In this conversational video, Dennis Prager shares personal stories that illustrate his close friendship with political activist Charlie Kirk. Prager describes how Kirk would regularly drop by his home unannounced, even arranging photo opportunities with a nurse who admired both of them. He recounts Kirk’s dedication of his forthcoming (and ultimately final) book on Shabbat observance for Gentiles to Prager, emphasizing that Kirk credits Prager for inspiring his interest in Torah‑based Shabbat. Prager notes that Kirk listened to the full 260‑hour archive of his Torah commentary, often calling for clarification, and that Kirk frequently invited Prager to speak to his student audience, energizing thousands of college students who share their values. The segment also touches on Prager’s emotional reaction to hearing the dedication, and his endorsement of Erica as the next CEO to continue Kirk’s work. Throughout, Prager conveys admiration, gratitude, and a sense of personal significance in having influenced Kirk’s outreach.
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Charlie made it a thing to come visit me on a fairly regular basis. He would just show up. You'll love this story. I told it to Charlie on camera. One of the nurses, a male nurse, Dennis Prager was a big fan of mine, but I think he was an even bigger fan of Charlie's. And so I said to him, well, Charlie's coming on, I don't know, Monday at 1. If you'd like to get a picture with him, you know, just know I'm perfectly okay with it. I I think it would be wonderful. Well, sure enough, he showed up and got a picture with Charlie. Can you imagine how valuable he thinks that picture is, tragically, now? Anyway, I did think Charlie and I had something special. He dedicated his forthcoming book, which will tragically end up his last book, making the case for Shabbat observance for Gentiles and especially for Christians, and he dedicating the book to me. Because he got the whole idea of Shabbat from me, which he acknowledges. We both spoke at Arizona State University, and his whole speech was on why people should observe Shabbat. And I mean Friday night to Saturday night. Yeah, he was not talking about Sunday. He was talking about the Torah Shabbat. And I figure, wow, if all I did was influence Charlie Kirk, I've influenced millions. So that, that was a wonderful feeling. Anyway, he would go out of his way to visit me. But then I, I heard all these other people saying how close they were to Charlie, and I don't negate that at all. But I'm— what I said for an audio that I made for Erica, I told the story about Rabbi Joseph Telushkin. Dennis Prager, my friend since high school, most prolific author of Jewish books living today. He told me that he was moved at a funeral once. He would interview children and the wife of the deceased. Anyone who would speak so that he would know what to say with knowledge. And he discovered, because he talked to each of them individually, privately, he discovered that each one thought that while the dad loved all of them, They love them the most.
I love it.
Isn't that great?
What a great ability to make people feel like you're their favorite.
That's right. I think Charlie had that ability. Yes. And so that was a very touching revelation to me. But— This will sound almost silly. I have proof that he, uh, was particularly close to me. I don't know if I was the closest. That would be silly. But particularly close in that he dedicated his last book to me. I, I thought the world of him. Do you know that Charlie listened to all 260 hours of my Torah commentary? He claimed that no one has listened to me more than Charlie Kirk himself. That meant a lot to me. And he would then call me and ask me to clarify a point. And I spoke for his group very often. It's a beautiful thing to see thousands of college students who share our values. It's invigorating. What he did, he didn't do it despite not going to college. He did it in part because he didn't go to college. He was allowed to gain wisdom on his own, and God, did he ever. The loss. It's very rare. It happens that you can say of almost anyone they're irreplaceable. But I think it's true for Charlie. Do you, by the way, do you have the dedication?
I do. Would you like me to read it?
I never actually read it. I just— I just know he did dedicate the book to me.
Yeah, the book is not out yet, but I can read you the dedication. This book, this book is dedicated to Dennis Prager. Your life's work brought me to honoring the Shabbat. As a result, I wrote this book. Thank you, Dennis, for all you have done for humanity. God bless you.
Wow. I don't cry, but I could cry. Oh my God, he wrote that.
It's hard not to cry.
Yeah, that's right. Well, I said everything I said before I knew what he wrote, so people will understand. If he never dedicated the book to me, I would have said the same thing. Anyway, I was saying that Erica is a great choice. For many reasons, not least of which is having said that I think he's irreplaceable— I still do— this is as close as you can get to continuing Charlie, having Erica as the CEO.
