ENGLISH CORNER, CON LINDA JIMÉNEZ – This week’s trivia question: How many people work answering the phone at the Jewish Number’s switchboard?

The Jewish Number is a new nonprofit organization whose goal is twofold: to connect Jews around the world and to provide a hotline to help travelers find Jewish-related information such as services, temples, or kosher stores or restaurants in foreign countries.

The idea is based on the Swedish Number, a service that was set up by Sweden’s Tourist Association, which made it possible for people from all over the world to phone a random Swede to get information about that country.

The Jewish Number was created by Salomon (Shlomo) Zirdok, a Mexican Jew living in Los Angeles, and it enables callers to connect with any registered Jew located anywhere in the world.

Zirdok spoke with us about the Jewish Number, and how you can participate, either by calling to ask a question, or volunteering to be an “answerer”.