Jewish immigration to Latin America began with seven sailors arriving in Christopher Columbus ' crew. The Jewish population of Latin America is today (2018) less than 300,000 — more than half of whom live in Argentina , with large communities also present in Brazil , Chile , Mexico , Uruguay and Venezuela .[1]
To be included in this list, the person must have a Wikipedia article showing they are Jewish from the indicated country of origin or must have references showing they are Jewish from the indicated country of origin and are notable.
The following is a list of some prominent Latin American Jews, arranged by country of origin:
Ernesto Acher , musician-humorist, former member of the group Les Luthiers
Marcos Aguinis , journalist/writer[2]
José Alperovich , former governor of the Tucumán Province [3]
Héctor Babenco , film director (Argentinian-born)[4]
Daniel Barenboim , conductor and pianist[5]
Tania Bíder revolutionary fighter[6]
Marcelo Birmajer , writer[7]
Laszlo Biro , inventor of the ballpoint pen [8]
Jácobo Bolbochán , chess player
Julio Bolbochán , chess player
Mauricio Borensztein (better known as Tato Bores ), comedian
Daniel Burman (1973–) filmmaker[9]
Israel Adrián Caetano , film director
Andres Cantor , sports commentator
Sergio Chejfec , writer
Mario Davidovsky , composer[10]
Alicia Dujovne Ortiz , writer
Giora Feidman , klezmer musician [2]
Movsas Feigins , chess player
Daniel Filmus , ex-Argentine Education Minister
Paulino Frydman , chess player
Juan Gelman , poet
Alberto Gerchunoff , writer[11]
Max Glücksmann , pioneer of Argentine music and film industries[12]
Osvaldo Golijov , classical composer[13]
Guillermo Israilevich , soccer player of Israeli National Team (Jewish father)
Martín Jaite , former tennis player
Guido Kaczka , actor, show host
Mauricio Kagel , classical composer
Daniel Katz , former mayor of Mar del Plata
Axel Kicillof , governor of Buenos Aires Province
León Klimovsky , film director
Miguel Lifschitz , mayor of Rosario (Jewish father)
César Milstein , immunologist, Nobel prize[14]
Marcos Mundstock , musician-humorist of the group Les Luthiers
Miguel Najdorf , chess player
Gastón Needleman , chess player
Carlos Núñez Cortés , musician-humorist of the group Les Luthiers
David Pakman , political commentator
Alicia Partnoy , writer
Raquel Partnoy , painter[15]
José Pékerman , soccer manager
Jiří Pelikán , chess player
Melina Petriella , actress
Alejandra Pizarnik , poet
Isaías Pleci , chess player
Julio Popper , engineer and colonizer of Tierra del Fuego , from Romania
Daniel Rabinovich , musician and member of Les Luthiers
Ariel Rot , musician
Cecilia Roth , actress
Lalo Schifrin , composer
Aaron Schwartzman , chess player
Diego Schwartzman , tennis player
Samuel Schweber , chess player
Ana María Shua , writer[16]
Ariel Sorín , chess player
Juan Pablo Sorín , soccer player[17]
Coti Sorokin , songwriter/musician/composer
Ana Maria Stekelman , Tango choreographer
Oscar Strasnoy , classical composer
Jorge Telerman , ex-mayor of Buenos Aires
Jacobo Timmerman , journalist
Bernardo Verbitsky , novelist[11]
Eva Verbitsky Hunt , archaeologist
Horacio Verbitsky , journalist[11]
Bernardo Wexler , chess playerDavi Alcolumbre , senator and president of the Brazilian Senate
Dina Sfat , actress
Luciano Szafir , actor
Dan Stulbach , actor
Renata Sorrah , actress
Clara Ant , political activist and presidential adviser
Jom Tob Azulay , film director
Héctor Babenco , film director
Leoncio Basbaum , physician and political activist
Eva Todor
Roberto Justus
Débora Bloch , actress
Eva Wilma , actress
Rafinha Bastos , comedian and TV host
Moysés Baumstein , holographer, film/video producer, painter, writer
Adriana Behar , beach volleyball player
Samuel Benchimol , entrepreneur and Amazon pioneer
Abraham Bentes , army commander
Daniel Benzali , TV actor
Marcelo Samuel Berman , physicist and writer
Joel Birman , writer
Eva Altman Blay , sociologist and politician
Jonas Bloch , actor
Bussunda (Claudio Besserman Vianna), comedian
Waldemar Levy Cardoso , field marshal
Boris Casoy , journalist
Otto Maria Carpeaux , literary critic
Moyses Chahon , army commander
Juca Chaves (Jurandyr Czaczkes), comedian, composer and singer
Victor Civita , journalist
Arnaldo Cohen , pianist
Gilberto Dimenstein , journalist
Alberto Dines , journalist
Dina Dublon , director
Betty Gofman
Israel Klabin
Ida Gomes
Esther Dweck , government minister
German Efromovich , entrepreneur
Benny Feilhaber professional soccer player[18]
Fortuna , singer and composer
Vilém Flusser , philosopher
Marcelo Gleiser , physicist and writer
José Goldemberg , educator, physicist and minister
Neiman Gracie , martial artist, member of the Gracie family
Fernando Grostein Andrade , cinematographer
Mario Haberfeld , racing driver
Alexandre Herchcovitch , fashion designer
Wladimir Herzog , journalist
Luciano Huck , TV show host
Roberto Justus , advertiser and TV host onde, quando/quem_onde_quando_nov_2004.htm
Isaac Karabtchevsky , musician and conductor
Jacques Klein , pianist [3]
Samuel Klein (businessman) , entrepreneur [4]
Samuel Kicis , army commander
Ithamara Koorax , jazz singer
Miguel Krigsner , entrepreneur and environmentalist
Celso Lafer , diplomat [5]
Cesar Lattes , physicist
Jaime Lerner , politician (governor Paraná state), urban planner
Alexandre Levy , musician
José Lewgoy , actor and director
Clarice Lispector , writer
Gerson Levi-Lazzaris , ethnoarchaeologist
Carlos Maltz , drummer of rock band Engenheiros do Hawaii
Luísa Mell (Marina Zatz de Camargo Zaborowsky), presenter and animal activist
Leopoldo Nachbin , mathematician
Noel Nutels , public health physician and human rights activist
Carlos Nuzman , sportsman and president of Olympic Committee [6]
Ivo Perelman , jazz saxophonist [7]
Olga Benário Prestes , German-born communist militant
Paulo Ribenboim , mathematician
Sultana Levy Rosenblatt , writer
Edmond Safra , banker [8]
Jacob Safra , banker
Joseph Safra , banker
Moise Safra , banker
Silvio Santos (Senor Abravanel), TV show host
Eduardo Saverin , co-founder and CFO of Facebook
Mario Schenberg , physicist
Moacyr Scliar , writer
Lasar Segall , artist
Ricardo Semler , entrepreneur
Alfredo Sirkis , politician and environmentalist
Amir Slama , fashion designer
Henry Sobel , rabbi, community leader
Márcio Stambowsky , martial artist, father of Neiman Gracie
Didi Wagner (Adriana Golombek Wagner), presenter
Mauricio Waldman , sociologist and politician
Yara Yavelberg , political activist
Mayana Zatz , geneticist
Benjamin Zymler , auditor-generalBaruch Arensburg , physical anthropologist
Claudio Bunster , theoretical physicist
Leo Corry , mathematician
Julián Elfenbein , journalist, television host
Daniel Emilfork , actor
Leonardo Farkas , businessman
Robert Frucht , mathematician
Rodrigo Hinzpeter , (2010–2012) Minister of Interior and Public Security
Tomás Hirsch , politician, businessman[19]
Alejandro Jodorowsky , film director[20]
Mario Luis Kreutzberger Blumenfeld , television host
Ariel Levy , actor
Nicolás Massú , tennis player[21]
Sergio Melnick , (1987–1989) Minister of Planning
Israel Polack , businessman
Karen Poniachik , (2006–2008) Minister of Mining and Energy
David Rosenmann-Taub , (1927-2023) poet and musician
Sebastián Rozental , football player[22]
Leon Schidlowsky , composer and painter
Claudio Spies , composer
Miguel Schweitzer Walters , (1983–1983) Minister of Foreign Affairs
Shmuel Szteinhendler , rabbi & Regional Director Masorti Olami Latin America
Volodia Teitelboim , lawyer, politician and author
Alberto van Klaveren , (2006–2009) Minister of Foreign RelationsMain: Colombian Jews Jorge Isaacs , poet, novelist
Andy Lassner , Colombian-American television producer
James Martin Eder , industrialist, entrepreneur, pioneer
Evaristo Sourdis Juliao , lawyer, diplomat, politic
Ramon Gomez Portillo , journalist, writer, poet
Saúl Balagura , artist, poet
Sandra Bessudo , marine biologist
Simón Brand , film director
Eliana Rubashkyn , pharmacist, chemist
John Sudarsky , senator
Diana Golden , actress, playwright
Isaac Lee , journalist, entrepreneur, television producerAlegría Hudes, Quiara , author, playwright. Wrote the book for Broadway 's musical In the Heights . Her play, Elliot, a Soldier's Fugue , was a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 2007.[23]
Sandy Alomar Sr. , father was Jewish but an agnostic who allowed his children to be brought up Catholic
Anderson, Axel , actor/director, Anderson made his debut in Puerto Rican television with a sitcom named Qué Pareja a local version of I Love Lucy
Blaine, David , magician, Blaine is also an endurance artist and Guinness Book of Records world record -holder
Brugman, Mathias , leader in Puerto Rico 's independence revolution against Spain known as El Grito de Lares (Lares' Cry)
Kaplan, Julio , Puerto Rican chess player and former world junior champion
Katz Montiel, Marco , composer for Zoey's Zoo and trombonist with Charlie Palmieri and Mon Rivera
Leavitt, Raphy , composer, director and founder of "La Selecta"
Lehman, Manny , DJ and producer
Meyers, Ari , actress, best known for her role as Emma Jane McArdle in the Kate & Allie (1984) TV series .
Ostow, Micol , author of "Emily Goldberg Learns to Salsa" and "Mind Your Manners, Dick and Jane".
Phoenix, Joaquin , actor, was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor , Gladiator in 2000 and in 2005, he was nominated for the Best Actor Oscar , and won a Golden Globe in the same category in 2006 for his role as Johnny Cash in Walk the Line
Rivera, Geraldo , journalist
Sally Jessy Raphael , syndicated talk show host
Seijo, Jorge , Puerto Rican radio and television personality
Starr, Brenda K. , salsa singer, her seventh album, Atrevete a Olvidarme , titled, "Tu Eres" earned her a nomination by the Billboard Latin Music Awards in 2006
Snyder, Aaron Cecil , Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico
Tassler, Nina , President of CBS Entertainment.[24]
Ticotin, Rachel , actress, starred in Critical Condition , Where the Day Takes You Falling Down Total Recall and in Con Air , where she earned an ALMA Award for her role as prison guard Sally Bishop
Ticotin, Sahaj , vocalist /guitarist from the rock band Ra [25] Main: Venezuelan Jews Harry Abend , sculptor
Lolita Aniyar de Castro , lawyer and politician
Ivonne Attas , actress and politician
Huáscar Barradas , flutist, composer
Baruj Benacerraf , immunologist, Nobel Prize in Medicine,1980
Margot Benacerraf , film director
Sara Bendahan , Venezuelan physician who was the first Venezuelan woman to complete her medical degree in Venezuela
Amador Bendayán , actor, comedian
Alegría Bendayán de Bendelac , writer, professor and poet
Jose Beracasa Anram , entrepreneur, sportman
Manuel Blum , computer scientist,
Jacques Braunstein , economist, publicist, disc jockey
Carlos Brandt , writer, philosopher
Pynchas Brener , Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Caracas
Jacobo Brender, writer
Vytas Brenner , composer, musician
Gerardo Budowski , chess master
Miguel Ángel Capriles Ayala , journalist
Ilan Chester , composer, pop singer
Isaac Chocron , writer
Salomon Cohen Levy , engineer
Leo Corry , mathematician
Elias David Curiel , poet
Susana Duijm , Miss World 1955, model, actress
Daniel Elbittar , actor, model and entertainer
Sammy Eppel , internationalist
Paulina Gamus , politician
Gego , sculptor
Alicia Freilich , writer, novelist, journalist
Reynaldo Hahn , composer (Jewish father)
Joanna Hausmann , comedian, YouTuber
Michel Hausmann , theater director and producer
Ricardo Hausmann , politician, professor, academic
Lya Imber (Odessa, Ukraine, 1914-Caracas, 1981), the first woman in Venezuela to obtain the degree of Doctor of Medicine (Paediatrics & Child Care Specialist) and the first female member of the board of the Medical School of the Federal District.[26]
Sofía Ímber , journalist
Jonathan Jakubowicz , film director, writer, and producer[27]
Karina , pop singer
Moisés Kaufman , screenwriter, director
Betty Kaplan , film director
Geula Kohen Moradov , painter
Ruth de Krivoy , former president of the Central Bank of Venezuela
Andres Levin , musician
Ivan Lansberg, lawyer
Julio Lobo , sugar trader and financier
Yucef Merhi , artist, poet
Moisés Naím , journalist, economist
Elias Mocatta , banker, financer
Isaac J Pardo , writer, poet
Jacobo Penzo , film director
Teodoro Petkoff , guerrilla fighter and politician, journalist, economist
L. Rafael Reif , engineer, president of Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Flor Roffé de Estévez , composer and writer
Ángel Rosenblat , philologist
Maurice Ruah , tennis player
Eduardo Schlageter , painter
Veronica Schneider , actress
David Smolansky , politician, Voluntad Popular , mayor of El Hatillo, Miranda State.
Henrique Salas Römer , politician, former Carabobo State governor
Leon Schorr , master chess player
Ariel Segal , writer and scholar, correspondent of BBC in Israel
Isaac Senior, trader founder of Casa Senior of Coro
Rosalinda Serfaty , actress
Shirley Varnagy , journalist, Globovisión TV host
Abdul Vas , contemporary artist
Ernesto Villegas Poljak , journalist, politician
Vladimir Villegas Poljak , journalist, politician
Geula Zylberman , abstract painter
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