Jews have been present in Asia since the beginning of their history. Some examples of ancient Jewish communities in the Mediterranean and Iran (Persian Jews) and Iraq (Iraqi Jews); the Georgian Jews, Bukharian Jews, and Mountain Jews.
Through the centuries, they also established Jewish communities in eastern parts of Asia. There are some Jews who migrated to India, establishing the Bene Israel, the Baghdadi Jews and the Cochin Jews of India (Jews in India); and the former Jewish community in Kaifeng, China.
Here is a partial list of some prominent Asian Jews, arranged by country. Those regions of Asia where Arabic or Russian or Turkish predominate are excluded from this list (except for the Baghdadi Jews from India and Southeast Asia); see Middle Eastern Jews, Ashkenazi Jews and Sephardi Jews for information on these populations.
Armenia Levon Aronian, Armenian chess player (part Jewish)
Azerbaijan
Misha Black, designer Bella Davidovich, pianist Gavril Abramovich Ilizarov, Soviet physician, known for inventing the Ilizarov apparatus Lev Landau, physicist, Nobel Prize (1962). Russian-speaking Ashkenazi. Lev Nussimbaum, writer (a.k.a. Kurban Said) Vladimir Rokhlin, mathematician. Russian-speaking Ashkenazi.
Afghanistan A small community of Jews lived mainly in Herat, Afghanistan and Kabul, but they emigrated to Israel, Europe and the United States. In September 2021, the last remaining Jew in Afghanistan, Zablon Simintov, fled Afghanistan's capital Kabul in response to the Taliban takeover several weeks prior.
China
Morris Cohen, bodyguard of Sun Yat-Sen Misha Dichter, pianist (China-born) Israel Epstein, journalist, author Edmond Fischer, biochemist, Nobel Prize (1992) Jakob Rosenfeld, doctor and general in the People's Liberation Army Sidney Shapiro, member of the People's Political Consultative Council Zhao Yingcheng, (Hebrew: Moshe ben Abram), Ming dynasty mandarin
Georgia David Baazov, Zionist activist and rabbi Ioseb Bardanashvili, composer Roman Dzindzichashvili, American chess player Yasha Manasherov, Israeli Greco-Roman wrestler Mikhael Mirilashvili, businessman and philanthropist Tamir Sapir, businessman and investor Gocha Tsitsiashvili, Israeli Greco-Roman wrestler
Hong Kong
Ellis, Elly, Lawrence, and Michael Kadoorie, businesspeople Matthew Nathan, Hong Kong governor (1904) Victor Sassoon, businessman and hotelier
India
Sarah Avraham, Indian-born Israeli, 2014 women's world Thai kickboxing champion Joseph Rabban, given copper plates of special grants from the Chera ruler Bhaskara Ravivarman II from Kerala in South India David Abraham Cheulkar, actor Nissim Ezekiel, poet J F R Jacob, former Governor of Punjab and Goa; the Chief of Staff of the Indian Army's Eastern Command Gerry Judah, artist and designer Anish Kapoor, sculptor (Baghdadi Jewish mother, Indian father) Samson Kehimkar, musician Ezekiel Isaac Malekar, Bene Israel Rabbi Pearl Padamsee, theatre personality (part Jewish) David and Simon Reuben, businessmen Nadira, actress of the 1950s and 1960s. David Sassoon, businessman Albert Abdullah David Sassoon (1818 – 24 October 1896), British-Indian merchantp.862 Sassoon David Sassoon (August 1832 – 23 June 1867), Indian-born British businessman and philanthropistp.865 Solomon Sopher, Jewish community leader Eli Ben-Menachem, Indian-born Israeli politician Ellis Kadoorie and Elly Kadoorie, philanthropists Horace Kadoorie, philanthropist Ruby Myers, Bollywood actress of the 1920s, otherwise known as Sulochana Lalchanhima Sailo, rabbi Abraham Barak Salem, Cochin Jew Indian nationalist leader Bensiyon Songavkar, professional cricketer
Indonesia Carmel Budiarjo, Human rights activist, lecturer, and author, founder of Tapol Cosman Citroen, Prominent colonial era architect, designer of Lawang Sewu Dolly Zegerius, Contract Bridge Athlete J.B.A.F. Polak, Former Member of the House of Representatives, Politician from the Socialist Party of Indonesia Nafa Urbach, Indonesian soap opera actress, singer, and politician. Yapto Soerjosoemarno, founder and leader of the Pancasila Youth (partly Jewish descent) Sophia Latjuba, Indonesian actress
Iran
Biblical era Daniel Esther Ezra Habakkuk Haggai Mordechai Nehemiah Zerubbabel
Pre-modern era Mashallah ibn Athari – Persian astrologer and astronomer Sahl ibn Bishr, nine-century astrologer, astronomer, and mathematician Sa'ad al-Dawla (c. 1240 – March 5, 1291) – physician and statesman Rashid al-Din – doctor, writer, and historian Benjamin Nahawandi – Karaite scholar of the early Middle Ages Meulana Shahin Shirazi – early Persian poet Muhammad ibn Muhammad Tabrizi – philosopher and translator, converted to Islam Munabbih ibn Kamil – a companion of Muhammad, converted to Islam Abu Ubaidah – religious scholar Ibn al-Rawandi – philosopher, religious scholar Shushandukht – Sassanian queen consort, mother of Bahram V Ifra Hormizd – Sassanid noblewoman, mother of Shapur II Maryam Khanom – Qajar royal consort Masarjawaih – Persian physician and translatorRichard Gottheil, Max Schloessinger. Masarjawaih. Jewish EncyclopediaHebrew Union College Annual Vol. 81 (2010), pp. 105-126 (22 pages) Published by: Hebrew Union College Press Abu Isa – self-proclaimed Jewish prophet Mar-Zutra II – Jewish exilarch Qavam family – one of the most influential families during the Qajar dynasty Imrani – Persian poet Yudghan – religious leader from Hamadan Baba'i ben Lotf – Persian poet, author of the first Judeo-Persian chronicle Baba'i ben Farhad - 2nd Judeo-Persian chronicler Anan ben David – founder of the Karaite Movement Daniel al-Kumisi – scholar of Karaite Judaism Aphrahat – Persian saint, converted to Christianity
Politics and military David Alliance, Baron Alliance – Iranian-born British businessman; Liberal Democrat politician Michael Ben-Ari – Israeli politician and former member of the Knesset Makan Delrahim – United States Assistant Attorney General for the United States Department of Justice Antitrust Division under the Trump Administration Jimmy Delshad – Iranian-American former two-term mayor of Beverly Hills, California Manuchehr Eliasi – former Jewish member of the Majlis Eitan Ben Eliyahu – former Major General in the Israeli Defence Forces Saeed Emami – former conservative Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Intelligence (alleged by critics to have Jewish ancestry) Naser Makarem Shirazi – Iranian Shia religious leader (alleged by a critic to have Jewish ancestry) Reza Hekmat – Prime Minister of Iran (alleged to have Iranian Jewish ancestry) Aziz Daneshrad – political activist Dan Halutz – former chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces Anna Kaplan (née Monahemi) – Iranian-born American politician and member of the New York State Senate Moshe Katsav – former President of Israel Shaul Mofaz – former Israeli Minister of Defense, Minister of Transportation Maurice Motamed – former Jewish member of the Majlis of Iran David Nahai – Iranian-American former head of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power Abie Nathan – Israeli humanitarian and peace activist Siamak Moreh Sedgh – Jewish member of the Majlis of Iran Haroun Yashayaei – chairman of the board of the Tehran Jewish Committee and leader of Iran's Jewish community Mordechai Zar – Israeli politician and former member of the Knesset Ellie Cohanim – Deputy Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism at the United States Department of State Dalya Attar – American politician Moshfegh Hamadani – political journalist Tali Farhadian – Iranian-born American attorney and politician Esther Shkalim – Israeli poet, researcher Shmuel Hayyim – journalist, politician Shula Keshet – Israeli political activist and writer Nitsana Darshan-Leitner – Israeli attorney, activist Meirav Ben-Ari – Israeli politician, member of the Knesset Sharon Nazarian – Iranian-born Senior Vice President of International Affairs for the ADL David Rokni – Israeli colonel Galit Distel-Atbaryan – Israeli politician, member of the Knesset Eliezer Avtabi – former Israeli politician Sharon Roffe Ofir – Israeli journalist and politician Payam Akhavan – Iranian-born Canadian international lawyer (convert to the Bahá'í faith) David Peyman – attorney, worked for the United States Department of State
Science and academia Abbas Amanat – Iranian-born American professor of history at Yale University (born to a family of Jewish descent) Shaul Bakhash – Iranian-American professor of Iranian studies at George Mason University Aaron Cohen-Gadol – American neurosurgeon specializing in surgical treatment of brain tumors and aneurysms Farshid Delshad – historical-comparative linguistics in German Pejman Salimpour – professor, physician Pedram Salimpour – Iranian-American physician, entrepreneur Avshalom Elitzur – physicist and philosopher Soleiman Haim – compiled an early and influential Persian language dictionary Hakim Yazghel Haqnazar – court physician Iraj Lalezari – academic and chemist Habib Levy – historian best known for his extensive research on the history of Jews in Iran; author of Comprehensive History of the Jews of Iran: The Outset of the Diaspora. Amnon Netzer – professor of the history and culture of Iranian Jews Samuel Rahbar – discoverer of HbA1C David B. Samadi – expert in robotic oncology Saba Soomekh – professor of religious studies and Middle Eastern History at UCLA, and author of books on Iranian Jewish culture Moussa B. H. Youdim – Israeli neurologist, neuropharmacologist Armin Tehrany – orthopedic surgeon Sheila Nazarian – Iranian-American plastic surgeon and television personality Simon Ourian – Iranian-American plastic surgeon Ehsan Yarshater – historian & founder of the Encyclopedia Iranica (born to Jewish parents who converted to the Baháʼí faith)
Business and economics David Alliance – British businessman Mike Amiri – American fashion designer Asadollah Asgaroladi – Iranian billionaire (convert to Islam) Habibollah Asgaroladi – leading Iranian conservative politician (convert to Islam) Jon Bakhshi – American restaurateur J. Darius Bikoff – founder and CEO of Energy Brands Mandana Dayani – Iranian-American attorney, entrepreneur Henry Elghanayan – real estate developer New York City Habib Elghanian – businessman executed by the Islamic Republic Ghermezian family – billionaire shopping mall developers Manucher Ghorbanifar – former SAVAK agent, central figure in the Iran–Contra affair Kamran Hakim – real estate developer in New York City Moussa Kermanian – real estate developer in Los Angeles and journalist Neil Kadisha – businessman Nasser David Khalili – billionaire property developer and art collector Saul Maslavi – president and CEO of Jovani Fashion Isaac Larian – American billionaire, chief executive officer of MGA Entertainment Justin Mateen – co-founder and former chief marketing officer of Tinder dating app David Merage – co-founder of Hot Pockets snack food company Paul Merage – co-founder of Hot Pockets snack food company Joseph Moinian – New York City real estate developer Ezri Namvar – Iranian-born businessman and convicted criminal Fred Ohebshalom – founder of Empire Management Real Estate Joseph Parnes – investment advisor Erwin David Rabhan – businessman, longtime friend of Jimmy Carter Sean Rad – co-founder and former CEO of Tinder dating app Assadollah Rashidian – businessman, played a critical role in the 1953 Overthrow of Mohammed Mossadegh Nouriel Roubini – economist Ben Shaoul – co-founder of Magnum Real Estate Group Joel Simkhai – founder of Grindr dating app Mahbod Moghadam – co-founder of Everipedia, co-founder of Genius Sam Mizrahi – Canadian real estate developer Victor Haghani – American financier Fraydun Manocherian – Manhattan real estate developer Richard Saghian – founder of Fashion Nova Mike Kohan – founder of Kohan Retail Investment Group