Marla Maples Says Trump Carries the *Zohar* Close to His Heart

Marla Maples, former wife of U.S. President Donald Trump, offered an unusual glimpse over the weekend into the connection she has developed over the years with Judaism and Israel. She also revealed a surprising detail about the American president’s own connection to the *Zohar*.

In an interview with News 12, Maples said that Trump carries a text from the *Zohar*, which she described as the “Book of Pinchas.” In her words, “He carries with him the Book of Pinchas, the *Zohar*, in Aramaic. He places it above his heart, inside, for protection and healing.”

Speaking about her former husband, Maples praised him, saying that “he has a very big heart.” According to her, he would not have reached his current position if he did not want to help others.

She also said that over the years, she has developed a deep connection to *Kabbalah*, Judaism, and Israel. She has visited Israel many times, spent time in Safed, visited the graves of *tzaddikim*, and said she has experienced the country in an entirely different way as well, including water skiing on the Sea of Galilee.

In the interview, Maples said she has kept kosher for more than 20 years and shared that she has also studied *Kabbalah* for years. According to her, observing *Shabbat* has also become a meaningful part of her life. She also noted that Trump’s familiarity with the Jewish world expanded following the conversion of his daughter Ivanka.

During the interview, Maples also shared a dramatic story that she said happened to her about 20 years ago in Nigeria. She said that while traveling, she and the people with her were stopped by armed men, who forced them to lie on the ground at gunpoint. In those frightening moments, she began reciting “*Shema Yisrael*.”

“I thought of ‘*Shema Yisrael*’ and believed that everything was in Hashem’s hands,” Maples said, adding that after she prayed, the gunmen left the area. Since then, she said, “*Shema Yisrael*” has been an especially powerful prayer that she recites every morning.

Maples addressed the rise in antisemitism in the United States and expressed solidarity with Israel following the October 7 massacre. “Antisemitism in the United States is heartbreaking. There is no logic to it,” she said. She emphasized that she prays for the Jewish people and Israel.