# 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

* 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
* 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
* Aryeh Deri (1959-), Moroccan-born Israeli politician & one of the founders of Shas.
* 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 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
* 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
* 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
* 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
* 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-), 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
* Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (1989-), United States Representative for New York's 14th congressional district

## 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
* 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״ Noam Vazana (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