List of Israeli Americans

Academics

• Ichak Adizes, management expert and best-selling author
• Reuven Amitai, historian, writer, and Dean of the Faculty of Humanities at the Hebrew University
• Dan Ariely, economist and author
• Robert Aumann, Nobel laureate
• Baruch Awerbuch, professor of computer science at Johns Hopkins University
• Arie S. Belldegrun, director of the UCLA Institute of Urologic Oncology and is professor and Chief of Urologic Oncology at the David Geffen School of Medicine
• Yochai Benkler, Berkman Professor of Entrepreneurial Legal Studies at Harvard Law School, and author
• Yossef Bodansky, Israeli-born American political scientist
• Yaron Brook, president and executive director of the Ayn Rand Institute
• Idit Harel Caperton, educational psychologist and epistemologist
• Avner Cohen, political scientist and historian well known his path-breaking history of the Israeli nuclear program and strategic policy
• Ezekiel Emanuel, bioethicist
• Zvi Galil, computer scientist, mathematician, and President of Tel Aviv University
• Gerson Goldhaber, particle physicist and astrophysicist
• Sulamith Goldhaber, high-energy physicist and molecular spectroscopist
• Michael Goldsmith, law professor at Brigham Young University's J. Reuben Clark Law School
• Shafrira Goldwasser, professor of electrical engineering and computer science at MIT, and professor of mathematical sciences at the Weizmann Institute of Science
• Amos Grunebaum, ObGyn physician, inventor, professor Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell
• Amos N. Guiora, professor of law at the S. J. Quinney College of Law, University of Utah, and an expert on drone attacks
• Rabbi David Weiss Halivni, Israeli-American world-acclaimed scholar in the domain of Jewish Sciences and professor of Talmud
• Michael Harris, political scientist, author, and professor
• David Hazony, author and editor of The Tower Magazine
• Daniel Kahneman, Nobel laureate
• Ehud Kalai, Israeli-born American game theorist and mathematical economist, and James J. O’Connor Distinguished Professor of Decision and Game Sciences at Northwestern University
• Avi Loeb, astronomer
• Mario Livio, astrophysicist and author
• Jessica Meir, post-doctoral researcher in comparative physiology at the University of British Columbia
• Don Patinkin, monetary economist and the president of Hebrew University of Jerusalem
• Ithiel de Sola Pool, researcher in the field of social sciences
• Avital Ronell, philosopher, professor at New York University
• Emmanuel David Tannenbaum, biophysicist and applied mathematician, professor and researcher at the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and the Georgia Institute of Technology
• Rina Tannenbaum, materials scientist and chemical engineer and presently Professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham
• Amnon Yariv, professor of applied physics and electrical engineering at California Institute of Technology
• Moshe Vardi, professor of computer science at Rice University

  Actors

• Shiri Appleby, film and television actress
• Mili Avital, Israeli-born actress
• Amir Blumenfeld, Israeli-American writer, comedian, actor, and television host
• Steve Bond, Israeli-born television actor and model
• Yaniv Rokah, actor
• Assaf Cohen, actor
• Oded Fehr Israeli/American film and television actor
• Alona Tal, actress
• Hani Furstenberg, actress
• Brian George, actor and voice actor
• Omri Katz Israeli/American actor
• Amos Lavi, stage and film actor, won three Ophir Awards
• Grayson McCouch, actor
• Jonah Lotan, actor
• Gal Gadot, actress
• Vince Offer, "the ShamWow! Guy", Israeli-American actor known for his appearance in the infomercials for the absorbent towels ShamWow! during the 2000s
• Natalie Portman Israeli-born American film star
• Daniella Rabbani, Israeli/American actress, singer, and voiceover artist
• Modi Rosenfeld, stand-up comedian, actor, and cantor
• Odeya Rush, television and film actress
• Scott L. Schwartz, film and television actor and stuntman, and former professional wrestler
• Tami Stronach, Israeli-American actress
• Raviv Ullman, Israeli-born American actor, teen idol
• Inbar Lavi, actress
• Yael Grobglas, actress

  Arts and entertainment

• Omri Amrany, sculptor and painter
• Carmit Bachar, singer, dancer, model, actress and showgirl; member of The Pussycat Dolls
• Ralph Bakshi, Israeli-born animation film director
• Amir Bar-Lev, film director, producer, and writer
• Rhea Carmi, abstract expressionist and mixed-media artist
• Elinor Carucci, photographer
• Lior Ron, composer
• Lyor Cohen, North American chairman and CEO of Recorded Music for Warner Music Group
• Neil Druckmann, Israeli-born American writer, creative director and programmer for the video game developer Naughty Dog
• Ari Emanuel, talent agent and co-CEO of William Morris Endeavor, and basis for the character Ari Gold on the TV show Entourage
• Amos Gitai, auteur filmmaker
• Usher Morgan, filmmaker, businessman and studio executive
• Maira Kalman, Israeli-born American illustrator, author, artist and designer
• Yael Kanarek, artist
• Shuki Levy, Israeli-born American music composer whose best known work is soundtrack compositions for children's television programs of the 1980s.
• Ephrat Livni, artist, writer, and lawyer
• Rod Lurie, director, screenwriter, and film critic
• Arnon Milchan, Israeli-American film producer and businessman who produced many films such as The War of the Roses, Once Upon a Time in America, Pretty Woman, Natural Born Killers, The Devil's Advocate, and L.A. Confidential
• Oren Moverman, Israeli-American film director/screenwriter
• Avi Nesher, Israeli-born film producer, film director, screenwriter and actor
• Sassona Norton, Israeli-born sculptor and painter
• Eran Preis, director, screenwriter, playwright, and producer
• Ari Sandel, film director
• Ophrah Shemesh, artist
• Boaz Yakin, screenwriter and film director

  Business

• Shai Agassi, entrepreneur, founder and former CEO of Better Place
• Ori Allon, founder of Compass Inc., online real estate business in New York City
• Gadi Amit, entrepreneur and designer, head designer of Fitbit and NewDealDesign
• Avi Arad, Israeli-American businessman, founder of Marvel Studios
• Shari Arison, American-born Israeli businesswoman and philanthropist, one of Israel's wealthiest women
• Arison family, founders of Carnival Cruise Lines, the largest cruise line in the world
• Naftali Bennett, politician and former software entrepreneur
• Yaron Brook, entrepreneur, author, and economist, who currently serves as the president and executive director of the Ayn Rand Institute
• Safra Catz, CEO of the Oracle Corporation
• Dovi Frances, financier, entrepreneur, and president of SG Acquisitions
• Jacob Frenkel, economist and businessman; served as Governor of the Bank of Israel; currently the Chairman of JPMorgan Chase International
• Hillel Fuld, tech marketer and advisor, blogger and global tech speaker. CMO of Zula and Zcast among many other tech startup companies.
• Orit Gadiesh, corporate strategist and chairwoman of management consulting firm Bain & Company
• Gideon Gartner, entrepreneur and philanthropist, founder of Gartner, an information technology research and advisory company
• Yoram Globus, film producer, former co-owner of the Cannon Group, Inc.
• Noam Gottesman, former hedge fund manager; co-founded GLG Partners
• Andi Gutmans, co-founder of Zend Technologies, co-creator of PHP, General Manager at Amazon Web Services
• Abraham Karem, inventor of the drone, founder of Karem Aircraft
• Ynon Kreiz, entrepreneur and businessman, former CEO of Fox Kids Europe, Endemol and Maker Studios
• Avi Lerner, film producer, co-founder of Nu Image, owner of Bulgaria-based Nu Boyana Film Studios
• Arnon Milchan, founder and owner of New Regency Films, second wealthiest mogul in Hollywood
• Adam Milstein, real estate investor, entrepreneur, and active philanthropist
• Shaul Olmert, co-founder of online publishing platform Playbuzz, former VP of digital products for MTV Networks; son of Ehud Olmert
• Guy Oseary, Israeli-American businessman; Madonna's manager
• Isaac Perlmutter, chairman of Marvel Entertainment, former co-owner of Toy Biz
• Shai Reshef, educational entrepreneur and founder and president of University of the People
• Daniel Rirdan, author, global strategist, environmentalist, and Director of Product Development at The Exploration Company
• Meshulam Riklis, businessman
• Lior Ron, entrepreneur, co-founder of autonomous trucking company Otto, former lead of Google Maps
• Haim Saban, television and media proprietor notable for his adaptations of Power Rangers; ranked by Forbes as the 98th richest person in America
• Tamir Sapir, Israeli-Georgian-American businessman; earned billions in the 1980s bartering fertilizers for oil; in 2006 was ranked at position 160 in list of the 400 richest Americans, with an estimated fortune of $2 billion
• Eli Tene, businessman, co-founder, co-managing director, and principal of the Peak Corporate Network
• Boaz Weinstein, derivatives trader and hedge fund manager, and founder of Saba Capital Management
• Jerry Zucker, former CEO of the InterTech Group and the Polymer Group

  Fashion

• Yigal Azrouël, fashion designer
• Donna Feldman, American model, daughter of Israeli parents
• Sharon Genish, Israeli/American model
• Yael Markovich, Israeli/American model
• Nili Lotan, fashion designer
• Max Rhyser, Danish-American-Israeli model, stage, television and film actor
• Yotam Solomon, fashion designer
• Elie Tahari, founder of fashion label Elie Tahari

  Government and politics

• Rahm Emanuel, former White House Chief of Staff and former mayor of Chicago
• Ari Ne'eman, disability rights activist
• Stanley Fischer, served as Governor of the Bank of Israel and later as Vice Chairman of the United States Federal Reserve
• Josh Reinstein, director of the Knesset Christian Allies Caucus

  Journalism

• Irin Carmon, feminist author, blogger, and television personality
• Michael Dorfman, Russian-Israeli essayist and human rights activist
• Hadas Gold, politics, media and global business reporter for CNN
• Daniel Pearl, Israeli-American journalist and South Asia Bureau Chief of the Wall Street Journal, who was kidnapped and murdered in Pakistan.
• Nicole Lapin, Israeli-American anchor on CNBC and CNN Live
• Haviv Rettig Gur, journalist at The Times of Israel, Former Director of Communications for the Jewish Agency
• Hanna Rosin, journalist
• Erez Ben-Ari, journalist at Jewish in Seattle, former Stand-up comedian

  Literature

• Nick Simmons, comic book writer, musician, and voice over actor
• Leora Skolkin-Smith, novelist
• Ayelet Waldman, novelist and essayist

  Musicians

• The Alchemist, hip hop producer and rapper
• Leigh Daniel Avidan, member of Ninja Sex Party and co-host of Internet webseries Game Grumps.
• Carmit Bachar, member of the pop group, The Pussycat Dolls
• Didi Benami, American singer who is best known for being a finalist on the ninth season of American Idol. Daughter of an Israeli Jewish father.
• Ofer Ben-Amots, Israeli-American composer and professor of composition at Colorado College.
• Miri Ben-Ari, hip-hop violinist plays songs with emcee Twista and R&B singer Alicia Keys
• Ill Bill, rapper
• Yefim Bronfman, Soviet-born Israeli-American pianist
• Kosha Dillz, hip hop MC
• David Draiman, lead vocalist for heavy metal band Disturbed
• Eli Eban, clarinetist
• Meir Finkelstein, cantor and composer of contemporary Jewish liturgical music
• Yuval Gabay, hip hop drummer
• Goapele, African-American soul and R&B singer-songwriter, daughter of a New York-born Israeli Jewish mother
• Este, Danielle and Alana Haim, Grammy-nominated musicians of the rock band HAIM.
• Yehuda Hanani, international soloist, recording artist, cellist, and Professor of Violoncello at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music
• Eyran Katsenelenbogen, jazz pianist
• Joseph Malovany, tenor soloist, cantor of New York's Fifth Avenue Synagogue, and Distinguished Professor of Liturgical Music at Philip and Sarah Belz School of Jewish Music, Yeshiva University
• Necro, rapper, producer, director, and record label owner; younger brother of Ill Bill
• Itzhak Perlman, violin virtuoso
• Shulamit Ran, composer, won the Pulitzer Prize
• J.R. Rotem, record producer and songwriter
• Gil Shaham, Israeli American award-winning violinist
• Mordecai Shehori, pianist
• Itaal Shur, composer, producer, and musician
• Gene Simmons, guitarist and singer-songwriter from KISS, Israeli-born
• Hillel Slovak, original guitarist of the band Red Hot Chili Peppers, Israeli-born
• Emanuel Vardi, violist
• Elliott Yamin, American singer, third place finalist on the fifth season of American Idol
• Inon Zur, Israeli American award-winning music composer

  Religion

• Eliyahu Ben Haim, Orthodox rabbi and Av Beth Din
• Yitzhak Israeli, Orthodox rabbi
• Yosef Mizrachi, Orthodox Judaism outreach rabbi

  Sports

• Sue Bird, point guard for the Seattle Storm; first overall pick in the 2002 WNBA Draft; two-time Olympic champion; four-time All-Star
• Adam Bisnowaty, football player for the New York Giants of the NFL
• David Blatt, Head Coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers, NBA franchise
• Ike Berger, Olympic and world champion weightlifter
• Ryan Braun, major league baseball player
• Tal Brody, former professional basketball player for Maccabi Tel Aviv
• David Blu, former professional basketball player for Maccabi Tel Aviv
• Jake Cohen, professional basketball player
• John DiBartolomeo, professional basketball player for Israeli powerhouse Maccabi Tel Aviv
• Eva Fabian, world champion swimmer
• Jordan Farmar, basketball player for the Sacramento Kings
• D'or Fischer, professional basketball player
• Mordechai Haim, soccer player
• Ian Kinsler, major league baseball player
• Dean Kremer, baseball pitcher
• Sylven Landesberg, basketball player for Maccabi Tel Aviv
• T.J. Leaf, NBA player for the Indiana Pacers
• Boyd "Rainmaker" Melson, light middleweight boxer
• Jeron Roberts, former basketball player for the Israeli national team
• Kenny Hasan Sayef, soccer player for Belgian club K.A.A. Gent
• Jon Scheyer, professional basketball player
• Derrick Sharp, former basketball player
• Alana Shipp, IFBB professional bodybuilder
• Jerry Simon, basketball player
• Eliot Teltscher, professional top-10 tennis player
• Alex Tyus, professional basketball player
• Alex Zahavi, soccer player currently playing for Portuguese club S.C. Olhanense on loan from Maccabi Haifa
• Daria Zuravicki, figure skater

  Other

• Nava Applebaum, 20-year-old woman killed together with her father Dr. David Applebaum on the evening before her wedding by a Palestinian suicide bomber
• Michael Arad, architect who won the design competition for the World Trade Center Memorial in New York City in 2004
• Juval Aviv, security consultant and writer
• Ron Ben-Israel, pastry chef
• Ronnie Bardah, poker player and contestant
• Carol Shaya Castro, former New York City police officer and actress whose employment was terminated after she appeared in Playboy magazine
• Eli Elezra, world-class poker player
• Tamar Geller, dog trainer who developed "the Loved Dog" method of dog training
• Chaim Gingold, noted for design work with the computer game Spore
• Gavriel Holtzberg, Orthodox rabbi and Chabad emissary to Mumbai, India, killed by Pakistani Islamic militants in the 2008 Mumbai attacks
• Ami James, tattoo artist, businessman, and media personality
• Cheryl Saban, philanthropist, woman's advocate, and wife of billionaire entertainment mogul Haim Saban