The 50 most influential Jews of the year

Photo by: Courtesy

Netanyahu’s fate, however, lies in the hands of Attorney-General Avichai Mandelblit, who is due to decide within the next few months whether or not to indict him in one or more cases involving alleged corruption. That’s why Mandelblit tops our list of influential Jews this year, followed by Netanyahu. Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump, who led last year’s list, retain huge influence over President Trump, perhaps the most powerful person on the planet, and are in third place. Following them is the US ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, the man primarily responsible for the historic decision to move the American Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, on May 14, 70 years after the establishment of the State. To highlight his special role, this special supplement features a fascinating interview with Friedman by diplomatic correspondent Herb Keinon. We don’t expect our readers to agree with all our choices, but we hope to provide food for thought and discussion over the High Holy Days.  As Shimon Peres once told me, it’s our job to tell our readers what (or in this case who) to think about, and not what to think.

Mazal tov to all those on this list, and shana tova to all our readers!

50 Most Influential Jews:

1.      Avichai Mandelblit

2.      Benjamin Netanyahu

3.      Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump

4.      David Friedman

5.      Maggie Haberman

6.      Steve Mnuchin

7.      Audrey Azulay

8.      Ayelet Shaked

9.      Ronald Lauder

10.    Gal Gadot

11.    Naftali Bennett and Avigdor Liberman

12.    Yossi Cohen and Gadi Eisenkot

13.    Ruth Bader-Ginsberg, Elana Kagan, and Stephen Breyer

14.    Michael Cohen

15.    Isaac Herzog

16.    Sheldon Adelson

17.    Claudia Sheinbaum

18.    Miri Regev

19.    Esther Hayut

20.    Reuven Rivlin

21.    Ron Dermer and Danny Danon

22.    Roman Abramovich

23.    Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg

24.    Avi Gabbay and Yair Lapid

25.    Gilad Erdan, Gideon Sa’ar and Israel Katz

26.    Benny Gantz and Gabi Ashkenazi

27.    Netta Barzilai

28.    Luciana Berger

29.    Natalie Portman

30.    Russell Robinson

31.    Rabbi Berl Lazar and Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt 

32.    Howard Kohr

33.    Simone Zimmerman

34.    Shari Arison

35.    Sylvan Adams

36.    Nitzana Darshan-Leitner

37.    Danny Atar

38.    Mayim Bialik

39.    Shiri Maimon

40.    Marie van der Zyl

41.    Wendy Kahn

42.    Dr. Shmuel Rosenman and Phyllis Greenberg Heideman

43.    Bini Zomer

44.    Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch

45.    Bonnie Hammer

46.    Sivan Rahav Meir

47.    Gidi Mark

48.    Haim Saban

49.    Or Na’aman

50.    Nicole Krauss

HONORARY ADDITION Mike Evans

As we begin the Jewish New Year 5779, it’s more difficult than ever before to predict what will happen in our rapidly changing world, and who will most impact Israel, the Jewish world and the world at large. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been the powerful leader of the Jewish state for more than 12 years, and wields significant influence with a range of global leaders from US President Donald Trump to Russian President Vladimir Putin.