List of Sephardic Jews

The following is a list of Sephardic Jews. See also List of Iberian Jews.

This is a list of notable Jews of Sephardic ancestry.

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

A

• Isaac Abravanel (1437-1508), Portuguese-born Spanish philosopher, rabbi, economist and Orthodox Jewish theologist.
• José Aboulker (1920-2009), French resistance fighter and neurosurgeon.
• Senor Abravanel (1930-2024), Brazilian businessman, media tycoon and television host. Direct descendant of Isaac Abravanel.
• Abraham Amigo (1610-1683), Israeli rabbi of Sepharadi descent^[1]
• Benjamin Artom (1835-1879), Haham of the Spanish and Portuguese Jews of Great Britain^[2]
• Lior Ashkenazi (1969-), Israeli actor
• Ben Ashkenazy (1968/69-), American billionaire real estate developer
• Moran Atias (1981-), Israeli-American actress
• Jacques Attali (1943-), Algerian-born French economist, advisor to President François Mitterrand from 1981 to 1991
• Hank Azaria (1964-) American actor, known for voicing many characters in the long-running animated series The Simpsons
• Max Azria (1949-2019) Tunisian-born American fashion designer

B

• Fabrice Benichou (1965-), French world champion boxer
• Judah P. Benjamin (1811-1884), American politician and statesman
• Aldo Bensadoun (1939-), Canadian businessman, founder of the ALDO Group
• Georges Bensoussan (1952-), French historian
• Maurice Berger, cultural historian, art critic, curator (Sephardic mother; father Ashkenazi Jew)^[3]
• John Berman (1972-), news anchor for CNN.
• Miri Bohadana (1977-), Israeli actress, model, and presenter
• Can Bonomo (1987-), Turkish singer
• Alain de Botton (1969-), Swiss writer and philosopher (Sephardi father, Ashkenazi mother)
• Alain Boublil (1941-), Tunisian-born French lyricist of the musical Les Misérables
• Michel Boujenah (1952-), French comedian and actor
• Albert Bourla (1961-), Greek-born CEO of Pfizer
• Caryl Brahms (1901-1982), British writer^[4]
• June Brown (1927-2022), British actress
• Patrick Bruel (1959-), French singer and actor
• Tony Bullimore (1939-2018),^[5] British yachtsman

C

• Neve Campbell (1973-), Canadian film and television actress (Scream)^[6]
• David Samuel Carasso, 19th-century traveler and writer
• Isaac (1874-1939) and Daniel Carasso (1905-2009), founders of Danone^[7]
• Benjamin N. Cardozo (1870-1938), Supreme Court Justice
• Gabrielle Carteris (1961-), American actress best known for her role in the TV series 90210
• Omri Casspi (1988-), Israeli NBA player
• Jacob Castello, 17th-century poet
• Joseph Cayre (1941-), co-founder of record label Salsoul Records, video tape distributor and producer GoodTimes Entertainment, and video game publisher GT Interactive
• Stanley Chera (1942-2020), American real estate developer
• Joseph Chetrit (1957-), American real estate investor and developer and founder of the Chetrit Group
• Élie Chouraqui (1957-), French Israeli film director
• Emmanuelle Chriqui (1975-), Canadian actress
• Hélène Cixous (1937-), Algerian-born French feminist critic^[8]
• Maurice Abraham Cohen (1851-1923), educator
• Claude Cohen-Tannoudji (1933-), French physicist. He shared the 1997 Nobel Prize in Physics
• Jean-François Copé (1964-), French politician; former President of the Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) Group in the French National Assembly; Sephardic mother
• Oliver Jackson-Cohen (1986-), English actor, notably played Luke Crain in The Haunting of Hill House
• Uriel da Costa (1585-1640), Portuguese philosopher and Orthodox-Jew theologist

D

• Jean Daniel (1920-2020), French journalist and author, founder of Le Nouvel Observateur
• Pierre Darmon (1934-), French tennis player
• Aryeh Deri (1959-), Moroccan-born Israeli politician & one of the founders of Shas.
• Jacques Derrida (1930-2004), Algerian-born French philosopher^[9]
• Benjamin Disraeli (1804-1881), Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
• Patrick Drahi (1963-), billionaire founder of international news channel i24news
• Victor Drai (1947-), nightclub owner, entrepreneur and film producer.
• Julien Dray (1955-), Algerian-born French politician, member of the National Assembly for the Socialist Party (PS)
• Pierre Dukan (1941-), French physician, inventor of the Dukan Diet
• Solomon Dwek (1973-) former American real estate investor and convicted felon

F

• Predrag Finci (1946-), Bosnian-British philosopher, author, and essayist

• Jacque Fresco (1916-2017), American futurist, industrial engineer, social designer and the founder of The Venus Project

G

• Meir Shmuel Gabay (1933-2010), first and only Israeli to be elected to the United Nations General Assembly for any office
• Yakir Gabay (1966-), Israeli-born billionaire who founded Aroundtown SA; son of Meir Shmuel Gabay
• David Galula (1919-1967), French military officer and counterinsurgency theoretician
• Sonia Gardner (1962-), co-founder of hedge fund Avenue Capital Management
• Sonny Gindi (1924-2012), co-founder of the Century 21department store
• Eyal Golan (1971-), Israeli singer (Sephardic and Yemenite descent)
• Lewis Goldsmith (1763-1846), Anglo-French journalist and political writer^[10]
• Eydie Gormé (born Edith Gormezano, 1928–2013), American singer
• Eva Green (1980-), French actress and model
• Philip Guedalla (1889-1944), biographer^[11]
• Denis Guedj (1940-2010), French mathematician and writer
• David Guetta (1967-), French DJ (Sephardic father)

H

• Joseph Hackmey Israeli businessman and art collector
• Tzachi Halevy (1975-), Israeli actor best known for the TV series Fauda
• Alphonse Halimi (1932-2006), French world champion boxer
• Gisèle Halimi (1927-2020), French civil rights advocate and feminist
• Serge Halimi (1955-), French journalist and newspaper editor
• Eli Harari, founder of SanDisk^[12]
• Serge Haroche (1944-), French physicist
• Sir Joshua Hassan (1915-1997),^[13] Gibraltarian politician, and first Mayor and Chief Minister of Gibraltar
• Jacob Hassan (1936-2006),^[14][15] Spanish academic, writer, and university professor
• Daniel G. Hedaya (1940-), American actor
• Sir Basil Henriques (1890-1961),^[16] philanthropist
• Jack Hidary, technology entrepreneur and researcher
• Murray Hidary (1971-), composer, fine art photographer and entrepreneur

J

• Agnès Jaoui (1964-), French actress
• Mitchell R. Julis (1955-), co-founding partner of Los Angeles hedge fund Canyon Capital Advisors

K

• Moshe Kahlon (1960-), Israeli politician, Minister of Finance since 2015
• Paul Kodish (1965-), British professional drummer

L

• Albert Laboz, New York City real estate developer
• Marc Lasry (1959-), American billionaire financier
• Mélanie Laurent (1983-), French actress, singer, pianist, director, and screenwriter
• Emma Lazarus (1849-1887), U.S. poet, best remembered for her sonnet engraved on the Statue of Liberty
• Delia de Leon (1901-1993), British actress and disciple of Meher Baba^[17]
• Jack de Leon (1902-1956), British theatre manager, impresario and playwright
• Rita Levi-Montalcini (1909-2012), Italian physician and neurobiologist
• Bernard-Henri Lévy (1948-), French philosopher
• David Levy (1937-), former Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Immigrant Absorption, Minister of Housing and Construction and as a Minister without Portfolio
• Eugene Levy (1946-) Canadian actor
• Jackie Levy (1960-), Israeli politician and former mayor of Beit She'an
• Orly Levy (1973-), Israeli politician and former member of Yisrael Beiteinu

M

• Enrico Macias (1938-), Algerian-born French singer (born Gaston Ghrenassia)
• Mickaël Madar (1968-), French football player
• Moishe Mana (1956-), Israeli-born American billionaire, real estate developer
• Shiri Maimon (1981-), Israeli singer, actress, and television personality
• Maimonides (1138-1204), Mediaeval rabbi and philosopher
• Paul Marciano (1952-), co-founder of Guess? Inc.
• Phil Margo (1942-), American musician, member of The Tokens
• David Mazouz (2001-), American actor best known for Gotham (TV series)
• Lea Michele (1986-), American actress best known for Glee (TV series)
• Fred Melamed (1956-), American actor and writer
• Raphael Meldola (1849-1915), British chemist and first president of the Maccabaeans^[18]
• Raphael Meldola (1754-1828), English rabbi
• Pierre Mendès France (1907-1982), French politician, Prime Minister 1954-55
• Daniel Mendoza (1764-1836), 19th-century English pugilist, prizefighter
• David Mimran, film producer and director; married to former Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model Julie Ordon; son of Jean-Claude Mimran.
• Jean Claude Mimran (1945-), French businessman & former owner of Lamborghini; father of David Mimran; brother of Patrick Mimran
• Patrick Mimran (1956-), former owner & CEO of Lamborghini; brother of Jean Claude Mimran & uncle of David Mimran
• Yosef Mizrachi (1968-), Israeli-born haredi rabbi based in Monsey, New York
• Ken Moelis (1958-), American businessman and billionaire, founder of Moelis & Company
• Frederic Mocatta (1828-1905), English philanthropist ^[19]
• Amedeo Modigliani (1884-1920), Italian painter
• Moses Montefiore (1784-1885), British financier and banker, activist, philanthropist and Sheriff of London
• Edgar Morin (1921-), French sociologist and philosopher (born Edgar Nahoum)
• Shelley Morrison (1936-2019), American actress best known for her roles Sr Sixto on The Flying Nun and Rosario Salazar on Will & Grace
• Georges Moustaki (1934-2013), French singer-songwriter

N

• David Nahmad (1947-), billionaire fine art dealer
• Ezra Nahmad (1945-), billionaire art collector and dealer
• Helly Nahmad (London) (1978-), owner of Helly Nahmad London, and son of Ezra Nahmad
• Helly Nahmad (New York art collector) (1976-), owner of Helly Nahmad Gallery in New York, and son of Ezra's brother David Nahmad
• Moses ben Nahman (1194-1270), medieval Jewish scholar and rabbi
• Géraldine Nakache (1980-), French actress, director, and screenwriter
• Joseph Nakash (1942-), co-founder of Jordache Enterprises, Inc.

O

• Jerry Orbach (1935-2004), actor best known for roles in Dirty Dancing, Beauty and the Beast, and Law & Order

P

• Abraham Palacci (1809/10-1898), grand rabbi of Izmir
• Rahamim Nissim Palacci (1813-1907), grand rabbi of Izmir
• Joseph Palacci (1815-1896), rabbi of Izmir
• Charles Palache (1869-1954), American mineralogist
• Haim Palachi (1788-1868), grand rabbi of Izmir
• Samuel Pallache (1550-1616), Moroccan-Dutch envoy, corsair
• Joseph De la Penha (fl.1697), Dutch trader
• Murray Perahia (1947-), American concert pianist
• Rafi Peretz (1956-), Israeli Minister of Education
• Victor Perez (1911-1945), Tunisian boxer
• Abraham Cohen Pimentel (?-1697), Head Rabbi of the Portuguese / Spanish Synagogue of Amsterdam
• Azaria Piccio (1579-1647), Venetian
• Daniel Pinto (financier) (1966-), British-French financier
• Inês Pires, mistress of King John I of Portugal; ancestor of Dukes and Portuguese Kings of the House of Braganza and many of European royalty and nobility^[20]

. Principe/Prince family

R

• Lior Raz (1971-), Israeli screenwriter and actor best known for starring in Fauda
• Miri Regev (1965-), Israeli MK of Likud
• David Ricardo (1772-1823), British political economist
• Daniela Ruah (1983-), Portuguese-American actress
• Rudy Rochman (1993-), Israeli Zionist activist

S

• Haim Saban (1944-), Israeli-American billionaire who founded Saban Entertainment
• Elvio Sadun (1918-1974), Italian-American scientist and WWII Italian partisan
• Safdie brothers, American independent film directors
• Fortuna Safdié (1958-), Brazilian singer, composer and Ladino-Revivalist.
• Haym Salomon (1740-1785), Polish-born American businessman who helped finance the American Revolutionary War
• Roberto Saviano (1979-), Italian writer
• Hugh Sebag Montefiore (1955-), British Historian and Lawyer
• Simon Sebag Montefiore (1965-), British historian
• Jerry Seinfeld (1954-), American stand-up comedian known for playing titular character in TV series Seinfeld
• Vic Seixas (1923-2024), American Hall of Fame former top-10 tennis player
• Peter Sellers (1925-1980), British comedian and actor; Knight of the Realm (Richard Henry Sellers)
• David Serero (1974-), French architect; sephardi ancestors from Morocco
• David Serero (1981-), French opera singer and actor; Sephardi ancestors from Morocco
• Silvan Shalom (1958-), former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance in Israel
• Jamie-Lynn Sigler (1981-), American actress and singer
• Joseph Sitt (1964-), founder of global real estate company Thor Equities
• Raphael Soriano (1904-1988), Rhodes-born California mid-century modern architect
• Baruch Spinoza (1632-1677), Dutch philosopher of Sephardic Portuguese origin
• Henry Stern (California politician) (1982-), California State Senator
• Dominique Strauss-Kahn (1949-), French politician; Finance Minister, 1997–99; President of the International Monetary Fund, 2007–11; Sephardic mother
• Jeff Sutton (real estate developer) (1960-), American real estate developer and billionaire

T

• Alona Tal (1983-), Israeili singer and actress
• Shaun Toub (1963-), Iranian-American actor
• Isaac Touro (1738-1783), Touro College named in his honor. Touro Syn Father of Judah Touro.
• Judah Touro (1775-1854), American businessmen & philanthropist. Touro College & Touro Synagogue are named in his honor.
• Gilbert Trigano (1920-2001), French businessman, developer of Club Med
• Yitzhak Tshuva (1948-), Israeli businessman and chairman of El-Ad Group

V

• Nani Vazana ^[he] (1982-), Israeli-Portuguese Singer, Trombonist and Composer and CEO of Why DIY Music

W

• Len Wein (1948-2017), American comic book writer & co-creator of DC Comics' Swamp Thing and Marvel Comics' Wolverine

Z

• Ahmed Zayat (1962-), owner of Thoroughbred racehorses and Triple Crown winner American Pharaoh
• Éric Zemmour (1958-), French polemist and politician

See also

• List of Iberian Jews
• Sephardi Jews
• Lists of Jews
• List of Portuguese
• List of Spaniards
• Spanish Inquisition
• Portuguese Inquisition