Famous Jews in History

-by Ishita Mondal

–Reading Time – 7 min Approx

–Edited by – Srishti Bhattacharyya

 Judaism, the religion of the Jews, has always been a matter of debate for many. While some say that it is a religion, some stick to the point that it is something more beyond the definition of religion. It is like a tradition passed from generation to generation while children bear notable genetic features.  Alongside this, the contradiction comes. You can find Jews in all colors and all races. There are many famous Jews in History. But, still, the question of what Judaism is has no concrete answer.

As the Hebrew Bible says, the origin of the Jews was from Biblical patriarchal figures Abraham and his descendants and the matriarchal figures Sarah, Rebecca, Leah, and so on. However, modern research on Jews negates the authenticity of the Biblical claim. Since the ages, the terms like persecution, expulsion, and conflict have been associated with the Jews. This has ignited the spark of curiosity among people about the history of Jews.

Famous Jews in History – The Origin and History Explained:

Historians divide the history of Jews and Judaism into five eras:

• Till 586 BC – Ancient Israel before Judaism,
• The 6^th and 5^th centuries BCE – The beginning of Judaism,
• 70 CE – The establishment of rabbinic Judaism,
• 312 CE to the 18^th century – The rise of Christianity as a political power under the reign of Constantinople the Great to the end of the political supremacy of Christianity,
• 5) From the period of French and American revolutions to the present time – the diversity in Judaism.

Thus, the history of Jews bears the legacy of their tradition and has later on given many famous Jews in History.

The discussion on the history of Jews will be incomplete if we do not talk about the Juda Kingdom. Initially, the united monarchy of the Juda kingdom was split into two halves: one is the Kingdom of Israel, and the other is the Kingdom of Judah. After few Great Revolts took place, the kingdom of Judah was named Palestine. Then, Christianity became a significant sect of Judaism which later became a distinctive religion. Later on, Islam also became prevalent in the kingdom. Thus, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam became the major religions in Palestine. Gradually, Judaism was established in the whole of Western Europe.

Famous Jews in History – The Nazi Oppression and its Effect:

Later, the Nazi oppression took place during the infamous holocaust period. Nazi regime was known for its brutality and oppression and Jews were the ones to suffer the most of their wrath. The tenants of anti-Semitic laws made the lives of Jews miserable. The laws restricted Jews from working for the Civil Service, studying in schools, running or owning farms, etc. The Nuremberg law banned the conjugal relationships between Jews and Aryans. The Holocaust took place between 1941 and 1945. The Germans brutally killed nearly six million Jews in history across Europe. The Nazi oppression was so inhuman and terrible that many famous Jews in History left Germany and settled in other parts. One of such eminent personalities was the renowned Albert Einstein.

Nowadays, Jews are classified into many categories. Sometimes they are classified by types, while sometimes by occupations or country. By country, you can find classifications of American Jews, European Jews, etc.

Top Ten Famous Jews in History:

Despite such pathetic history of oppression, there are many Jews in history who got famous in life. They are now significant parts of world history belonging to various areas of expertise. The number of famous Jews in history is countless. Here, we have listed down some of the famous Jewish people in history. Have a look! You may find your favorite star on this list!

• Marilyn Monroe- The Enchanting Lady:

Who hasn’t heard the name of the very famous 1950’s Hollywood icon, Marilyn Monroe? Whenever we hear the name of Monroe, an image of the actress with white-blonde hair and a sweet mole on the left cheek comes up. But did you know that she was Jewish? In 1956, she was converted to Jewish after her marriage to Arthur Miller. Although they got separated, Monroe remained Jew for the rest of her life.

• Daniel Radcliff- The Wizard Boy of Hogwarts:

Surprised to see the name on the list? Yes, your favorite Harry Potter star is a Jew. He is counted among the most famous Jews in History. His mother is a South-African Jew. As per his statement, he is an atheist by belief, but still, he is proud to be a Jew.

• Elizabeth Taylor- The Classic English-American Actress:

In 1959, the famous actress Elizabeth Taylor decided to convert to Judaism. Two years earlier, in 1957, she got married to Michael Todd. But unfortunately, her husband died in a plane crash. After that, things started changing in her life. She went on the verge of depression. And later, she decided to become a Jew. She had always been an active supporter and spokesperson for the Jew causes.

• Ivanka Marie Trump- The Famous Model:

In the last few years, the names that have been discussed the most include Donald Trump. Ivanka is the daughter of Donald and Ivana Trump. She is at once a socialite, heiress, and fashion model. In the year 2009, she got converted into Judaism and took the new name of Yael. She is the first Jew in her family, thus coming under the category of the most famous Jews in History.

• Bob Dylan- The Magical Singer:

We all know how “Blowin’ in the Wind” mesmerized the people in their early 20s. But very few of us know that the creator of the masterpiece, Bob Dylan, was a Jew by birth. In his childhood, he with his family moved to Hibbing, Minnesota. The place had a powerful influence on Jews. However, in later life, he was converted to Christianity and became an evangelical in the late 1970s. According to him, he was neither a believer nor a non-believer in his Jews identity. Although he used many Jewish and other religious allusions in his songs, he never called himself Jewish or inclined to any other religious sect.

• Gal Godot- The Wonder Woman Star:

Yes, Wonder Woman is also on the list. She is Jewish. Being an Israeli model and actress, she has already won many hearts and bagged innumerable achievements. At the age of 18, she had won the title of Miss Israel. At the age of 12, she learned the skills of jazz and hip-hop. However, it is often said that she is, to a great extent, becoming the new face for Jewish Women, representing them in a more unique, strong, and unapologetic way.

• Rashida Jones- The Popular American Actress:

Rashida Leah Jones, aka Rashida Jones, is an American actress famous for many of her roles. If you have watched the Fox drama series Boston Public, you can see her as Louisa Fenn. She also appeared in several films, including I Love You, Man (2009); Our Idiot Brother (2011); The Muppets (2011), etc. Her mother was Ashkenazi Jewish. Jones attended the Hebrew School and was brought up in the culture of Reformed Judaism. Jones has always been proud of her roots. She has stated in an interview with Porter magazine that she considers herself as a product of slaves. Also, she is the product of the holocaust survivors and Jewish immigrants.

• Joaquin Phoenix- None Other than the Famous Joker:

Joaquin Phoenix is a talented man and needs no introduction. His role as the Joker brought him great popularity. Although his family belongs to a particular religious sect called “The Children of God”, he declared himself as a secular Jew. As an article in 2011 explains, Joaquin’s maternal grandparents were Jewish. In an interview, he said that his parents are believers in God. Although his mother was a Jew, she believed in Jesus. But, however, they were not so religious.

• Billy Joel-Award-winning Pianist:

From Piano Man, Uptown Girl to We Didn’t Start the Fire, many are responsible for the popularity of Billy Joel. Though he is now an atheist, he was born to Jewish parents. Later, he was baptized at a local church. Due to his heritage, he was often bullied by children of his age in his early childhood.

• Zac Efron- the Famous Actor-Singer:

Everybody interested in the world of music knows the name of Zac Efron. Though he was raised in an agnostic household, his family tree includes a Jewish lineage. There is a Hebrew reference to his name. It is “lark” in Hebrew. Many a time, in different interviews, he often has mentioned that he has a Jewish lineage. In 2014, during the promotion of “Neighbours,” he and his co-star Seth Rogen explained their Jew lineages.

Wrapping it up:

With this, we come to the end of this article. However, it is not possible to discuss the saga of Jews in history in one article. The history is long, and the story is vast. The Jews suffered the most grievous oppression in history. On the other hand, many Jews struggled through the odds and rose high. We have discussed the diverse origin of the Jews. From Biblical concepts to historical significance, you have found everything about the origin of the Jews. You have got to know about how Nazi oppression devastated the Jews. A curated list of famous Jews in history is also there. That’s all. We hope you enjoyed reading it.

 -by Ishita Mondal

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