Here is a list of some prominent

Caribbean The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean Se ...

Jew Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""Th ...

s, arranged by country of origin.

Antigua and Barbuda

Jamaica Kincaid Jamaica Kincaid (; born May 25, 1949) is an Antiguan-American novelist, essayist, gardener, and gardening writer. She was born in St. John's, Antigua (part of the twin-island nation of Antigua and Barbuda). She lives in North Bennington, Vermo ...

(1949-), writer, converted to Judaism

Aruba

Henny Eman Jan Hendrik Albert "Henny" Eman (born 20 March 1948) is an Aruban retired politician. He was the first Prime Minister of Aruba from 1 January 1986 to 9 February 1989 and again from 29 July 1994 to 30 October 2001. Introduction Jan Hendrik Albe ...

(1948-), Prime Minister *

Mike Eman Michiel Godfried "Mike" Eman (born September 1, 1961) is an Aruban politician who served as the 3rd Prime Minister of Aruba from 2009 to 2017. His political career began in 2001, but Eman has been involved in politics in one way or another since ...

(1961-), Prime Minister

Cuba

Ruth Behar Ruth Behar (born 1956) is a Cuban-American anthropologist and writer.Ruth Beh ...

(1956-), writer *

José Antonio Bowen José Antonio Bowen (born March 11, 1962) is an American author and academic. He served as the 11th president of Goucher College from 2014 to 2019. Early life and education Bowen was born in Woodland, California, to Wayne Bowen and Celina Anto ...

(1962-), jazz musician and president of

Goucher College Goucher College ( ') is a private liberal arts college in Towson, Maryland. It was chartered in 1885 by a conference in Baltimore led by namesake John F. Goucher and local leaders of the Methodist Episcopal Church.https://archive.org/details/h ...

Fabio Grobart Fabio Grobart (born Abraham Grobart, August 30, 1905 – 22 October 1994; also known as Antonio Blanco and Abraham Simjovitch) was a Marxist-Leninist revolutionary and politician who played an important role in the 1959 Cuban Revolution that over ...

(1905-1994), Communist Party co-founder *

Olga Guillot Olga Guillot (October 9, 1922 – July 12, 2010) was a Cuban singer who was known as the "Queen of Bolero". She was a native of Santiago de Cuba. Biography Daughter of Catalan-Jewish immigrants who moved to Cuba, her father was a tailor and her ...

(1922-2010), singer *

José Miller Dr. Josie Miller (1925, Yaguajay, Cuba - February 27, 2006, Havana) was the leader of the Jewish community of Cuba for 25 years, from 1981 when the community was tiny and endangered, through the 1990s during which they returned to vigorous growth an ...

(1925-2006), leader of the Cuban Jewish community * Meyer Rosenbaum (1910-1997), Rabbi and spiritual leader * William Levy (1980-), actor in American film & TV, quarter Jewish

Curaçao

* Rebecca Cohen Henriquez (1864-1935), philanthropist *

George Maduro George John Lionel Maduro (15 July 1916 – 8 February 1945) was a Dutch law student who served as an officer in the 1940 Battle of the Netherlands and distinguished himself in repelling the German attack on The Hague. He was posthumously awar ...

(1916-1940), *

Daniel De Leon Daniel De Leon (; December 14, 1852 – May 11, 1914), alternatively spelt Daniel de León, was a Curaçaoan-American socialist newspaper editor, politician, Marxist theoretician, and trade union organizer. He is regarded as the forefather o ...

(1852-1940), socialist leader

Dominican Republic

Oscar Haza Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to: People * Oscar (given name), an Irish- and English-language name also used in other languages; the article includes the names Oskar, Oskari, Oszkár, Óscar, and other forms. * Oscar (Irish mythology), ...

(1954-), journalist * Francisco Henríquez y Carvajal (1859–1935), Dominican President *

Pedro Henríquez Ureña Pedro Henríquez Ureña (June 29, 1884 – May 11, 1946) was a Dominican essayist, philosopher, humanist, philologist and literary critic. Biography Early works Pedro Henríquez Ureña was born in Santo Domingo, the third of four siblings. He ...

(1884–1946), academic and writer

Guyana

Janet Jagan Janet Rosenberg Jagan (October 20, 1920 – March 28, 2009) was a U.S.-born Guyanese politician who served as the President of Guyana, serving from December 19, 1997, to August 11, 1999. She was the first female President of Guyana. She previous ...

(1920-2009), née Rosenberg, president (1997–99)Rohter, Larry
"A Guyana Favorite: U.S.-Born Grandmother"
''The New York Times'', 14 December 1997.

Haiti

Eric André Eric Samuel André (born April 4, 1983) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, producer, television host and writer. He is best known as the creator, host, and co-writer of the Adult Swim comedy series ''The Eric Andre Show'' (2012–present). ...

(1983-), actor, comedian, and television host, dual American citizen star of

The Eric Andre Show ''The Eric Andre Show'' is an American surreal sketch comedy television series which began airing on May 20, 2012. The show premiered on Adult Swim and is a parody of late night talk shows. The series is hosted by comedian Eric André and formerl ...

Bad Trip A bad trip (also known as challenging experiences, acute intoxication from hallucinogens, psychedelic crisis, or emergence phenomenon) is an acute adverse psychological reaction to classic hallucinogens. With proper screening, preparation, and su ...

Gilbert Bigio Gilbert Bigio is a retired Haitian businessman. He is the founder of GB Group and Haiti's only billionaire. He was sanctioned by the Government of Canada for his involvement in arms trafficking and human rights violations in Haiti. Bigio is als ...

(1935-), businessman billionaire of

Syria Syria ( ar, سُورِيَا or سُورِيَة, translit=Sūriyā), officially the Syrian Arab Republic ( ar, الجمهورية العربية السورية, al-Jumhūrīyah al-ʻArabīyah as-Sūrīyah), is a Western Asian country loc ...

n descent and Israeli honorary consul in Haiti *

Luis de Torres Luis de Torres (died 1493) was Christopher Columbus's interpreter on his first voyage to America. De Torres was a converso, apparently born Yosef ben HaLevi HaIvri chosen by Columbus for his knowledge of Hebrew, Chaldaic, and Arabic. After arriv ...

(-1493), one of the first Jews to settle on Haiti, and also

Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus * lij, Cristoffa C(or)ombo * es, link=no, Cristóbal Colón * pt, Cristóvão Colombo * ca, Cristòfor (or ) * la, Christophorus Columbus. (; born between 25 August and 31 October 1451, died 20 May 1506) was a ...

's interpreter *

Monique Péan Monique Péan (born wikt:circa, c. 1981) is an American artist whose practice is focused on fine jewelry, sculpture, painting and furniture. Her studio is based in New York City. Her work explores themes of space, temporality, identity, and origin ...

(1981-), fine

jewelry designer Jewellery design is the art or profession of designing and creating jewellery. This is one of civilization's earliest forms of decoration, dating back at least 7,000 years to the oldest known human societies in Indus Valley Civilization, Mesop ...

* Sol (1988-), hip hop musician

Jamaica

Ivan Barrow Ivanhoe Mordecai Barrow (6 January 1911 – 2 April 1979) was a Jamaican cricketer who played 11 Tests for the West Indies. Barrow was born to Hyam and Mamie Barrow, two Sephardic Jews on 6 January 1911, a twin to Frank Norton Barrow. He attend ...

(1911-1979),

cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by striki ...

er who played 11

Tests Test(s), testing, or TEST may refer to: * Test (assessment), an educational assessment intended to measure the respondents' knowledge or other abilities Arts and entertainment * ''Test'' (2013 film), an American film * ''Test'' (2014 film), ...

for the

West Indies The West Indies is a subregion of North America, surrounded by the North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea that includes 13 independent island countries and 18 dependencies and other territories in three major archipelagos: the Greater A ...

. *

Chris Blackwell Christopher Percy Gordon Blackwell (born 22 June 1937) is an English businessman and former record producer, and the founder of Island Records, which has been called "one of Britain's great independent labels". According to the Rock and Roll ...

(1937-), founder of

Island Records Island Records is a multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It was founded in 1959 by Chris Blackwell, Graeme Goodall, and Leslie Kong in Jamaica, and was eventually sold to PolyGram in 1989. Island and A&M Records, anoth ...

Jacob De Cordova Jacob Raphael De Cordova (6 June 1808 – 26 January 1868) was the founder of the ''Jamaica Gleaner''. He settled in Texas in 1839 and lived in Galveston. After living in Galveston, De Cordova moved to Houston, Texas where he was elected ...

(1808–1868), the founder of the

Jamaica Gleaner ''The Gleaner'' is an English-language, morning daily newspaper founded by two brothers, Jacob and Joshua de Cordova on 13 September 1834 in Kingston, Jamaica. Originally called the ''Daily Gleaner'', the name was changed on 7 December 1992 to ' ...

Leander de Cordova Leander de Cordova (5 December 1877 – 19 September 1969) was a Jamaican-born American actor and film director. He was the brother of Rudolph de Cordova. He was the son of Altamont de Cordova and Katherine Lewis. He was also the grandnep ...

(1877–1969), Jamaican-born actor and film director, grandnephew of

Jacob de Cordova Jacob Raphael De Cordova (6 June 1808 – 26 January 1868) was the founder of the ''Jamaica Gleaner''. He settled in Texas in 1839 and lived in Galveston. After living in Galveston, De Cordova moved to Houston, Texas where he was elected ...

* Rudolph de Cordova (1860–1941), a Jamaican-born British writer, screenwriter and actor. *

Lewis Gordon Lewis Ricardo Gordon (born May 12, 1962) is an American philosopher at the University of Connecticut who works in the areas of Africana philosophy, existentialism, phenomenology, social and political theory, postcolonial thought, theories of ...

(1962-), philosopher * Isaac Mendes Belisario (1795-1849), artist Tim Barringer, Gillian Forrester, Barbaro Martinez-Ruiz (eds), ''Art and Emancipation in Jamaica: Belisario and his Worlds'', Yale Center for British Art, 2007. *

Sean Paul Sean Paul Ryan Francis Henriques OD (born 9 January 1973) is a Jamaican rapper and singer who is regarded as one of dancehall's most prolific artists. Paul's singles "Get Busy" and "Temperature" topped the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart in the ...

(1973-), singer, quarter Jewish *

Frank Silvera Frank Alvin Silvera (July 24, 1914 – June 11, 1970) was a Jamaican-born American character actor and theatrical director. Born in Kingston, Jamaica and raised in Boston, Silvera dropped out of law school in 1934 after winning his first stage ...

(1914-1970), actor in American film & TV

Killer's Kiss ''Killer's Kiss'' is a 1955 American crime film noir directed by Stanley Kubrick and written by Kubrick and Howard Sackler. It is the second feature film directed by Kubrick, following his 1953 debut feature '' Fear and Desire''. The film stars ...

& Hombre, founder of Theatre of Being, half Jewish *

Louis Simpson Louis Aston Marantz Simpson (March 27, 1923 – September 14, 2012) was an American poet born in Jamaica. He won the 1964 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry for his work ''At the End of the Open Road''. Life and career Simpson was born in Jamaica ...

(1923-2012), poet, half Jewish *

Yehoshua Sofer :''Yehoshua Sofer is also the name of a victim of the June 2010 West Bank shooting.'' Yehoshua Sofer ( he, יהושע סופר) is an Israeli-Jamaican hip hop and rap artist, and a martial artist. Biography He was born in 1958 in Jamaica and h ...

(1958-), Jamaican-born Israeli hip hop and rap artist, also a martial artist & trainer.

Martinique

Puerto Rico

Quiara Alegría Hudes Quiara Alegría Hudes (born 1977) is an American playwright, producer, lyricist and essayist. She is best known for writing the libretto, book for the musical theatre, musical ''In the Heights,'' and screenplay for In the Heights (film), its film ...

(1977-), author, playwright. Wrote the book for

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film and television, a genre of film and television that incorporates into the narr ...

In the Heights ''In the Heights'' is a musical theatre, musical with concept, music, and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda and a Book (musical theatre), book by Quiara Alegría Hudes. The story is set over the course of three days, involving characters in the larg ...

. Her play, ''Elliot, a Soldier's Fugue'', was a

Pulitzer Prize The Pulitzer Prize () is an award for achievements in newspaper, magazine, online journalism, literature, and musical composition within the United States. It was established in 1917 by provisions in the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made h ...

finalist in 2007. *

Sandy Alomar Sr. Santos "Sandy" Alomar Conde Sr. (; ; born October 19, 1943) is a Puerto Rican former second baseman who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for fourteen seasons. Alomar was a switch-hitter and threw right-handed. He is the father of former Ma ...

(1943-), Baseball player, father was Jewish but an agnostic who allowed his children to be brought up as a Catholic *

Axel Anderson Axel Anderson (December 11, 1929 – December 16, 2012) was a German actor who was very popular in his adopted homeland of Puerto Rico. Biography Early life Anderson was born Axel Levy to a Jewish family in Berlin, Germany. In 1936 Anderson's f ...

(1929-2012), German-born actor/director, Anderson made his debut in Puerto Rican

television Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertisin ...

with a

sitcom A sitcom, a portmanteau of situation comedy, or situational comedy, is a genre of comedy centered on a fixed set of characters who mostly carry over from episode to episode. Sitcoms can be contrasted with sketch comedy, where a troupe may use ne ...

named ''Qué Pareja'' a local version of

I Love Lucy ''I Love Lucy'' is an American television sitcom that originally aired on CBS from October 15, 1951, to May 6, 1957, with a total of 180 half-hour episodes, spanning six seasons. The show starred Lucille Ball, her husband, Desi Arnaz, along with ...

. *

David Blaine David Blaine (born April 4, 1973) is an American illusionist, endurance artist, and extreme performer. He is best known for his high-profile feats of endurance and has set and broken several world records. Early life Blaine was born and ra ...

(1978-), magician, Blaine is also an

endurance artist Endurance (also related to sufferance, resilience, constitution, fortitude, and hardiness) is the ability of an organism to exert itself and remain active for a long period of time, as well as its ability to resist, withstand, recover from a ...

and

Guinness Book of Records ''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a reference book published annually, listing world ...

world record A world record is usually the best global and most important performance that is ever recorded and officially verified in a specific skill, sport, or other kind of activity. The book ''Guinness World Records'' and other world records organization ...

-holder, American born, half Jewish. *

Mathias Brugman Mathias Brugman (birth name: Mathias Brugman Duliebre) (January 3, 1811 – September 30, 1868), a.k.a. Mathias Bruckman, was a leader in Puerto Rico's independence revolution against Spain known as El Grito de Lares (English: ''The Cry of Lares' ...

(1811-1866), was a leader in

Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and Unincorporated ...

's independence revolution against

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

known as El Grito de Lares (Lares' Cry), half Jewish *

Julio Kaplan Julio Argentino Kaplan Pera (born 25 July 1950, Argentina) is a Puerto Rican chess player, former world junior chess champion as well as software developer and founder of Heuristic Software. Born in Argentina, he emigrated in 1964 to Puert ...

(1950-), Argentina-born chess player and former world junior champion. *

Raphy Leavitt Raphy Leavitt (September 17, 1948 – August 5, 2015) was a Puerto Rican composer and founder of the salsa orchestra, La Selecta. Early years Rafael Angel Leavitt Rey, born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, was the second of four siblings in his family ...

(1948-2015), composer, director and founder of "La Selecta" *

Ari Meyers Ari Meyers (born April 6, 1969) is an American former actress. She played the role of Emma Jane McArdle in the television series ''Kate & Allie'' (1984). Early years Meyers (birth name: Ariadne Meyer) was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, to Jewi ...

(1969-), actress, Best known for her role as Emma Jane McArdle in the ''

Kate & Allie ''Kate & Allie'' is an American sitcom television series that aired on CBS from March 19, 1984 to May 22, 1989, starring Susan Saint James and Jane Curtin as two divorced women, both with children, who decide to live together in the same house. ...

'' (1984)

TV series A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, or cable, excluding breaking news, advertisements, or trailers that are typically placed betw ...

, born but not raised in Puerto Rico *

Joaquin Phoenix Joaquin Rafael Phoenix (; né Bottom; born October 28, 1974) is an American actor. He is known for playing dark and unconventional characters in independent films. He has received various accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academ ...

(1974-), actor, won Best Actor Oscar (for Joker), was nominated for the

Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor The Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It is given in honor of an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a supporting role while worki ...

, ''

Gladiator A gladiator ( la, gladiator, "swordsman", from , "sword") was an armed combatant who entertained audiences in the Roman Republic and Roman Empire in violent confrontations with other gladiators, wild animals, and condemned criminals. Some gla ...

'' in 2000 and in 2005, he was nominated for the Best Actor Oscar, and won a

Golden Globe The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of t ...

in the same category in 2006 for his role as

Johnny Cash John R. Cash (born J. R. Cash; February 26, 1932 – September 12, 2003) was an American country singer-songwriter. Much of Cash's music contained themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption, especially in the later stages of his ca ...

in ''

Walk the Line ''Walk the Line'' is a 2005 American biographical musical romantic drama film directed by James Mangold. The screenplay, written by Mangold and Gill Dennis, is based on two autobiographies authored by singer-songwriter Johnny Cash, 1975's '' Man ...

''. *

Geraldo Rivera Geraldo Rivera (born Gerald Riviera; July 4, 1943) is an American journalist, attorney, author, political commentator, and former television host. He hosted the tabloid talk show '' Geraldo'' from 1987 to 1998. He gained publicity with the liv ...

(1943-), journalist, half Jewish New York City born *

Jorge Seijo Jorge E. Seijo Figueroa (born 1942) is a radio and television personality. Early years Seijo was born and lived most of his life in Vega Alta, Puerto Rico. At the age of 16 he started his radio career in Manatí, Puerto Rico at a local station, W ...

(1942-) Puerto Rican radio and television personality * A. Cecil Snyder (1907-1959) Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico, continual US born

Suriname

Edgar Davids Edgar Steven Davids (; born 13 March 1973) is a Dutch-Surinamese former professional footballer and current coach. After beginning his career with Ajax, winning several domestic and international titles, he subsequently played in Italy for AC Mi ...

(1973-), footballer (Jewish grandmother) *

Jacques Judah Lyons Jacques Judah Lyons (August 25, 1814 - August 12, 1877) was a Surinamese-born American rabbi. He was a co-founder of the Mount Sinai Hospital. Biography Lyons was a son of Judah and Mary Lyons, and born in Surinam on August 25, 1814. He received ...

(1814-1877), rabbi, later immigrated to the United States of America *

Pim de la Parra Pim de la Parra (born 5 January 1940) is a Surinamese-Dutch film director. Between 1967 and 1976, he directed films under the independent production company Scorpio Films with Dutch film director Wim Verstappen, who manages all of its achievemen ...

(1940-), film maker

Trinidad and Tobago

US Virgin Islands

Gabriel Milan Gabriel Milan ( – 26 March 1689) was a German-born colonial administrator and planter who served as governor of the Danish West Indies from 7 May 1684 to 27 February 1686. Though he mainly went by the name of 'Gabriel Milan', he identified h ...

(1631–1689), Governor of the Danish West Indies (U.S. Virgin Islands) *

Judah Benjamin Judah Philip Benjamin, QC (August 6, 1811 – May 6, 1884) was a United States senator from Louisiana, a Cabinet officer of the Confederate States and, after his escape to the United Kingdom at the end of the American Civil War, an English ba ...

(1811-1844), US & Confederate politician *

Ralph Moses Paiewonsky Ralph Moses Paiewonsky (November 9, 1907 in Saint Thomas, Danish West Indies – November 9, 1991, in Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands) was a businessman and politician who served as the ninth civilian governor of the United States Virgin Islan ...

(1907-1991), Businessman, Politician and Governor *

Camille Pissarro Jacob Abraham Camille Pissarro ( , ; 10 July 1830 – 13 November 1903) was a Danish-French Impressionist and Neo-Impressionist painter born on the island of Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, St Thomas (now in the US Virgin Islands, but t ...

(1807-1903), artist *

David Levy Yulee David Levy Yulee (born David Levy; June 12, 1810 – October 10, 1886) was an American politician and attorney. Born on the island of St. Thomas, then under British control, he was of Sephardic Jewish ancestry: His father was a Sephardi from Mo ...

(1810-1866), US politician

References

{{Reflist

Caribbean Jews The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean Se ...

Jews Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...

Jews,Caribbean