The Apprentice to launch a national charitable campaign. The task is to create themed activity areas for a local Boys & Girls Club. Lenny Veltman volunteers to be project manager for Gold Rush, but he has trouble managing a negative teammate. Synergy's project manager, (Arinash) Michael Laungani, has a good concept but drives the team crazy because they can't make a decision. The winners help make a child's dream come true by partnering with the "Make A Wish Foundation". One candidate will be fired. It won't be Tarek Saab or Lee Bienstock (the remaining Orthodox Apprentice candidate).

At the end of this episode, we'll see Bill Rancic in an Ace Hardware commercial to launch a national charitable campaign to help local communities around the country.

Episode 8 - 10:00
The ten remaining candidates sell a new pizza sandwich for 7-11. Filmed on Thursday, October 20, 2005 (Chol HaMoed Sukkot), one team is stationed at 7-11's new store on Manhattan's Upper East Side (82nd Street at Third Avenue). A passerby reported that the sandwich was described as "two slices of pepperoni pizza on the outside – with sausage and pepperoni in between." Definitely not kosher!

Also in this episode of The Apprentice, a losing team gains an opposing teammate who volunteers to switch sides. The winners jet out of town for a meal with U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer. Tarek will not be fired.

This episode was originally scheduled to air on April 24 (before it was moved to the 17th and then to the 10th of April). 7-11's plan was to keep the new product a secret and then launch it in their stores the day after the show. Now that the episode has been moved up by two weeks, it will be interesting to see if 7-11 can accelerate their product launch. Let's hope they have a strong project manager working on it.

Moving to another topic...

christinaboo blogged about witnessing the filming of fired Apprentice candidates leaving Trump Tower on November 3, 2005. Based on her description of "a blond lady n a white guy," it appears to have been Pepi Diaz and Stacy Schneider.

There's always been speculation that each candidate is filmed walking out to the cab at the beginning of the season. When there's a multiple firing, however, the original footage can't be used so they need to stage the scene at a later date. This could explain why Pepi and Stacy would be filmed leaving Trump Tower in November. Or it could have been Allie or Leslie with Lenny, Tarek, Lee or Sean. We suspect it was Episode 2's double-firing.

Q&A with Dan Brody

2006-04-04T22:02:00.000-04:00

Former Orthodox Apprentice candidate Dan Brody answered some questions for us this week. Read about who he wants at his Passover seder, Daniel's take on scheduling tasks over the holidays and his next "really big" project. Thanks again, Dan, for taking some time to share your insights with us. Our readers truly appreciate it!

After reading our questions and answers, Dan's TV Guide interview is a must-read too.

What lessons have you learned from competing on The Apprentice?
Relationships are far more valuable than I had ever realized. The greater your circle of friends the greater opportunity available to everyone. I have made many strong connections as a result of the show and look forward to working with some of them in the future.

If you could have one do-over on the show, what would you do differently?
There is not much I regret.

Do you have any regrets about going on the show?
None at all. It was a great experience and has been opening up doors for me in ways I never could have predicted.

What are your thoughts on the remaining candidates? Who can make it to the final two?
I think there are some great candidates left. Allie clearly is talented and bright, Charmaine despite the crying scenes is very competent and a good director, certainly Sean has proven to be a good leader with great empowerment skills and Tarek, despite the beating he has been taking is a good leader.

Leslie and Michael continue to fly under the radar. Creative editing or reality?
Reality. It's actually a good strategy, just not in my character.

Who's coming to your Passover seder? Lee or Lenny?
I'm holding out for Brent. All he'll have to do is substitute 3 bagels for 3 matzos.

Which of the candidates, if any, do you stay in touch with?
I intend on keeping in touch with everyone in the group.

After you got past the initial emotions of being fired, was there any sense of relief that you wouldn't need to explain Sukkot and Shemini Atzeret to your teammates?
Absolutely. I was the one who took the initiative to inform the team about Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. It was difficult to get up in the morning and leave the team as I went to shul knowing that essentially I could not be there for them. I do not know if Lee makes it to or through Sukkot and Shemini Atzeret but if he does it will be very interesting to see how he handles it on his own. (Especially since we've seen that filming does not stop for the Holidays)

Do you think the producers intentionally scheduled tasks during the Jewish holidays to create a conflict, or was it something they couldn't work around?
I do not think anything was done "intentionally". You have to understand, the filming schedule is very tight and time is money. Try explaining to a network that Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur let alone Sukkot and Shemini Atzeret are off limits. First you might want to explain to them what Sukkot and Shemini Atzeret are.

What's next for Dan Brody?
I have several things that I am looking at right now.

One in particular is working with VENCOR INTL (VCOR.PK). It is a company that manufactures robes and accessories for resorts, spas and hotels across the country. High quality products like what you would expect at a Donald Trump Property. I will be working with several other Apprentice candidates in developing new strategies for Vencor Intl. to increase Market share. As Donald would say "It's Going To Be Big, Really Big."

Do you read the Orthodox Apprentice blog?
I do. And you can read more about me on my website: www.DanielBrody.com.

Coming up on The Apprentice

2006-04-04T01:07:00.000-04:00

Episode 7 - April 10 - 9:00 Eastern
Ace Hardware will use the episode to launch a national charitable campaign to help local communities around the country. The task is to create themed activity areas for the national children's charity. It's not a marketing or selling task. One project manager nails the concept but drives everyone crazy because they can't make a decision. The other team watches as their project manager butts heads with a negative teammate. The winners help make a child's dream come true. One candidate will be fired.

Episode 8 - Date & Time TBA
(Originally scheduled for April 17 at 9:00, this episode is being rescheduled due to the series premiere of Celebrity Cooking Showdown.)
The ten remaining candidates launch a new pizza sandwich for 7-11. One candidate volunteers to switch sides to help out a losing team. The winners' reward is an out-of-town meal with a U.S. Senator.

Looking ahead: The season finale will be broadcast live from Los Angeles on June 5.

Spoilers below....
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Tarek will not be fired in episodes 7, 8 or 9.
Lee will not be fired in episode 7.

From a comment on another post:

Ruthie said...

"I read elsewhere on this site that at one task they are selling food and a girl on the street says she can't buy because its not kosher and the team members say "we have a person on our team who keeps kosher" and they bring out Lee so we know he at least makes it to some sort of food selling task."

*Raises hand* That was me you're talking about. This was the 7-11 task where they promoted a new pizza sandwich. The task took place on Thursday October 20th, which was chol hamoed succos.

4/04/2006 10:47 PM

Orthodox Apprentice: Episode 6

2006-04-03T23:07:00.000-04:00

This episode served as another Kiddush HaShem. Daniel Brody was fired last week, but Lee Bienstock continued to make us proud as the remaining Orthodox Apprentice candidate.

The episode opened with Lee and Tarek Saab returning from the boardroom on Erev Yom Kippur. Bryce Gahagan called a team meeting. First Tarek changed into casual clothing. Lee wore his business suit. It's not clear if the meeting was prior to, or after, Kol Nidre services.

The next morning Lee leaves the team and walks to Park East Synagogue. We don't see any of the animosity from Lenny that we saw for Rosh HaShanah. Lenny wishes Lee well as he leaves the suite. Leslie supports Lee's decision. In an interview, Lee talks about the importance of his religion in general, and of Yom Kippur in particular.

When Donald Trump introduces the task - writing an ad jingle for Arby's chicken naturals - there's no mention of Lee's absence. Earlier, when Lee and Dan missed a task for Rosh HaShana, Trump pointed it out to Synergy.

Synergy won. Gold Rush neglected to include that chicken naturals are only available at Arby's and their music wasn't catchy.

Back in the suite, Bryce had trouble placing the blame on anyone. He was proud of everyone's hard work and tried to keep the team united.

Lenny Veltman said that Lee should not be blamed for the loss. During the team discussion, no one pointed a finger at Lee.

In the boardroom, Charmaine was blamed for the lyrics and Tarek took a little heat for the music, but Bryce defended them both as hard workers. He told Trump the blame fell on Lenny for not contributing to the task. (Lenny felt that he couldn't contribute since he wasn't familiar with an ad jingle and he couldn't rhyme in English.)

Mr. Trump asked Lee who should be fired. Lee delivered a very appropriate response, saying that he could not pass judgment since he wasn't present during the task. Trump then questioned Lee if it was fair that he gets two free passes for the holidays. Lee told Trump that his religion (and family) come first and he wasn't trying to get a free pass. Trump moved on to another topic, saying that Lee could not be fired for observing a Jewish holiday.

In a shocking decision, Bryce (of Kansas City, Missouri) took Lenny and Lee back into the boardroom. He let Charmaine and Tarek walk free since they actively participated in the task. Lenny and Lee did not contribute to the team. Donald, Carolyn and Bill were all clearly shocked that Bryce would take Lee into the boardroom. Just minutes earlier, Trump had said that Lee couldn't be fired.

This was the easiest firing of the season. The focus was completely on who was (and who wasn't) brought into the boardroom. Bryce tried to insinuate that Lee should be fired for skipping the task. He blamed the loss on a lack of creativity, which he said was the fault of Lee and Lenny for not contributing. Trump did not want to hear anything about Lenny or Lee. Donald strongly defended Lee and refused to fire him for observing a Jewish holiday. Clearly the only option was to fire Bryce.

This was the second episode of the season with a heavy religious influence. Not during the task, but in the boardroom afterwards. Again, Lee Bienstock took a stand and made us proud as observant Jews.

Donald Trump has proven to be a tremendous defender of religious observance. Lee is very fortunate to have Mr. Trump on his side. If we didn't know better, we'd think that Trump is Jewish too.

The question is how does the general public react to this. Do people agree with Bryce that Lee should not get a "free pass" and he should be fired for his lack of contribution? Or do viewers agree with Donald that life is important, religion is important, life sucks, tough luck, etc?

Other random thoughts:

When will Leslie contribute something?

When will Michael contribute?

Why is it acceptable for Sean to kiss all the women on his team? (except mAndrea)

Wasn't this task more suitable for American Idol than The Apprentice?

We've seen six rewards: one to clothe unemployed men; one to swim with the sharks; three meals; and one to take home diamonds. Does that seem balanced?

How healthy is Arby's Chicken Fingers Combo with Curly Fries?

Q&A with Brent Buckman

2006-03-30T22:26:00.000-05:00

Orthodox Apprentice had the opportunity this week to interview Brent Buckman of The Apprentice. We are grateful that he took the time to respond to our questions. Thanks again, Brent!

Read on to learn about Brent's Bar Mitzvah, the 4 Bagel Plan, his reaction to Dan and Lee skipping a task for Rosh HaShana, an acting career and more!

Did we see the real Brent Buckman on the show?
You did see the real Brent Buckman on the show. I believe it is important in life to make sure people do not treat you as if you are a door mat. My teammates did not treat me properly and I did stand up for myself. If I do not stand up for myself who will? Outside of “The Apprentice” environment people love dealing with me and I love dealing with people. I am a people person, my friends tell me that I am the funniest guy they know. I am a very nice guy and I am loyal to my wife, family and friends. I have a good head on my shoulders and I pride myself on that fact.

If you could have a do-over on The Apprentice, what you would do differently?
After I was fired by Mr. Trump I would have asked him to give me another chance to go back up to the suit to join Gold Rush. I believe I would have got along with the members of Gold Rush. Mr. Trump could have fired me the following week even if Gold Rush won the task.

Congratulations on losing so much weight with your bagel diet. Are you concerned at all that the diet might not be good for your long-term health?
I appreciate the compliment on my weight loss. I have lost 64 pounds and 11 inches off my waist to date. My diet is called The 4 Bagel Plan which can be viewed at my website at: www.brentbuckman.com. The 4 Bagel Plan is good for my long term health. In version 2 of The 4 Bagel Plan I have a glass of orange juice with calcium along with a multivitamin for breakfast. I exercise on the treadmill for 1 hour and 30 minutes whenever possible. This is the diet for me. I plan to follow the maintenance version of my diet once I reach my goal weight.

With the diet plan outlined on your website, how do you plan to monetize it?
It would be great if one of the big bagel companies such as: Dunkin Donuts, Einstein Bagels, The Great Canadian Bagel, Lenders Bagels, Atlanta Bread Company or Panera Bread Company decide to endorse my diet or hire me as their spokes person to promote their company. We shall see!!

Could you tell us about your Jewish upbringing?
My late Bubbi, Zaidi along with my mother and father instilled Jewish values in me at an early age. I am proud of my Jewish heritage and my wife and I plan on instilling Judaism in our future children. My parents threw me a wonderful Bar Mitzvah which was enjoyable for all who attended. My father added to the entertainment by singing a few songs, he has a wonderful voice. My family was not affiliated with any particular temple although we went to a Conservative Synagogue during the High Holidays. I consider myself to be Reform. I did attend Hebrew school three times a week, Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday from grades senior kindergarten/grade one through grade six. I did not attend Hebrew school in grade seven. My parents hired a private tutor for my Bar Mitzvah who did a fantastic job.

Are you currently affiliated with any Jewish organizations, such as a temple, social services, community center, etc.?
Currently, I am not affiliated with any Jewish organizations, temple, social services or community center. For the High Holidays, I attend a Reform Temple in the Fort Lauderdale area.

Did you observe Rosh Hashana in any way in the Apprentice Suite?
I cannot comment on footage that was not seen, but I did observe Rosh Hashana. When I came back from the board room into the suite I wished everyone Happy Rosh Hashana!!!

Were you surprised to learn that Lee and Dan were skipping a task to observe the holiday? What was your reaction?
I was surprised when I found out that Lee and Dan were skipping a task to observe the holiday. I respected their decision as they did what was best for them. I thought it was great that Synergy had more team members than Gold Rush for that task.

What's next for Brent Buckman? I am working on promoting my diet, The 4 Bagel Plan, which can be viewed at my website at: www.brentbuckman.com. I may pursue my acting career. I may open up my own law practice. I may pursue a combination of all three things. The sky is the limit!!!

Episode 6: Another Apprentice Holiday?

2006-03-30T21:40:00.000-05:00

Here's what we know about upcoming events on The Apprentice:

Episode 6 will air at 10:00 PM (Eastern time), April 3rd, following a 2-hour Deal or No Deal.

The task is to write an original advertising jingle for the restaurant chain Arby's. One team finds their groove right away while the other contends with an out-of-tune teammate. Judged by Arby's executives, the team with the most effective and creative jingle wins.

Synergy records their jingle at The Lodge.

The winning team enjoys a scrumptious reward (no jewels) and the losers go to the boardroom. One candidate will be fired.

One candidate does not participate in this task.

Lee misses two tasks in total, including the earlier event that took place on Rosh HaShanah.

The previous boardroom ended on October 12, shortly before the start of Yom Kippur. Therefore, this task could have started as early as Thursday, October 13 - Yom Kippur day.

Often - but not always - there's an off day between tasks.

Considering that (1) Lee and George, and possibly some production staff and crew members, would not work on Yom Kippur; (2) not much happens in Manhattan on Yom Kippur; and (3) there's often a non-working day after the boardroom day; it's possible that this task started after Yom Kippur.

Sukkot - the next Jewish holiday on the calendar - started Monday evening, October 17 , and continued through Wedesday evening, October 19.

Here's what we don't know about upcoming events on The Apprentice:

Did Lee Bienstock - the remaining Orthodox Apprentice candidate - miss the Arby's task because it started on Yom Kippur?

Did Lee miss the task because it took place on Sukkot?

Did Lee not participate because the Arby's task took place on Shabbat?

Was Episode 6 filmed in between Yom Kippur and Sukkot, and a different candidate didn't participate for some other unknown reason?

Kosher in The Apprentice Suite

2006-03-28T21:50:00.000-05:00

3/29/06 UPDATE:
If you have only 30 minutes (actually 35), listen to Avi Frier's interview with Dan. Avi is publisher of The Florida Jewish News and The Brody Report, which have been following Daniel Brody's performance on The Apprentice.

Orthodox Apprentice blog gets a mention nine minutes into the recording. Towards the end of the interview, Dan talks about the George Foreman Grill, which the show's producers marked "kosher only." (You heard about it here.) Dan was also provided with separate dishes, glasses and aluminim pans.

ORIGINAL POST:
If you have 30 minutes, you should listen to Nachum Segal's radio interview with Daniel Brody.

Dan shares some fascinating "behind the scenes" info about The Apprentice and discusses his particular challenges as an Orthodox Apprentice candidate.

During the JM in the AM interview, Dan confirms "there was a small refrigerator.... I had a separate little fridge. They would stock with literally whatever I would ask." You heard it here first!

Quotables: Dan on Lee; Bill on Dan

2006-03-28T01:31:00.000-05:00

In Dan Brody's exit interview, Daniel has this to say about Lee Bienstock:

"There had been a little tension between he and I.... didn't really get along with him.... lost respect for him.... one of my less favorite people...."

Also, Bill Rancic blogged this about Dan:

"Like I said in my final comments on tonight's show, I liked Dan and think he is a classy guy. I know he is an entrepreneur at heart, and I wish him continued success, especially with his line of clothing for younger golfers. I think it's a great idea."

And Allie Jablon commented:

"Size matters!"

(Allie was talking about diamonds.)

Orthodox Apprentice: Dan, you're fired!

2006-03-28T00:01:00.000-05:00

Today we saw the two Orthodox Apprentice candidates turn against each other. Lee Bienstock's earlier proclamation that he's never talked about someone behind their back is out the window. Lee took every opportunity to talk smack about Dan Brody - behind his back.

The task was to produce a commercial for Norwegian Cruise Line's freestyle cruising. Dan was calling all the shots early, while Lee and Lenny were fooling around. Lenny came up with the idea that a castaway would come aboard the ship and get pampered by the crew. Lee loved the idea and Dan agreed to go along with it.

When you're shopping for a cruise, would you choose the cruise line that allows castaways to hop aboard the ship???

The Norwegian Cruise Line executives didn't like the castaway, so Gold Rush was sunk.

Tarek and Dan strategized before the boardroom. Tarek Saab expressed his desire to keep Dan in the game, but then told Daniel that he'd have no friends going into the boardroom. In the boardroom, Lee came out swinging at Dan. Brody chose Lee and Tarek to return to the boardroom. [Time for a sip from the "Lashon Hara, Lamed Hay. Go to the boardoom, the easy way!" mug.] Dan thought about taking back Lenny too, but quickly decided against it.

Back in the boardroom, Trump wanted to know why Lenny wasn't taken back in. Carolyn accused Dan of leaving Lenny out to avoid Lee and Lenny ganging up on him. Dan denied it and tried to explain to Trump that Lee contributed nothing to the task, but that whenever Carolyn or Bill was around, Lee would run over to chat with them. "He's a politician," Donald proclaimed, with a rather accurate assessment of Lee's performance. After pounding on Tarek for making mistakes, underperforming and not living up to the Mensa label, Trump turned to Dan and said, "Dan, you're fired!"

Dan Brody's fatal mistake: not bringing Lenny into the boardroom. That's what Trump said. We believe, however, that Dan couldn't have fared better with Lenny in the room. Lenny Veltman had escaped two earlier boardrooms and there's no reason to believe he wouldn't have made it out of this one.

Although he was fired, it's rather difficult to pinpoint what Dan did wrong on this task. He didn't appear to be the cause of any of the problems. He wasn't a disaster, a term Trump has used often regarding other candidates. He didn't do a terrible job. He wasn't a weak leader. And he didn't have any history of problems. As far as firings go, this wasn't an obvious choice.

Unfortunately for Dan, the producers of the show kept him in the background up until this episode so we never got to see much of him until now. He'll now join the group of forgotten reality contestants. He didn't do anything crazy or terrible that we'll remember him for. And he didn't make it far enough to be remembered for his achievements.

As for Lee, his long term prospects don't look good. He's not on the verge of being fired, but he doesn't look like a final-two candidate.

For those of you watching the Jewish calendar, here's the timeline for this episode:

Monday, October 10: Task starts on the Norwegian Jewel. Filming must end by 3 pm. Editing continues through the evening.

Tuesday, October 11: Commercial production is completed. Teams prepare their presentations.

Wednesday, October 12 (Erev Yom Kippur): Gold Rush and Synergy present their commercials to the NCL executives. Gold Rush spends the afternoon in the boardroom. They get out in time for Kol Nidrei.

If there's anything positive that came out of this for Dan, it's that he didn't need to explain Yom Kippur, Sukkot and Shemini Atzeret to Lenny and the rest of the team. Not to mention the lulav and etrog.

Daniel Brody at Yeshiva University

2006-03-25T20:49:00.000-05:00

As our readers know, Dan watched the March 20th episode of The Apprentice at Yeshiva University's Morg Lounge, with students, alumni, faculty, friends and family. YU published this photo from the event. That's Dan Brody in the center with his wife on the left.

Will he keep smiling during the next episode when he takes his turn as project manager?

Dan takes the lead. Diamonds for Amy?

2006-03-23T14:40:00.000-05:00

Today's release from NBC Universal....

IT'S A "JEWEL" OF AN EPISODE ON NBC'S "THE APPRENTICE" MONDAY, MARCH 27th, 9-10 PM ET/PT

The Winning Team Is Rewarded With Diamonds

It's all aboard this week as the teams are given their fifth task to produce a 30-second commercial for Norwegian Cruise Lines - The Norwegian Jewel - a ship that's about to set sail, on NBC's "The Apprentice," (Monday, March 27th, 9-10 p.m. ET/PT). The team with the most effective, captivating, and creative advertisement wins. Dan volunteers to lead Gold Rush but alienates everyone on his team while taking on the task alone. Meanwhile, Roxanne's leadership clashes with her teammates, causing rough waters for Synergy. The winning team is rewarded with real jewels and a trip to the Brinks Diamond Vault where they get to take home their own diamonds. While it's smooth sailing for the winners, the losing team will walk the plank and face Trump in the boardroom.

Separately, Norwegian Cruise Line announced today....

The company is launching a nationwide contest for viewers on Monday, March 27 when they can log on to ncl.com for a chance to win a grand prize trip for two to New York with first-class air, three nights at the Trump Hotel and a cruise out of New York aboard either Norwegian Dawn or Norwegian Spirit. Entrants can also qualify to win one of 10 seven-day cruises.

Yom Kippur on The Apprentice? Not Yet!

2006-03-21T23:50:00.000-05:00

Good news for fans of Lee and Dan! Orthodox Apprentice has determined that the task for Episode 5, airing on Monday, March 27, did not conflict with Yom Kippur and at least one of our guys makes it through to Episode 6.

Episode 5 Description
The candidates race against the clock to shoot a commercial aboard a cruise ship (Norwegian Jewel) that's set to sail. One project manager clashes with a mutinous teammate while the other project manager alienates everybody. The winners are rewarded with a bounty of treasure, while the losers head to the boardroom where another candidate is sent home.

What We Know
We know Episode 3 (Chevy Tahoe dealer event) took place on October 4-5, 2005 (Rosh HaShana).

We know Episode 4 (Post cereal billboard) was filmed over a minmum of two days.

Based on that knowledge, Episode 5 could not have started earlier than October 8. If there was a day off between tasks (very likely), it could have started on the 9th.

We know from a Norwegian Jewel staff member's journal that the ship left New York on Monday, October 10 for an 11-day cruise. In a subsequent journal entry, Tracy writes: "Did I tell you all that Donald Trump was on the ship when I first signed on? They filmed an episode for the apprentice- the task of his people was to create a commercial for NCL."

The sailing schedule documented in Tracy's initial post is consistent with the Halifax Port Authority's October 2005 cruise schedule. The Norwegian Jewel was scheduled to arrive in Halifax on October 13.

Our Conclusions
Based on the cruise schedule, this task must have been completed by October 10. Since Yom Kippur started the evening of October 12, it did not play any part in the upcoming episode. Unless production stopped over Yom Kippur, it could play a role in the Arby's task.

Since Theresa reported that Lee misses two tasks for holidays, and he's only missed one so far, we can conclude that Lee is not fired in Episode 5.

Revisiting Episode 3
Speaking of Theresa and the holidays, her TV Guide interview is a must-read. We learn another way that Rosh HaShana impacted the Chevy dealer event and we get her thoughts on taking off for religious holidays. She also gives the Orthodox candidates a strong endorsement, "It was a big hit for us, because Lee and Dan are very talented individuals."

One More Note
Melania Knauss Trump christened the Norwegian Jewel in November and is the ship's Godmother.

Orthodox Apprentice: Episode 4

2006-03-20T22:59:00.000-05:00

Religious observance was a focus point of Episode 3, but it didn't play a role in this week's episode. Gold Rush, featuring our two Orthodox Jewish candidates - Dan Brody and Lee Bienstock - designed an impressive billboard for Post Grape Nuts Trail Mix Crunch cereal and came away with a win.

Dan and Lee didn't get a whole lot of airtime today, but it appears that Daniel Brody is making strong contributions to the team and everyone seems to like him (except Lenny perhaps). In the four epsiodes we've seen, he certainly hasn't said or done anything that could hurt his chances. He seems to be non-controversial (other than that little Rosh HaShana thing), so he could go far. We'll need to see him in the project manager role to get a better idea of his long-term prospects.

Other candidates who we've barely met: Leslie, Michael, Roxanne. There's no reason to believe that any of them will or won't stay in the game for a while. We just don't enough about them.

We finally saw both Dan and Lee enjoying some food. As we told you last week, the cereal Dan was snacking on is certified kosher. Both candidates looked somewhat uncomfortable at the dinner table in Jean-Georges' restaurant. Eventually we saw them chowing down, so their kosher meals might have been delivered late. It's known to happen.

Brent Buckman was the first Jewish candidate to be fired, but it wasn't for anything he did or didn't do on this task. His Synergy teammates continued to pick on him, trying to reach his breaking point. His downfall in this episode was talking too much (and too abrasively) in the boardroom. If he had toned it down in front of the father-daughter Trump team, he would have survived for another task and Tammy would have been sent to the Hot Jobs cab.

Did anyone else notice that a Saab commercial aired shortly after a Tarek Saab scene?

Theresa on Lee

2006-03-19T21:39:00.000-05:00

Mr. Trump fired Theresa last week. In her exit interview, Theresa had this to say about Lee Bienstock:

Lee is a rising star. Having chosen to opt out of two of the tasks due to his religious holiday - no doubt during a job interview - shows that he is an individual who isn't afraid to walk to his own beat. That could prove to be a plus or a minus for him. He is young and hungry, so get out of his way. This kid has everything to gain and little to lose.

So now we know that Lee will skip one other task. Does that mean he's fired after Yom Kippur? Or is there no task scheduled for Yom Kippur and Sukkot causes a conflict? There's no point in speculating now. We'll just wait to see what happens.

In her video remarks on Yahoo, Theresa also had some nice things to say about Daniel Brody: "I liked Dan... he's full of personality."

Yahoo has uncut video from Episode 3's boardroom. We learn that Lee still has a "trust issue with Tarek." Dan, however, tells Trump "I could see Tarek running one of your businesses."

Clearly, the two Orthodox Apprentice candidates don't see eye-to-eye on the Mensa Man.

On another note, Dan Brody will watch Episode 4 of The Apprentice with students at Yeshiva University.

The truth about Lenny

2006-03-16T23:14:00.000-05:00

Although NBC does not reveal the candidates' last names, many websites (such as this one* and that one) are listing the candidate from the former Soviet Union as Lenny Val. We did it too.

Orthodox Apprentice has learned that this East Brunswick, NJ resident is actually Lenny Veltman.

Apparently, the Home News Tribune got his name wrong and their article** was used as the source for other websites. If you read the article carefully, you'll realize that the writer didn't talk to Lenny (he's not allowed to give interviews), nor did she talk to anyone who knows him. Fortunately, Lenny himself cleared this up for us.

As far as his religious background goes, we know that Lenny has some involvement with Jewish Family Service of Southern Middlesex County. Also, if you watch his audition video, you might notice a chanukah menorah on the shelf in his basement. And we all know how he feels about Rosh HaShana!

By the way, if you're in the market to buy a large quantity of high performance cement, you might want to get in touch with Lenny. Now we know something about the trading company that he owns.

[*3/18 Update: Since we've posted this information, Reality TV World has corrected Lenny's name on its contestant page.]

[**3/20 Update: The Home News Tribune reporter explains that she used The Apprentice Rules as her source for Lenny's name.]

Apprentice Episode 4 preview

2006-03-16T22:40:00.000-05:00

Dan and Lee will be back to work, with Charmaine as Gold Rush's project manager. The task is to design billboards for Post Grape Nuts Trail Mix Crunch Cereal. (Yes, it's kosher.) Post executives judge the teams based on originality, brand image and overall campaigns.

The winning team's reward is to cook alongside world-renowned chef Jean-Georges at his signature restaurant in the Trump International. Although his restaurant is not kosher, Jean-Georges recently contributed a brisket recipe to the National Jewish Outreach Program's new publication, A Gourmet Shabbat.

One candidate will be fired.

Text messages from Apprentice candidates

2006-03-16T22:19:00.002-05:00

We all know how much Mr. Trump loves text messaging, even though he admittedly can't do it himself. You can now sign up with NBC to receive text messages during the show from Apprentice candidates.

Subscribers will receive up to five text messages from different candidates, synchronized with the broadcast itself (multiple time zones are available). As you're watching the show, candidates will send out messages detailing their thoughts, strategies and decisions as the episode develops.

You can register now by sending the word "APP" to "62288" (NBCTV) from your cellphone. You will receive a confirmation text message asking you which time zone you are in. Simply reply with either "ET," "CT," "MT," or "PT" so your messages will be synced to the proper broadcast.

There's no charge from NBC, but your standard text message rate will apply.

Religious Observance: That's Life!

2006-03-15T23:11:00.000-05:00

More opinions on this week's episode of The Apprentice:

In Lessons From The Apprentice (5.3), Stoney deGeyter writes:

On one hand you want to respect the religious beliefs of others, but at the same time, they are not contributing to a task and if there is a loss I might try to make an argument that they were instrumental to that loss by not being there. I might have been tempted to take them into the boardroom with one other person. I would try to balance the argument that I respect their decision to observe their religious holiday but at the same time they did not contribute to this particular task.
I probably would have gotten fired just for doing that as Trump was obviously not concerned about this decision by Dan and Lee whatsoever. Lenny later tried to make the case that he too is Jewish but chose to work, but again, Trump was unfazed. Trump noted that George was also not working due to the Jewish New Year as well. But George already has the job!
.....Religious beliefs in the workplace are not to be messed with. It may not seem fair, but get over it and respect it. Making a fuss can only get you in hot water, or worse make you look like an intolerant fool.

Mara, in confessions of a reality tv addict, blogs:

The problem I have is the timing of the task. Why was a task scheduled on Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish holiday that Lee and Dan were off celebrating)? Rosh Hashanah is one of the most sacred holidays of the year. Observant Jews do not work – they spend the day in synagogue. It would be like planning a task for Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Why place Lee and Dan in that awkward situation instead of postponing the task two days? It makes no sense to me. Trump was clearly aware of the situation (George was off for the holiday as well), yet didn’t change the scheduling. And for Lenny to question why they would put their faith above a television show is absurd. He should have been fired just for that.

On Acharit HaYamim, Dash Riprock says:

Modern Orthodoxy has been noticed and respected on television! By the goy min hagoyim, no less!

There. Wasn't that fulfilling? Because this episode was really what everybody was chalishing for - Our Boys doing the stuff that makes us different than everybody else, without starting a pogrom. But kind of like the obviously gay guy who ultimately comes out to his friends, I think it's ultimately going to be something of an anticlimax when we realize that, to everybody else, it's just not that big a deal. So whether this is the ultimate realization of the Torah U'Maddah ideal for the Jewish People or not, I can't imagine that religion will play anything more than a very minor role in future episodes. They are religious and so they took off for the religious holiday. When they have a nice dinner, maybe they'll get the fruit plate. As Trump said "that's life".

If you have more time to waste, the Television Without Pity forum has a very lengthy thread, full of varying opinions on Episode 3 and the issue of religious observance.

Orthodox Apprentice: Episode 3

2006-03-14T00:03:00.000-05:00

As we reported last week, this was the first episode to publicly show Dan and Lee's Orthodox Judaism. They held their ground and made us proud (as did Mr. Trump himself.)

First, the recap:

The episode starts with Brent returning to the suite with greetings of "Happy New Year! Shana Tova!" Interesting that the show's first reference to the Jewish holiday is from someone who does not (overtly) observe the Jewish New Year. It's also Brent's only reference to the holiday (shown in this episode). An earlier post has some information on Brent's background in Judaism.

Lee and Dan call a team meeting to inform their Gold Rush teammates that they will be observing the Jewish holiday over the next two days and will not be available to contribute to a task.

Lenny raises objections. To Bryce's surprise, Lenny announces that he is Jewish (as reported here last week), but will not use his religion as an excuse to not contribute to the team. If the team loses, Lenny says, Dan and Lee will take the blame.

Dan tells Lenny that he will observe the holiday as he chooses to, without room for negotiation. This is just the way it's going to be.

In a private interview, Lenny comments that the Israeli army does not shut down on holidays. (As if The Apprentice was as important as saving lives.)

We watch Dan and Lee walk together to shul (synagogue). With matching yellow ties. (You heard it here first.)

The teams meet with Mr. Trump to learn about the next task. Trump first points out that Gold Rush is down two people since Dan and Lee are observing the holiday. Lenny is not happy when Mr. Trump explains that George is also observing the holiday and that he respects their decisions. "That's life," he remarks.

Lee and Dan are absent for the entire task - running a retreat event to introduce the 2007 Chevy Tahoe to Chevrolet dealers.

Gold Rush loses. Someone will be fired.

Theresa, the project manager, first places the blame on Lenny. Then she shifts the blame to Tarek. Lenny blames Dan and Lee for their absence. Then he blames Tarek and Bryce. Anyone but himself. Tarek puts the blame on Andrea.

Lenny asks if Mr. Trump knows that he is Jewish too. Mr. Trump is aware of that. Lenny says that he could have skipped the task, but he chose not to let the team down. Since Trump expresses his respect for Dan's and Lee's decisions, Lenny says that he'll take off the next holiday. Interestingly, no one but Lenny blames Dan or Lee. Some other dialogue could have been edited out, but we'll never know.

In the boardroom, Trump first asks the Orthodox candidates how their holiday went. Dan and Lee both respond that it was very nice.

Trump thinks that Lenny is very funny and is not at fault for losing the task. Mr. Trump places the blame on Charmaine, but since she wasn't brought back to the boardroom, Theresa is fired.

Some thoughts:

Kudos to Dan and Lee for having the foresight to prepare the team by openly discussing the issue in a meeting, rather than surprising their teammates when the two leave for shul.

Kudos to Dan and Lee for firmly stating what they will be doing and not leaving the issue open to negotiation.

Shame on Lenny for comparing The Apprentice competition to defending a country at war. (Lenny fought in the Soviet army against Afghanistan so he understands the signifcance of war.)

Brent announced Shana Tova, but did he observe the holiday at all? We don't know.

Donald Trump showed a tremendous amount of respect for the Jewish holiday. At that one moment, any Orthodox Jew would have wanted to have him for a boss.

This episode was truly the kiddush hashem that we were hoping for. Some people will surely agree with Lenny and say that Dan and Lee should not have sacrificed the team for their religion, but the popular reaction from the general public should be that they did the right thing and went about it in a very respectful manner.

The show handled the issue very well. Both sides were shown - Lee and Dan on one side with Lenny on the other. The rest of the team was in the middle, but appeared to be very understanding. The Orthodox Apprentice candidates were not portrayed negatively in any way. It helped that George was off for the holiday too.

Four candidates have been fired, but the five Jewish candidates are still in the game.

10 days until Yom Kippur. That could be about 3 weeks in Apprentice time. Stay tuned!

BREAKING NEWS - Religion on The Apprentice

2006-03-10T10:31:00.000-05:00

SPOILER ALERT: This post includes information about an upcoming episode.

According to NBC, on Episode 3 (airing on Purim night), "One team loses two candidates who choose to observe their religious holiday and omit themselves from the task at hand.... Lenny gets vocal about his missing teammates while he chooses to help his team over observing the holiday.... Bill Rancic fills in for George Ross, who is away observing the religious holiday"

One candidate will be fired on this episode.

According to this Business Journal article, the task was filmed on Wednesday, October 5, 2005. That was the second day of Rosh HaShana. Since most tasks occur over two days, Dan and Lee would likely have missed the planning / preparation stage, as well as the event itself.

A preview of the coming episode is now available on Yahoo. Lee and Dan call a meeting to explain to the team that they'll be unavailable for two days, as they observe the New Year. Lenny tells Lee and Dan that they'll be blamed if the team loses the task. He points out that the Israeli army works on holidays. In a brief snippet, Tarek appears to be understanding. He suggests that Orthodox Apprentice candidates carry cellphones, but then he realizes that they couldn't use phones on the holiday.

Even if they both survive this task, it will be interesting to see what happens over Yom Kippur and Sukkot. It would be difficult for Trump to fire them for religious observance. But if they miss a task, they won't have any positive contributions to the team.

Our money is on Gold Rush winning this week's task, avoiding a potential boardroom blowup. The episode summary and the preview focus on the two candidates missing out on the task. But they don't mention any issues in the boardroom. Usually the previews hint at conflicts in the boardroom.

Here's something to think about: If Gold Rush is victorious, will the Orthodox Apprentice candidates participate in the reward, or will they choose to pass on the reward since they didn't perform the work?

Your thoughts? Click on "comment" below to add yours.

You heard (saw) it here first! (#4)

2006-03-09T22:40:00.000-05:00

3/15 UPDATE: Lee's website is now live at leebienstock.com. The link below is no longer active.

As most Orthodox Apprentice readers know, Lee's website is "coming soon". Well, it looks like it's about to go live!

Want a sneak preview? At this time, you can browse Lee's full website by starting here: www.leebienstock.com/new/

The above link could be changed or removed at any time so check it out now.

It's a very professional site, with plenty of photos of this Orthodox Jewish Apprentice candidate. His website includes a page that lists a few charities, including IsraAID. It's also interesting to note that you can fill out an online form to "request more information on how Lee can make your next event/corporate meeting a memorable one."

Other website news:

Brent Buckman's redesigned website went live today.
Lenny's website is under construction.
The Florida Jewish News is following Daniel (Dan) Brody with The Brody Report.

You heard it here first! (#3)

2006-03-09T00:54:00.000-05:00

Both Lenny and Brent are Jewish too!

In his youth, Brent Buckman spent some summers at Pripstein's Camp Mishmar, which "serves tasty Kosher-style meals." According to a source (but not yet confirmed), Brent was a member of the executive board of the Jewish Students' Union at University of Western Ontario and later he was an active member of the Jewish Law Students Association at Nova Southeastern University's Shepard Broad Law Center. Brent's sister, Brianne, is Artistic Director at Reach Dance Academy.

A reliable source has informed us that Lenny Val of East Brunswick, NJ is also Jewish, but we don't have any further details on his religious background.

Our current tally is 5 Jewish candidates on the current season of The Apprentice.
Three for Gold Rush - Lee Bienstock, Daniel Brody (Dan) and Lenny Val. Two on Synergy - Brent Buckman and Allie Jablon. None have been fired. Yet.

Orthodox Apprentice Episode 2 observations

2006-03-06T23:22:00.000-05:00

Lee Bienstock - one of the Orthodox Jewish Apprentice candidates - was project manager for this week's task. The goal was to get people to send text messages to create a buzz for Gillette's new Fusion razor. We first saw Lee leading a productive brainstorming session. He appeared to be comfortable as the facilitator. He's probably participated in similar meetings with Accenture consultants.

Lenny didn't like the slow pace of the planning phase. He wanted to get out and start collecting text messages, so he took control and recruited a couple others to leave the meeting with him. From the street, Lenny called Lee and demanded that he go outside immediately. Lee was portrayed as if he lost control of the meeting and the team. Lenny hung up the phone (battery was dying - who's to blame for that?) and Lee is left shouting into the phone, "Hello?.... Hello?.... Hello?" Fade to commercial.

The next morning, Gold Rush got an early start while Synergy slept for another hour. Could it be that Lee and Dan (the other Orthodox Jewish Apprentice candidate, Daniel Brody) were up early for shacharit and then woke the rest of their team?

Lenny picked a location by the TKTS booth and Lee agreed with it. Then Lenny guaranteed Lee a victory. Appears that Lenny didn't hold a grudge from the previous day's conflict.

Dan was portrayed as having a low profile during this task. We didn't see him or hear him much. We didn't see him doing anything to help or to hurt the team. Historically, candidates with a low profile early on have been able to stay in the game for a while. Previous Apprentice winners and runners-up weren't seen much until the season progressed to the midpoint.

We didn't see any bad blood between Tarek and Lee or Lenny. We didn't hear anything about Mensa. It seems like Trump's final words last week put Tarek in his place.

Lee's team won the task by almost 50%!

Trump announced that the reward is to help clothe men who are attempting to return to work. (Using Trump's line of men's clothing, of course.) Trump remarked that this reward is better than the typical reward. Dan agreed, "Absolutely more important, sir."

We saw more of Dan during the reward than we saw during the task. Dan appeared to be very excited to help the men choose new clothing to prepare for job interviews. We also heard a soundbite of Dan from an interview. He was clearly happy to participate in this mitzvah. It would be a kiddush hashem, if any viewers knews he was Jewish!

We didn't hear anything in this episode about Dan being a father.

Religion had no part in this episode. The show has not yet dealt with kashrut, prayer, shabbat or yom tov.

Next week's episode airs on Purim night so prepare your Tivo.

Some other random observations:

A toy companany should manufacture a Lee Bienstock bobblehead doll. Seriously, Lee's head doesn't stop bobbing. (Sorry Lee.)

Brent Buckman is a nut case. It was nice to hear him say so himself. However, he was not the reason Synergy lost this task.

Ivanka Trump is an intelligent, young (24 years old) woman. In her closing comments, she remarked that Pepi and Stacy were not "apprentices". She pluralized "apprentice" correctly, in direct contrast to Randall's final remarks during the Season 4 finale, "It's not apprenti. It's Apprentice."

One other note:
The Orthodox Apprentice site was mentioned in this article in last week's Forward.

Orthodox Apprentice merchandise

2006-03-02T23:58:00.000-05:00

Since Donald Trump is all about capitalism and merchandising, it's not much of a surprise that "Orthodox Apprentice" shirts and mugs are now available online.

The description from the online store:

On Donald Trump's Apprentice 5, two Orthodox Jewish candidates are in the hunt to become the Orthodox Apprentice. Show your support for Lee Bienstock and Dan Brody.

You heard it here first! (#2)

2006-02-28T00:15:00.000-05:00

Apprentice candidate Allie Jablon (the Harvard MBA, former cheerleader and the first episode's winning project manager) is also Jewish. Allie's parents are active members of Beth Shalom Synagogue in Columbia, SC. Her mother is also a member of the Columbia Holocaust Education Commission and performs Klezmer music with the Southern Simcha Group.

A kosher fridge in the Apprentice suite? Check your Tivo! Watch the scene when Lenny and Summer are chatting at the table. You know, when Lenny tells Summer to stay quiet in the boardroom. Look carefully as the camera pans and you'll notice a small, brown, dorm fridge in the corner of the room - to the right of the big window, on the floor. Is that for the kosher food that went on the Foreman grill? (The mini fridge is also visible in the "Young Lee's Strategy" video on Yahoo. It's in the top right corner of the screen - looks like a brown box - during the wide-angle shot with Tarek on the left side of the screen and Lee off-camera.)

Apprentice Episode 1 observations

2006-02-27T23:15:00.000-05:00

First, congrats to Apprentice candidates Dan and Lee for making it through their first boardroom! Lee was taken back into the boardroom, but he heard Trump say "you're fired" to teammate Summer.

Observations from tonight's Apprentice, with a focus on the Orthodox Jewish candidates - Lee and Dan.

Each Apprentice candidate gave a brief intro and we're shown a very brief excerpt of each intro. Lee mentions his Cornell degree. We hear about Dan's two sons. Obviously plenty more was cut out.
In a schoolyard pick-em, Tarek chooses Dan first "because he's a dad." It seems like Burnett is developing Dan's character as a father figure. We don't hear anything about his education or business accomplishments. And we don't hear about anyone else's family.
Towards the end, Lee is also selected by Tarek. Lee doesn't smile. Ever.
Tarek seems to take a liking to Dan during the first task. They sit together in the van and Dan gets the high-profile task of holding the project folder.
Dan didn't get much airtime. Since he was on the losing team, this isn't necessarily a bad thing.
Lee gets plenty of airtime in this episode with mixed results. He comes across as an intelligent and independent thinker, not afraid to voice his opinion even if it's an unpopular one. He mentions that he's never said anything bad about anyone. Lee decides to take on Tarek - the project manager. (Did I mention that Tarek is a member of Mensa?) Tarek privately demands that Lee back him up in the boardroom. Otherwise, Tarek says, Lee could become vulnerable. Lee sticks to his guns and tells Trump that Tarek should take some blame for the loss because there was no big idea. Lots of credit goes to Lee for not giving in to Tarek's demands and for speaking honestly.
I said Lee had mixed results because he didn't appear to be a true team player. Most of the team decided to blame Summer for the loss. Lee didn't go along with this, but chose an independent route. I give him a thumbs up for not being bullied into the popular vote, but a thumbs down for not trying to solicit more team support for his position. He should've recruited some people for his side before taking it to the boardroom.
Lee did have a slight verbal slip-up. He blamed Tarek for a "lack of mismanagement."
Religion didn't come into play at all during this episode.
Neither Orthodox Apprentice candidate is wearing a kippah.
We didn't see either Dan or Lee in any meal setting.

Next week, the Apprentice teams try to market Gillette Fusion razors at Times Square. Brent wears a bathrobe. Should be fun.

Feel free to add your comments.

Apprentice 5 - Episode 1: Post your comments here

2006-02-27T19:23:00.000-05:00

The first episode of Donald Trump's Apprentice 5 airs in about 90 minutes!!!

Since I'll be watching tonight's Apprentice with some friends, I'm opening this post now so anyone could use the "comments" to start discussing the show at any time. I'll post my observations on the Orthodox candidates - Dan Brody and Lee Bienstock - later tonight.

The big question on people's minds....

Kiddush Hashem or Chillul Hashem???

It's certainly possible that we won't see anything overtly Jewish in today's Apprentice episode. With Burnett's clever editing, anything can happen.

Tune in to NBC tonight (9 pm EST) to see what happens on The Apprentice's season kickoff. Then return to the Orthodox Apprentice blog to talk about it.

See ya later!

Apprentice 5 premiere is coming soon

2006-02-26T21:32:00.000-05:00

Donald Trump's Apprentice 5 starts in under 24 hours. It's the first reality series in the US to include Orthodox Jews as contestants. Watch the frum candidates - Dan Brody and Lee Bienstock - as they try to avoid hearing Trump's famous words - "You're fired!"

The first episode of The Apprentice opens with Trump choosing two captains. Then the captains will each pick their teams. The first project is to sell membership upgrades at a (East Brunswick) New Jersey Sam's Club while using a Goodyear blimp as a promotional marketing tool. Someone on the losing team will be fired.

Some questions for Episode One of Apprentice 5:

Are Dan and Lee roommates?
Will Dan and Lee be on the winning team?
Will they survive the boardroom?
Will their Jewish observance play any role in this episode?

Stay tuned..... Monday at 9 PM (EST) on NBC.

Tale of the Tape

2006-02-25T21:27:00.000-05:00

Age
Dan: 31
Lee: 22

Education
Dan: High school at Hebrew Academy of Greater Miami; BA from Yeshiva University; MBA from Baruch
Lee: High school at HAFTR; BS from Cornell

Israel
Dan: One year post-high school
Lee: Birthright Israel trip during college

1st employer after college
Dan: Marriott
Lee: Accenture

Business ventures
Dan: Grandma's Cookie Jar; Brody Golf; Swan Hat
Lee: ?

Family status
Dan: Married with two sons
Lee: Single

Current residence
Dan: New Milford, NJ
Lee: New York City

You heard it here first!

2006-02-25T21:16:00.000-05:00

The camera crew followed an Apprentice candidate into shul

Kosher George Foreman grill in the suite

Lee Bienstock - unofficial biography

2006-02-23T23:07:00.000-05:00

The untold story:

Lee was raised on Long Island, New York and graduated from HAFTR (Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns & Rockaway) in Cedarhurst. Lee's mother is sisterhood co-president at Congregation Beth Sholom, near the family home in Lawrence, NY.

After high school, Lee went to Cornell University, where he can be seen here conducting a "Date Auction" for Cornell's Hillel. According to the article, the dates sold for between $15 and $100. Feel bad for the $15 person?

While at Cornell, Lee Bienstock also participated in a Birthright Israel trip. You can see a picture of Lee covered in Dead Sea mud right here.

In 2005 Lee joined over 2,000 other Cornell students to declare support for the US-Israel relationship. You'll find his name in the second column.

After graduating with a 4.0 GPA, Lee joined Accenture where he's a business analyst.

Now we wait to find out if Donald Trump hires or fires Lee Bienstock - one of two Orthodox Jewish candidates on Apprentice 5.

Lee Bienstock's official biography

2006-02-23T23:05:00.000-05:00

Here's Lee's bio from The Apprentice site on Yahoo:

Lee, 22, graduated from Cornell University with a 4.0 GPA, where he received a B.S. in Policy Analysis and Management. While attending Cornell University, he won business plan writing and marketing competitions, and served as a teaching assistant for courses in Entrepreneurship and Management. He worked for Merrill Lynch, researching emerging markets, creating portfolios and compiling business plans for high net worth clients, including an investment banking deal with an estimated value in excess of $100 million. Previous experiences outside of corporate America include, working at a day treatment program for the mentally ill, volunteering at soup kitchens and teaching fourth grade children in an inner-city school. Lee draws his inspiration from his grandfather who emigrated to the U.S. penniless and uneducated, yet through hard work and determination was successful through investing in real estate. At age 22, Lee became an analyst for one of the largest business/consulting firms in the world. Today, Lee works with some of the biggest companies and government agencies in the country to devise business strategy and information technology systems. Lee currently resides in New York City.

Daniel Brody - unofficial biography

2006-02-23T22:45:00.000-05:00

The untold story:

Although The Apprentice claims that Dan's hometown is Miami, Florida, he hasn't lived there since he graduated from the Hebrew Academy of Miami Beach almost 15 years ago. After high school, Dan studied in Israel for a year. Then he went to Yeshiva University in New York City. Since then, he's mostly lived in Bergen County, New Jersey, where he now resides with his wife and two children. His family regularly attends an Orthodox synagogue in Teaneck.

After graduating from Yeshiva U., Dan earned an MBA from Baruch CUNY. While pursuing his advanced degree, Dan also worked at Marriott. Later, with his brother, Dan bought Grandma's Cookie Jar, a retail bakery adjacent to Yeshiva U. They sold it a few years later.

More recently, Dan and his brother started a straw hat business - Swan Hat.

In the summer of 2005, Dan gained worldwide publicity when he auctioned off the opportunity to provide him with golf lessons. Read about it here. Sure enough, a Florida golf teacher won the auction. Dan flew down to Florida for two weeks of one-on-one instruction.

Next on Dan's agenda... The Apprentice. Stay tuned to see if he gets hired or fired.

Dan Brody's official biography

2006-02-23T22:43:00.000-05:00

Here's Dan's bio from The Apprentice site on Yahoo:

Dan, 31, is the founder of Brody Sport, a designer brand of active-wear currently sold in prominent boutique shops and popular department stores. Dan has successfully launched several businesses during his entrepreneurial career beginning with a college venture, NYC Cafe "Grandma's Cookie Jar." This wholesale retail bakery boutique served as one of the earliest bakery suppliers for the city's Starbucks stores. Dan also owned YoCookie, a ready-to-bake cookie-dough brand shelved in more than 30 grocery stores even before "Grandma's Cookie Jar" was successfully sold. Dan's next venture was Swan Hat, one of the only "Made In The USA," headwear companies still in existence today. Swan Hat has a healthy department store base and the company's Straw Headwear division annually outfits the New York State Teachers Union - Labor Day Fifth Ave Parade, as well as other union parades and events throughout the country. Dan is passionate about religion and family and feels that you must make an exerted effort for those you love and give back to those in need.

Two Orthodox Jewish candidates on Apprentice 5

2006-02-23T22:24:00.000-05:00

Dan (Daniel) Brody and Lee Bienstock - both Orthodox Jews - are candidates to become Donald Trump's next Apprentice.