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 BritainOxford Dictionary of National Biography 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)Lee, Felicia. "Facing Down His Color as a Path to Privilege," The New York Times (5 May 1999), pp. E1, 10; reprinted as "A Writer Confronts His Color as A Path to Privilege," in The International Herald Tribune (6 May 1999) 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 writerObituary, Jewish Chronicle Dec 10, 1982 p.12 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),"Bullimore's sister buoyed by rabbis' support", Jewish Chronicle January 24, 1997 p.1 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 writerOxford Dictionary of National Biography: "he was of Portuguese Jewish descent" Eydie Gormé (born Edith Gormezano, 1928–2013), American singer Eva Green (1980-), French actress and model Philip Guedalla (1889-1944), biographerOxford Dictionary of National Biography: "the only son of David Guedalla, an almond broker in Mincing Lane, who came from a Spanish-Jewish family... He was buried in Golders Green Jewish cemetery" 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),independent.co.uk: Obituary: Sir Joshua Hassan Gibraltarian politician, and first Mayor and Chief Minister of Gibraltar Jacob Hassan (1936-2006),Jacob M. HassánEl pueblo de Estella dedicará una de sus calles al ceutí Jacob Hassan Spanish academic, writer, and university professor Daniel G. Hedaya (1940-), American actor Sir Basil Henriques (1890-1961),Concise Dictionary of National Biography: "born into old, established Jewish family" 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, known for his roles in SCTV, American Pie and Schitt's Creek 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 MaccabaeansEncyclopaedia Judaica 11:1290 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 Oxford Dictionary of National Biography: "The Mocatta family were Jews driven from the Iberian peninsula in 1492" Amedeo Modigliani (1884-1920), Italian painter Moses Montefiore (1784-1885), British financier and banker, activist, philanthropist and Sheriff of London Jacob Levy Moreno (1889-1974), Romanian physician and social scientist, pioneer of group psychotherapy, sociometry and psychodrama 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