Modi Rosenfeld

Early years

Rosenfeld was born in Tel Aviv and moved to Woodmere, New York, with his family when he was seven years old. His parents spoke only Hebrew at home and the family spent their summers in Israel. He graduated from George W. Hewlett High School in 1988 and Boston University in 1992, majoring in psychology and minoring in voice.

Rosenfeld studied cantorial music at Yeshiva University's Belz School of Music. He was a Wall Street international banker for Merrill Lynch before entering comedy.

Career

Modi is an established headliner at comedy clubs across the United States and is a regular fixture on the comedy scene in both New York and Los Angeles. His home club is the Comedy Cellar. Modi has performed for Orthodox, Reform and other non-Orthodox audiences internationally. He performed at the launch party of the late Israeli astronaut Ilan Ramon in Houston before takeoff.

Rosenfeld is known for having a particularly large following among Orthodox audiences, performing at yeshivas, National Council of Young Israel affiliates, Hatzalah, Chabad telethons and Eshel. He has also performed for special Shabbat dinners for the Council of Fashion Designers of America.

Rosenfeld has contributed to US Weekly as a member of the fashion police. He was a semi-finalist on the fourth season of Last Comic Standing.

Rosenfeld cites Don Rickles, Jackie Mason, George Carlin, and Louis CK as his comedic inspirations.

The City of New York proclaimed June 26, 2018 "Mordechi 'Modi' Rosenfeld Day".

Rosenfeld is the co-founder and producer of the Chosen Comedy Festival, along with comedians Elon Gold and Dani Zoldan. The festival premiered in Coney Island in summer 2022.

In 2023, he was featured in the "36 to Watch" list by New York Jewish Week, which honors Jewish personalities for their contributions to the city's Jewish community. In 2024, he was inducted into Anu – Museum of the Jewish People's Hall of Fame for Jewish Humor.

He is the host of his own podcast called And Here's Modi. He has also been a guest on the podcasts Unorthodox, WTF with Marc Maron and Headliners with Nihal Arthanayake for the BBC.

Personal life

Modi is Jewish and is a member of a Modern Orthodox congregation in Manhattan.

He is gay and legally married his partner, Leo Veiga, in 2020.

He is dyslexic and has been diagnosed with attention deficit disorder.

Filmography

Video games

References

References

1. "Comedy is Calling".
2. "Modi | Actor, Writer, Producer".
3. Hajdenberg, Jackie (26 March 2024). [https://www.jta.org/2024/03/26/culture/modi-a-comedian-popular-with-orthodox-crowds-has-a-new-special-he-wants-non-jews-to-watch-too Modi, a comedian popular with Orthodox crowds, has a new special. He wants non-Jews to watch, too.] ''Jewish Telegraphic Agency''. Retrieved on 29 March 2025
4. Malul, Dor (7 July 2024). [https://www.israelhayom.com/2024/07/07/modi-rosenfeld-jewish-comedian-who-took-us-by-storm-headed-to-israel/ Modi Rosenfeld, Jewish comedian who took US by storm, headed to Israel] ''Israel Hayom''. Retrieved on 29 March 2025
5. ''Backstage'' [http://modi.cc/photo/modi_backstage.gif Show me the Funny: Making Money in Stand-up Comedy] {{Webarchive. link. (2005-11-07 , May 21, 1999)
6. ''Baltimore Jewish Times'' [http://jewishtimes.com/20954/something-to-laugh-about/arts_life/arts-life-features/ Something to Laugh About], March 27, 2014
7. "Modi Biography | Laugh Factory Comedians".
8. Aschenbrand, Periel (11 February 2017). [https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/the-chosen-ones-an-interview-with-modi-rosenfeld The Chosen Ones: An Interview With MODI] ''Tablet''. Retrieved on 29 March 2025
9. Gergely, Julia (31 May 2024). [https://www.jta.org/2024/05/31/ny/mark-your-calendar-jewish-pride-month-events-in-new-york-city-2024 Jewish Pride Month events in New York City 2024, from galas to Shabbat services] ''New York Jewish Week''. Retrieved on 29 March 2025
10. Hajdenberg, Jackie (7 February 2025). [https://www.jta.org/2025/02/07/ny/swanky-secular-shabbat-parties-keep-popping-up-in-nyc Swanky, secular Shabbat parties keep popping up in NYC] ''New York Jewish Week''. Retrieved on 29 March 2025
11. [[US Weekly]] [http://modi.cc/photo/modi_us.jpg Fashion police] {{Webarchive. link. (2005-11-07 , 2001)
12. [[US Weekly]] [http://modi.cc/photo/modi_fashion.jpg Fashion police] {{Webarchive. link. (2005-11-07 , 2003)
13. ''Hollywood Reporter'' [http://modi.cc/media/hollywood25.gif Lynch part of the family for CBS Pilot]{{Dead link. (April 2020)
14. "Jewish Heritage Reception 2018".
15. Saval, Malina. (2023-01-13). "Modi Rosenfeld, Gay Jewish Comedian, Talks 'Moshiach' Energy, Celebrating Shabbat and Comparisons to Robin Williams and Richard Pryor".
16. (16 May 2023). [https://www.jta.org/2023/05/16/ny/modi-rosenfeld-53-comedian-and-actor Modi Rosenfeld, 53, comedian and actor] ''New York Jewish Week''. Retrieved on 29 March 2025
17. Barr, Neria (9 September 2024). [https://www.jpost.com/j-spot/article-819244 American comedian Modi to be inducted in ANU’s Jewish humor hall of fame] ''The Jerusalem Post''. Retrieved on 29 March 2025
18. "And Here's Modi".
19. (8 June 2023). [https://www.tabletmag.com/podcasts/unorthodox/episode-366-father-james-martin-modi-rosenfeld-comedian-pride Stepping Out] ''Talet Mag''. Retrieved on 8 April 2025
20. [https://www.wtfpod.com/podcast/episode-1629-modi-rosenfeld Episode 1629 - Modi Rosenfeld] ''WTF with Marc Maron''. Retrieved on 27 March 2025
21. [
22. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/09/style/gay-jewish-comedian-modi-rosenfeld.html