When The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills season 12 finally premiered on May 11 after months of anticipation, one conversation between Paul "PK Kemsley", his wife Dorit Kemsley, and the rest of the women had fans wondering what religion PK practices. Dorit, Erika Jayne, Lisa Rinna, Kyle Richards, Garcelle Beauvais, Sutton Stracke, Kathy Hilton, and Crystal Kung Minkoff all return following the drama of season 11. Newcomers Sanela Diana Jenkins and Sheree Zampino are also in the mix. For weeks, this season has been advertised as one of the most dramatic and emotional ever. Bravo did not hesitate to jump in with a scary event that occurred just before filming.
Last October, Dorit and her children Jagger and Phoenix were asleep in their Beverly Hills mansion when three masked men broke in. Holding Dorit at gunpoint, the robbers threatened to kill her before running off with millions of dollars' worth of valuables. Dorit agreed to continue on with filming, and cameras documented all of the women except Sutton comforting Dorit and PK shortly after the ordeal. With Dorit and PK scheduled to host an upcoming party, some (such as Lisa) asked if the couple were going to cancel it. PK explained that they would not due to his religion, which immediately made Bravo fans curious about his religion.
PK comes from a Jewish family and practices Judaism. He is known for being a successful businessman. Born in England, PK has been the Chairman of the American New York Cosmos and the Vice-Chairman of the English Tottenham Hotspur club. Dorit is also Jewish, and was born in Connecticut to Isreali father Shalom Lemel and his wife Rachel, who was born in Tangier, Morocco. In addition to knowing Hebrew, Dorit speaks English, Italian, and Spanish. While she was born in the United States, Dorit's unique accent has been questioned since her first season on RHOBH, which she attributes to her background and extensive traveling.
What Does Simcha Mean?
Simcha means "happiness" or "joy" in Hebrew, and is generally used as a noun to refer to an event that is meant to be a joyous celebration, like Bar and Bat Mitzvahs or weddings. Simcha comes from an idea in Jewish philosophy, which is that a mitzvah (meaning commandment) is one significant component of serving God. Simcha is commonly given as a first name and is considered a gender neutral name, although those who are Ashkenazi usually use Simcha for boys, while those who are Sephardi or Israeli use Simcha for girls.
PK and Dorit aren't the only RHOBH stars who are Jewish, as Kyle and her husband Mauricio Umansky have discussed events like their daughters Alexia and Portia's Bat Mitzvahs over the years. Kyle and RHOBH season 4 star Carlton Gebbia also fought, after Kyle thought Carlton had the Star of David tattooed on her body. Religion is rarely discussed in the Real Housewives franchise, and viewers are happy that PK opened up to the group of ladies. With so much happening in RHOBH season 12 episode 1, this season is shaping up to be one of the most dramatic seasons yet.
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. EST on Bravo.