Title: List of Jewish Medal of Honor recipients Content: The Medal of Honor was created during the American Civil War. It is the highest military decoration presented by the United States government to a member of its armed forces. A recipient must distinguish themselves at the risk of their own life above and beyond the call of duty in action against an enemy of the United States. The medal is presented to the recipient by the President of the United States on behalf of the Congress. Since it was instituted there have been 3,473 recipients. At least 27 American Jews have received the Medal of HonorDifferent sources give different numbers and names of recipients; 29 different recipients are identified as Jewish Americans in the differing references not counting the various aliases used by many of them. for their actions starting in the American Civil War through the Vietnam War. The first two recipients were Henry Heller and David Orbansky. Both received it for their actions in 1863 during the American Civil War. Samuel Gross was the only Jewish American Marine to receive the medal for his actions in Fort Riviere, Haiti. The last to receive it was Tibor Rubin in 2005. He was believed to have been overlooked due to discrimination. His medal was for his actions in the Korean War in 1950. The medal was presented 55 years later. ==American Jews and the Medal of Honor== Depending on religious definitions and varying population data, the United States currently has the second largest Jewish community in the world (after Israel). The American Jewish population was estimated to be approximately 5,128,000 (1.7%) For persons 18 years or older, based on the Religious Landscape Survey, a survey conducted in the summer of 2007. of the total population in 2008 (304,060,000). However, it may be as high as 6,444,000 (2.2%). Christian Church Adherents, 2000, and Jewish Population, 2007—States. The Jewish population includes Jews who define themselves as Jewish by religion as well as those who define themselves as Jewish in cultural terms. Data on Jewish population are based primarily on a compilation of individual estimates made by local Jewish federations (as reported in the American Jewish Yearbook). As a contrast, Israel's Central Bureau of Statistics estimated the Israeli Jewish population was 5,435,800 in 2007 (75.7% of the average population). The Medal of Honor was created during the American Civil War. It is the highest military decoration presented by the United States government to a member of its armed forces. The medal is bestowed "for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life, above and beyond the call of duty, in actual combat against an armed enemy force" and the recipient must have distinguished themselves at the risk of their own life above and beyond the call of duty in action against an enemy of the United States. Due to the nature of this medal it is commonly presented after the recipient has been killed (posthumously). Until 1914 the Medal of Honor and the Purple Heart were the only medals that could be received. Prior to 1916 the criteria for the Medal of Honor were much less restrictive than it is today. In 1916 a board was established to ensure that future Medals of Honor would be made only for the highest purposes. The board determined some Medals that had been given out should be taken back. Since the institution of the Medal of Honor, at least 27 have been presented to American Jews. Four received the medal posthumously. ==American Civil War== The American Civil War was a major conflict fought between the federal government of the United States and eleven of its member States. They sought to secede and to create their own government. It was called the Confederate States of America. It started on April 12, 1861, shortly after Abraham Lincoln was elected President of the United States. It ended four years later on April 9, 1865. During the war over 10,000 military engagements took place and more than 3 million people fought on both sides. Forty percent of the battles were fought in the states of Virginia and Tennessee.Borritt, 1995, p. 247 Since its creation, 1522 have received the Medal of Honor for actions during the American Civil War. Depending on sources, as many as seven were Jewish.Brody, 2004, pp. 68–71 :Note: Notes in quotations are derived or are copied from the official Medal of Honor citation