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.

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
Benjamin Artom (1835-1879), Haham of the Spanish and Portuguese Jews of Great Britain
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

Pini Balili (1979), Israeli former footballer
Yossi Benayoun (1980-), Israeli former footballer
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)
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
Dany Brillant (1965-), Tunisian-born French singer and actor
June Brown (1927-2022), British actress
Patrick Bruel (1959-), French singer and actor
Tony Bullimore (1939-2018), British yachtsman

C

Neve Campbell (1973-), Canadian film and television actress (Scream)
David Samuel Carasso, 19th-century traveler and writer
Isaac (1874-1939) and Daniel Carasso (1905-2009), founders of Danone
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
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
Jacques Derrida (1930-2004), Algerian-born French philosopher
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; 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
Eydie Gormé (born Edith Gormezano, 1928–2013), American singer
Eva Green (1980-), French actress and model
Philip Guedalla (1889-1944), biographer
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
Serge Haroche (1944-), French physicist
Sir Joshua Hassan (1915-1997), Gibraltarian politician, and first Mayor and Chief Minister of Gibraltar
Jacob Hassan (1936-2006), Spanish academic, writer, and university professor
Daniel G. Hedaya (1940-), American actor
Sir Basil Henriques (1890-1961), philanthropist
Jack Hidary, technology entrepreneur and researcher
Murray Hidary (1971-), composer, fine art photographer and entrepreneur

J

Agnès Jaoui (1964-), French actress
Juanito (1936), French singer
Mitchell R. Julis (1955-), co-founding partner of Los Angeles hedge fund Canyon Capital Advisors

K

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
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 (1937-2024), Israeli politician, 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 (1942-2021), 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
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
Amedeo Modigliani (1884-1920), Italian painter
Moses Montefiore (1784-1885), British financier and banker, activist, philanthropist and Sheriff of London
Edgar Morin (1921-2026), 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

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 Principe/Prince family

R

Lior Raz (1971-), Israeli screenwriter and actor best known for starring in Fauda
Miri Regev (1965-), Israeli MK of Likud
Haim Revivo (1972-), Israeli former footballer
David Ricardo (1772-1823), British political economist
Dani Rodrik (1957-), Turkish economist
Daniela Ruah (1983-), Portuguese-American actress
Rudy Rochman (1993-), Israeli Zionist activist

S

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-), Israeli singer and actress
Rachamim Talbi (1943-), Israeli former footballer
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

U

Uriel da Costa ( – April 1640), Portuguese Sephardi philosopher

V

(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

Y

David Levy Yulee (1810-1886), Floridian United States senator and attorney.

Z

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

A

B

C

D

F

G

H

J

K

L

M

N

O

P

R

S

T

U

V

W

Y

Z

See also

Footnotes