This article lists nations, groups or tribes, as well as notable individuals, who have converted to

Judaism Judaism ( he, ''Yahăḏūṯ'') is an Abrahamic, monotheistic, and ethnic religion comprising the collective religious, cultural, and legal tradition and civilization of the Jewish people. It has its roots as an organized religion in the ...

. This article does not differentiate between the different branches of Judaism. See also

Who is a Jew? "Who is a Jew?" ( he, מיהו יהודי ) is a basic question about Jewish identity and considerations of Jewish self-identification. The question pertains to ideas about Jewish personhood, which have cultural, ethnic, religious, political, ...

on issues related to the acceptance of conversions throughout the

Jewish 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 ...

community. A number of prominent celebrities, such as

Madonna Madonna Louise Ciccone (; ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Widely dubbed the " Queen of Pop", Madonna has been noted for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, a ...

Demi Moore Demi Gene Moore ( ; née Guynes; born November 11, 1962) is an American actress. After making her film debut in 1981, Moore appeared on the soap opera ''General Hospital'' (1982–1984) and subsequently gained recognition as a member of the Bra ...

, and

Ariana Grande Ariana Grande-Butera ( ; born June 26, 1993) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Her four-octave vocal range has received critical acclaim, and her personal life has been the subject of widespread media attention. She has received ...

have become followers of a "new age" version of

Kabbalah Kabbalah ( he, קַבָּלָה ''Qabbālā'', literally "reception, tradition") is an esoteric method, discipline and Jewish theology, school of thought in Jewish mysticism. A traditional Kabbalist is called a Mekubbal ( ''Məqūbbāl'' "rece ...

(see

Kabbalah Centre The Kabbalah Centre International is a non-profit organizationworldwide located in Los Angeles, California that provides courses on the Zohar and Kabbalistic teachings online as well as through its regional and city-based centers and study groups ...

), derived from the body of Jewish

mystical Mysticism is popularly known as becoming one with God or the Absolute, but may refer to any kind of ecstasy or altered state of consciousness which is given a religious or spiritual meaning. It may also refer to the attainment of insight in u ...

teaching also called Kabbalah, but do not consider themselves – and are not considered – Jewish.

Converted nations, groups or tribes

Converted nations, groups or tribes from non-Abrahamic religions

* Conversions throughout the Babylonian, Persian, Hellenistic and

Roman Empire The Roman Empire ( la, Imperium Romanum ; grc-gre, Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων, Basileía tôn Rhōmaíōn) was the post-Republican period of ancient Rome. As a polity, it included large territorial holdings around the Mediterr ...

periods (actual numbers and extent of proselytization disputed) *

Idumeans Edom (; Edomite: ; he, אֱדוֹם , lit.: "red"; Akkadian: , ; Ancient Egyptian: ) was an ancient kingdom in Transjordan, located between Moab to the northeast, the Arabah to the west, and the Arabian Desert to the south and east. ...

(disputed),

Edom Edom (; Edomite: ; he, אֱדוֹם , lit.: "red"; Akkadian: , ; Ancient Egyptian: ) was an ancient kingdom in Transjordan, located between Moab to the northeast, the Arabah to the west, and the Arabian Desert to the south and east.N ...

, 2nd century BCE, conquered and converted by

John Hyrcanus John Hyrcanus (; ''Yōḥānān Hurqanōs''; grc, Ἰωάννης Ὑρκανός, Iōánnēs Hurkanós) was a Hasmonean ( Maccabean) leader and Jewish high priest of the 2nd century BCE (born 164 BCE, reigned from 134 BCE until his death in ...

* * * * * * *

Ituraeans Iturea ( grc, Ἰτουραία, ''Itouraía'') is the Greek name of a Levantine region north of Galilee during the Late Hellenistic and early Roman periods. It extended from Mount Lebanon across the plain of Marsyas to the Anti-Lebanon Mountai ...

(disputed), Lebanon and Syria, 2nd century BCE, who according to

Josephus Flavius Josephus (; grc-gre, Ἰώσηπος, ; 37 – 100) was a first-century Romano-Jewish historian and military leader, best known for ''The Jewish War'', who was born in Jerusalem—then part of Roman Judea—to a father of priestly d ...

, were conquered and converted by

Aristobulus I Judah Aristobulus I or Aristobulus I (; el, Ἀριστόβουλος, Aristóboulos) was the first Hasmonean king of Judaea from 104 BCE until his death in 103 BCE. He was the eldest of the five sons of John Hyrcanus, the previous leader. Joseph ...

Adiabene Adiabene was an ancient kingdom in northern Mesopotamia, corresponding to the northwestern part of ancient Assyria. The size of the kingdom varied over time; initially encompassing an area between the Zab Rivers, it eventually gained control of Ni ...

, northern Iraq, 1st century **

Helena Helena may refer to: People *Helena (given name), a given name (including a list of people and characters with the name) *Katri Helena (born 1945), Finnish singer *Helena, mother of Constantine I Places Greece * Helena (island) Guyana * ...

, queen of

, from traditional Greek religion **

Izates bar Monobaz Izates II (Greek: Ἰζάτης, he, זוטוס בן מונבז; ca. 1-54 CE) was king of the Parthian client kingdom of Adiabene from approximately 30 to 54. He is notable for converting to Judaism. He was the son of Queen Helena of Adiabene and ...

, king of

, from a Persian or Mideastern religion ** Symacho, wife of Izates bar Monobaz, from a Persian or Mideastern religion **

Monobaz II Monobazus II was the son of Queen Helena of Adiabene and King Monobazus I. He is known as Monobaz in the Babylonian Talmud. Like his younger brother Izates bar Monobazus and his mother, Monobazus became a convert to Judaism. He ruled as king of A ...

, king of

, from a Persian or Mideastern religion *

Khazars The Khazars ; he, כּוּזָרִים, Kūzārīm; la, Gazari, or ; zh, 突厥曷薩 ; 突厥可薩 ''Tūjué Kěsà'', () were a semi-nomadic Turkic people that in the late 6th-century CE established a major commercial empire coverin ...

(disputed), a semi-nomadic Turkic people from Central Asia (historical

Khazaria The Khazars ; he, כּוּזָרִים, Kūzārīm; la, Gazari, or ; zh, 突厥曷薩 ; 突厥可薩 ''Tūjué Kěsà'', () were a semi-nomadic Turkic people that in the late 6th-century CE established a major commercial empire coverin ...

), many of whom converted to Judaism en masse in the 8th and 9th centuries CE from a Khazar religion ** Bulan, king of the

, from a traditional Khazar religion *

Samaw'al ibn 'Adiya As-Samaw’al bin ‘Ādiyā’ ( ar, السموأل بن عادياء بن رفاعة بن الحارث بن كعب / he, שמואל בן עדיה) was an Arabian poet and warrior, esteemed by the Arabs for his loyalty, which was commemorated ...

and his clan *

Himyarite Kingdom The Himyarite Kingdom ( ar, مملكة حِمْيَر, Mamlakat Ḥimyar, he, ממלכת חִמְיָר), or Himyar ( ar, حِمْيَر, ''Ḥimyar'', / 𐩹𐩧𐩺𐩵𐩬) ( fl. 110 BCE–520s CE), historically referred to as the Homerit ...

, Yemen, 6th century **

Tub'a Abu Kariba As'ad Abū Karib As’ad al-Kāmil, ( ar, أسعد الكامل), called "Abū Karīb", full name: Abu Karib As'ad ibn Hassān Maliki Karib Yuha'min, was king (Tubba', ar, تُبَّع) of the Himyarite Kingdom (modern day Yemen). He ruled Yemen from ...

, from Arabian religion, Himyarite king of Yemen; ruled Yemen 390–420 CE **

Dhu Nuwas Dhū Nuwās, ( ar, ذُو نُوَاس), real name "Yūsuf Asʾar Yathʾar" ( Musnad: 𐩺𐩥𐩪𐩰 𐩱𐩪𐩱𐩧 𐩺𐩻𐩱𐩧, ''Yws¹f ʾs¹ʾr Yṯʾr''), "Yosef Nu'as" ( he, יוסף נואס), or "Yūsuf ibn Sharhabīl" ( ar, يُ� ...

, king of

Yemen Yemen (; ar, ٱلْيَمَن, al-Yaman), officially the Republic of Yemen,, ) is a country in Western Asia. It is situated on the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula, and borders Saudi Arabia to the Saudi Arabia–Yemen border, north and ...

, from a Mideastern religion *

Kingdom of Semien The Kingdom of Simien ( he, ממלכת סאמיאן), sometimes referred to as the Kingdom of Beta Israel ( he, ממלכת ביתא ישראל, label=none), refers to a probably legendary Jewish kingdom said to have been located in the northwester ...

, Ethiopia, 4th century * Multiple

Berber Berber or Berbers may refer to: Ethnic group * Berbers, an ethnic group native to Northern Africa * Berber languages, a family of Afro-Asiatic languages Places * Berber, Sudan, a town on the Nile People with the surname * Ady Berber (1913–196 ...

tribes noted by

Ibn Khaldun Ibn Khaldun (; ar, أبو زيد عبد الرحمن بن محمد بن خلدون الحضرمي, ; 27 May 1332 – 17 March 1406, 732-808 AH) was an Arab The Historical Muhammad', Irving M. Zeitlin, (Polity Press, 2007), p. 21; "It is, of ...

, including the

Jarawa Jarawa may refer to: * Jarawas (Andaman Islands), one of the indigenous peoples of the Andaman Islands ** Jarawa language (Andaman Islands) * Jarawa (Berber tribe), a Berber tribal confederacy that flourished in northwest Africa during the seventh ...

, and possibly the warrior queen

Kahina Al-Kahina ( ar, الكاهنة, , the diviner), also known as Dihya, was a Berber queen of the Aurès and a religious and military leader who led indigenous resistance to the Muslim conquest of the Maghreb, the region then known as Numidia notably ...

and her tribe. northwest Africa, 7th century, disputed *

Banu Qurayza The Banu Qurayza ( ar, بنو قريظة, he, בני קוריט'ה; alternate spellings include Quraiza, Qurayzah, Quraytha, and the archaic Koreiza) were a Jewish tribe which lived in northern Arabia, at the oasis of Yathrib (now known as M ...

and

Banu Nadir The Banu Nadir ( ar, بَنُو ٱلنَّضِير, he, בני נצ'יר) were a Jewish Arab tribe which lived in northern Arabia at the oasis of Medina until the 7th century. The tribe refused to convert to Islam as Muhammad had ordered it to d ...

, Arab Tribes who converted to Judaism when Jews arrived in Hijaz after Second Jewish-Roman Wars, Arab tribes were interested in Judaism which was brought by Jews. Later, they adopted and claimed to be

Israelites The Israelites (; , , ) were a group of Semitic-speaking tribes in the ancient Near East who, during the Iron Age, inhabited a part of Canaan. The earliest recorded evidence of a people by the name of Israel appears in the Merneptah Stele o ...

. They were Arabian origins still believed sons of god concept from indigenous polytheistic beliefs.

Converted nations, groups or tribes from Christianity

Abayudaya The Abayudaya (''Abayudaya'' is Luganda for "People of Judah") are a community in eastern Uganda, near the town of Mbale, who practice Judaism. They are devout in their practice, keeping kashrut and observing Shabbat. There are several differ ...

Bnei Menashe The Bnei Menashe ( he, בני מנשה, "Children of Menasseh", known as the Shinlung in India) is a community of people from various Tibeto-Burmese ethnic groups from the border of India and Burma who claim descent from one of the Lost Tribes ...

Bene Ephraim The Bene Ephraim ( he, בני אפריים) ''Bnei Ephraim'' ("Sons of Ephraim"), also called Telugu Jews because they speak Telugu language, Telugu, are a small community living primarily in Kotha Reddy Palem, a village outside Chebrolu, Gunt ...

, claim to be Jews who converted to Christianity, then converted back to Judaism * B'nai Moshe (

Inca Jews The B'nai Moshe ( he, בני משה, "''Children of Moses''"), also known as Inca Jews, are a small group of several hundred Conversion to Judaism, converts to Judaism originally from the city of Trujillo, Peru, Trujillo, Peru, to the north of th ...

) *

Falash Mura Falash Mura is the name given to descendants of the Beta Israel community in Ethiopia who converted to Christianity, primarily as a consequence of western proselytization during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This term also includes Beta ...

San Nicandro Jews The Jews of San Nicandro (also called San Nicandro Jews) are a small community of proselytes from San Nicandro Garganico, Italy. The San Nicandro Jews are descended from local non-Jewish families from the 15th century. According to John A. Davis, p ...

Subbotniks Subbotniks ( rus, Субботники, p=sʊˈbotnʲɪkʲɪ, "Sabbatarians") is a common name for adherents of Russian religious movements that split from Sabbatarian sects in the late 18th century. The majority of Subbotniks were converts t ...

* Veracruz Jews

Converted individuals

From Christianity

Former Christian clergy or theologians

Robert de Reddinge Robert de Reddinge was an English preaching friar, of the Dominican order; converted to Judaism about 1275. He appears to have studied Hebrew and by that means to have become interested in Judaism. He married a Jew, and was circumcised, taking ...

(converted c.1275) *

Abba Sabra Abba Sabra (fl. c. 1450) was an Ethiopian Orthodox monk, and the teacher of the children of Emperor Zara Yaqob of Ethiopia. Abba Sabra tried to convert the Beta Israel (Ethiopian Jews), but was instead converted by them to Judaism. He is best know ...

, fifteenth-century

Ethiopian Orthodox The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church ( am, የኢትዮጵያ ኦርቶዶክስ ተዋሕዶ ቤተ ክርስቲያን, ''Yäityop'ya ortodoks täwahedo bétäkrestyan'') is the largest of the Oriental Orthodox Churches. One of the few Chris ...

monk who joined the

Beta Israel The Beta Israel ( he, בֵּיתֶא יִשְׂרָאֵל, ''Bēteʾ Yīsrāʾēl''; gez, ቤተ እስራኤል, , modern ''Bēte 'Isrā'ēl'', EAE: "Betä Ǝsraʾel", "House of Israel" or "Community of Israel"), also known as Ethiopian Jews ...

(Ethiopian Jewish) community. He converted his pupil, prince

Abba Saga Abba Saga was the son of the Ethiopian emperor Zara Yaqob, and a monk of Ethiopian Christianity. His teacher was Abba Sabra, a monk of Ethiopian Christianity. He rebelled against his father after his conversion to Judaism and took refuge in Hoharwa ...

, to Judaism and introduced monasticism to Ethiopian Jewry. * Nicolas Antoine, former Protestant theologian. *

William G. Dever William Gwinn Dever (born November 27, 1933, Louisville, Kentucky) is an American archaeologist, Old Testament scholar, and historian, specialized in the history of the Ancient Near East and the ancient kingdoms of Israel and Judah in biblical ...

Biblical archaeologist ''Near Eastern Archaeology'' is an American journal covering art, archaeology, history, anthropology, literature, philology, and epigraphy of the Near Eastern and Mediterranean worlds from the Palaeolithic through Ottoman periods. The journal is ...

and former Evangelical minister who became a world-renowned Old Testament scholar and converted to

Reform Judaism Reform Judaism, also known as Liberal Judaism or Progressive Judaism, is a major Jewish denomination that emphasizes the evolving nature of Judaism, the superiority of its ethical aspects to its ceremonial ones, and belief in a continuous searc ...

, although he says he no longer believes in God. *

Géza Vermes Géza Vermes, (; 22 June 1924 – 8 May 2013) was a British academic, Biblical scholar, and Judaist of Hungarian Jewish descent—one who also served as a Catholic priest in his youth—and scholar specialized in the field of the history of rel ...

, world-renowned historical Jesus research scholar,

Hebraist A Hebraist is a specialist in Jewish, Hebrew and Hebraic studies. Specifically, British and German scholars of the 18th and 19th centuries who were involved in the study of Hebrew language and literature were commonly known by this designation, a ...

and

historian of religion A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the stu ...

, best known for being an eminent translator of the

Dead Sea Scrolls The Dead Sea Scrolls (also the Qumran Caves Scrolls) are ancient Jewish and Hebrew religious manuscripts discovered between 1946 and 1956 at the Qumran Caves in what was then Mandatory Palestine, near Ein Feshkha in the West Bank, on the nor ...

; a former Roman Catholic priest of Jewish descent, he rediscovered his Jewish roots, abandoned Christianity and converted to Liberal Judaism. * Ahuva Gray, former Protestant minister. * Asher Wade, former Methodist minister. *

Ole Brunell Ole Brunell, currently known as Shlomo Brunell (born 1953 in Swedish language, Swedish-speaking Kokkola, Finland), is a Finnish former Lutheran minister; he Conversion to Judaism, converted to Judaism. Brunell was ordained as a minister in the Eva ...

, converted with his family to

Orthodox Judaism Orthodox Judaism is the collective term for the traditionalist and theologically conservative branches of contemporary Judaism. Theologically, it is chiefly defined by regarding the Torah, both Written and Oral, as revealed by God to Moses on M ...

, moved to Israel and changed his name to Shlomo Brunell, former Lutheran minister.

Other Christians who converted to Judaism

, Ethiopian prince and son of emperor

Zara Yaqob Zara Yaqob ( Ge'ez: ዘርዐ ያዕቆብ; 1399 – 26 August 1468) was Emperor of Ethiopia, and a member of the Solomonic dynasty who ruled under the regnal name Kwestantinos I (Ge'ez: ቈስታንቲኖስ, "Constantine"). He is known for t ...

, who persecuted Jews. He converted with his teacher

, a former Ethiopian Orthodox monk. *

Abraham ben Abraham Abraham ben Abraham ( he, אברהם בן אברהם, lit. "Avraham the son of Avraham") (c. 1700 – 23 May 1749), also known as Count Valentine (Valentin, Walentyn) Potocki (Pototzki or Pototski), was a purported Polish nobleman (''szlachta'' ...

, convert from the

Potocki family The House of Potocki (; plural: Potoccy, male: Potocki, feminine: Potocka) was a prominent Polish noble family in the Kingdom of Poland and magnates of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. The Potocki family is one of the wealthiest and ...

, the famed "Ger Tzedek" *

Abraham of Augsburg Abraham of Augsburg (died 21 November 1265) was a German proselyte to Judaism. He died a martyr's death. Life Abraham was born at Augsburg, and he later converted into Judaism at a foreign region. He adopted his new faith with such enthusiasm t ...

John Adler John Herbert Adler (August 23, 1959April 4, 2011) was an American lawyer, politician and a member of the Democratic Party who served for one term as the U.S. representative for from 2009 until 2011. He lost his 2010 congressional election to f ...

, American politician *

Aluizio Abranches ''Aluizio Abranches'' is a Brazilian film director. Graduated in cinema at ''London Film School'' and in economics at ''Universidade Cândido Mendes'', Aluizio became known for taking to the cinema screens challenging projects, both in their s ...

, Brazilian filmmaker *

Anouk Aimée Nicole Françoise Florence Dreyfus (born 27 April 1932), known professionally as Anouk Aimée () or Anouk, is a French film actress, who has appeared in 70 films since 1947, having begun her film career at age 14. In her early years, she studi ...

, French actress *

Amar'e Stoudemire Amar'e Carsares Stoudemire ( ; he, אמארה יהושפט סטודמאייר; born November 16, 1982) is an American-Israeli professional basketball coach and former player who most recently served as a player development assistant for the Bro ...

, American and Israeli basketball player *

Aquila of Sinope Aquila (Hebrew: עֲקִילַס ''ʿăqīlas'', fl. 130 AD) of Sinope (modern-day Sinop, Turkey; la, Aquila Ponticus) was a translator of the Hebrew Bible into Greek, a proselyte, and disciple of Rabbi Akiva. Relationship to Onkelos Opinions d ...

, Bible translator *

Art Aragon Arthur Benjamin Aragon (November 13, 1927 – March 25, 2008 ) was an American boxer in the lightweight class from New Mexico. Early and later life Aragon was a native of Belen, New Mexico, but grew up in East Los Angeles. His family was of Mexi ...

, Mexican-American boxer *

Curtis Armstrong Curtis Armstrong (born November 27, 1953) is an American actor and singer best known for playing the role of Booger in the ''Revenge of the Nerds'' movies, Herbert Viola on the TV series ''Moonlighting'', Miles Dalby in the film '' Risky Busines ...

, American actor *

Tom Arnold Tom Arnold may refer to: * Tom Arnold (actor) (born 1959), American actor * Tom Arnold (economist) (born 1948), Irish CEO of Concern Worldwide * Tom Arnold (footballer) (1878–?), English footballer * Tom Arnold (literary scholar) (1823–1900), ...

, American actor *

Rafael Cansinos Assens Rafael may refer to: * Rafael (given name) or Raphael, a name of Hebrew origin * Rafael, California * Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, Israeli manufacturer of weapons and military technology * Hurricane Rafael, a 2012 hurricane Fiction * ''R ...

, Spanish poet, essayist, literary critic and translator *

Moses ben Avraham Avinu Moses ben Avraham Avinu (died ca. 1733/34) was a Czech-Austrian printer and author who was a Christian convert to Judaism. His father, Jacob, was also a convert. Moses was born at Nikolsburg (now Mikulov). He became a native of Prague, and was c ...

Carroll Baker Carroll Baker (born May 28, 1931) is an American former actress. After studying under Lee Strasberg at the Actors Studio, Baker began performing on Broadway in 1954. From there, she was recruited by director Elia Kazan to play the lead in t ...

, American actress *

Anne Beatts Anne Beatts (February 25, 1947 – April 7, 2021) was an American comedy writer. Early life Beatts was born in Buffalo, New York, to Sheila Elizabeth Jean (Sherriff-Scott) and Patrick Murray Threipland Beatts. She has described her parents as "b ...

, American comedy writer *

Antonia Bennett Antonia Bennett (born April 7, 1974) is an American singer of adult alternative music, standards, and jazz. She is the daughter of singer Tony Bennett and actress Sandra Grant. Biography Bennett trained as an actor at the Lee Strasberg Theatre ...

, American singer *

Polly Bergen Polly Bergen (born Nellie Paulina Burgin; July 14, 1930 – September 20, 2014) was an American actress, singer, television host, writer and entrepreneur. She won an Emmy Award in 1958 for her performance as Helen Morgan in ''The Helen Mo ...

, American actress and singer *

Nissim Black Nissim Baruch Black (born Damian Jamohl Black; December 9, 1986) is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer. Under the stage name D. Black, he released the albums ''The Cause & Effect'' (2006) and ''Ali'yah (album), Ali'yah'' (2009) ...

, rapper *

Darrell Blocker Darrell M. Blocker is a former American intelligence officer who served for 28 years with the Central Intelligence Agency. He held prominent positions including deputy director of the Counterterrorism Center (CTC), Chief of Africa Division, and Ch ...

, "The Spy Whisperer,"

CIA The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA ), known informally as the Agency and historically as the Company, is a civilian intelligence agency, foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States, officially tasked with gat ...

agent, converted to conservative Judaism in 2017. *

Dany Boon Dany Boon (; born Daniel Farid Hamidou on 26 June 1966) is a French actor, film director, screenwriter and producer. Starting out as a comedian during the 1990s, he found success in 2008 as an actor and director in the film comedy ''Welcome to ...

, French comedian *

Elizabeth Brewster Elizabeth Winifred Brewster, (26 August 1922 – 26 December 2012) was a Canadian poet, author, and academic. Biography Born in the logging village of Chipman, New Brunswick, Brewster was the youngest of Frederick John and Ethel May (Day) ...

, Canadian poet *

May Britt May Britt (born May Britt Wilkens; 22 March 1934) is a Swedish actress who had a brief career in the 1950s in Italy and later in the United States. She was married to American entertainer Sammy Davis Jr. from 1960 to 1968. Career Britt was ...

, actress * Geraldine Brooks, Pulitzer Prize-winning Australian-American journalist and author * Campbell Brown, American television news reporter (Baptist Roman Catholic) * Ken Burgess, British musician *

Anne Buydens Anne Buydens (born Hannelore Marx;

, German-American producer, wife of

Kirk Douglas Kirk Douglas (born Issur Danielovitch; December 9, 1916 – February 5, 2020) was an American actor and filmmaker. After an impoverished childhood, he made his film debut in ''The Strange Love of Martha Ivers'' (1946) with Barbara Stanwyck. Do ...

Yisrael Campbell Yisrael Campbell (born Christopher Campbell) is a Philadelphia-born Israeli comedian. Campbell, who is of Irish and Italian descent, grew up Catholic in a Philadelphia suburb. One of his aunts is a Catholic nun. A typical Campbell joke is that hi ...

, comedian (lapsed Roman Catholic) *

Kate Capshaw Kathleen Sue Spielberg (''née'' Nail; born November 3, 1953), known professionally as Kate Capshaw, is an American retired actress. She is best known for her portrayal of Willie Scott, an American nightclub singer and performer in ''Indiana Jon ...

, actress (ex-Methodist) *

Nell Carter Nell Carter (born Nell Ruth Hardy; September 13, 1948 – January 23, 2003) was an American singer and actress. Carter began her career in 1970, singing in the theater, and later crossed over to television. She was best known for her role as Ne ...

, singer and actress * Marvin Casey, Israeli-American hip hop dancer, choreographer, dance instructor and actor *

Cristian Castro Christian Sáinz Valdés Castro (born 8 December 1974), known professionally as Cristian Castro or Cristian, is a Mexican pop singer. He is the son of actors Veronica Castro and Manuel "El Loco" Valdés, and nephew of actors Ramón Valdés ...

, Grammy Award-nominated Mexican pop singer *

Mr. Catra Wagner Domingues Costa (5 November 1968 – 9 September 2018), known professionally as Mr. Catra, was a Brazilian singer and actor. He was known in Brazilian pop culture for his large number of children, having two wives, and his famous laugh at ...

, Brazilian funk singer and actor * Elizabeth Jane Caulfield, linguist and musician *

Catherine Coulson Catherine Elizabeth Coulson (October 22, 1943 – September 28, 2015) was an American stage and screen actress who worked behind the scenes on various studio features, magazine shows and independent films as well as acting in theater and film s ...

, actress *

Warder Cresson Warder Cresson (July 13, 1798 – November 6, 1860), later known as Michael Boaz Israel ben Abraham (), was an American diplomat. He was appointed the first Consulate General of the United States, Jerusalem, U.S. Consul to Jerusalem in 1844. Bio ...

, politician *

Jim Croce James Joseph Croce (; January 10, 1943 – September 20, 1973) was an American folk and rock singer-songwriter. Between 1966 and 1973, he released five studio albums and numerous singles. During this period, Croce took a series of odd jobs to pa ...

, singer/songwriter *

William Holmes Crosby Jr. William Holmes Crosby Jr. (December 1, 1914 – January 15, 2005) is considered by many to be one of the founding fathers of modern hematology. He published more the 450 peer-reviewed papers in the field, as well as those of oncology, gastroente ...

, physician, considered one of the founders of modern hematology *

Sammy Davis Jr. Samuel George Davis Jr. (December 8, 1925 – May 16, 1990) was an American singer, dancer, actor, comedian, film producer and television director. At age three, Davis began his career in vaudeville with his father Sammy Davis Sr. and the ...

, entertainer *

Zooey Deschanel Zooey Claire Deschanel (; born January 17, 1980) is an American actress, singer, and songwriter. She made her film debut in '' Mumford'' (1999) and had a supporting role in Cameron Crowe's film ''Almost Famous'' (2000). Deschanel is known for he ...

, actress, singer, entrepreneur *

Natalie Dessay Natalie Dessay (; born 19 April 1965) is a French singer, known for her former career as an operatic soprano. She gained wide recognition after her portrayal of Olympia in ''The Tales of Hoffmann'' in 1992, and then performing at leading stages, ...

, French soprano *

Jacqueline du Pré Jacqueline Mary du Pré (26 January 1945 – 19 October 1987) was a British cellist. At a young age, she achieved enduring mainstream popularity. Despite her short career, she is regarded as one of the greatest cellists of all time. Her care ...

, cellist *

Stephen J. Dubner Stephen Joseph Dubner (born August 26, 1963) is an American author, journalist, and podcast and radio host. He is co-author of the popular ''Freakonomics'' book series: ''Freakonomics'',Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of ...

, American journalist, author, and podcast host *

Patricia Duff Patricia Duff (born Patricia Michelle Orr; April 12, 1954) is an American political activist, and a fundraiser for political and philanthropic causes. She has participated in campaigns involving politicians and business people. She has a BSFS d ...

, political activist and United States Democratic Party fundraiser *

Miss Elizabeth Elizabeth Ann Hulette (November 19, 1960 – May 1, 2003), best known in professional wrestling circles as Miss Elizabeth, was an American professional wrestling manager, occasional professional wrestler and professional wrestling TV announcer. S ...

, also known as Elizabeth Ann Hulette, U.S.

professional wrestling Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring o ...

manager Management (or managing) is the administration of an organization, whether it is a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government body. It is the art and science of managing resources of the business. Management includes the activities o ...

Hank Eng The 2008 congressional elections in Colorado were held on November 4, 2008 to determine who will represent the state of Colorado in the United States House of Representatives, coinciding with the presidential and senatorial elections. Representa ...

, Chinese-American politician *

Carlos Escudé Carlos Andrés Escudé Carvajal (10 August 1948 – 1 January 2021) was an Argentine political scientist and author, who during the 1990s served as special advisor to foreign minister Guido di Tella. As such, he advised on Argentine foreign poli ...

, Argentine political scientist and author *

Rachel Factor Rachel Factor (born Christine Frances Masave Horii; 1968; Honolulu, Hawaii) is an American Orthodox Jewish singer, dancer, actress, and performing-arts instructor. Before converting to Judaism, she performed with The Rockettes and appeared in s ...

, American

Orthodox Jewish Orthodox Judaism is the collective term for the traditionalist and theologically conservative branches of contemporary Judaism. Theologically, it is chiefly defined by regarding the Torah, both Written and Oral, as revealed by God to Moses on M ...

singer, actress, and dancer *

Nachman Fahrner Nachman Fahrner (born September 21, 1972) is a contemporary religious Jewish musician in Israel. He is a convert to Judaism. Fahrner's main influences are Elvis Presley, Django Reinhardt, 1940s and 1950s blues, R&B, and rockabilly. He received en ...

, contemporary Jewish singer *

Louis Ferrante Louis Ferrante (born May 13, 1969) is a former Gambino crime family mobster, who spent eight and a half years in prison, successfully appealed his conviction and became a bestselling true crime, business, and science writer. He hosts his own sho ...

, American mobster *

Kate Fischer Tziporah Atarah Malkah (born Katherine Helen Fischer; 30 November 1973) is an Australian former model and actress. Early life and career Kate Fischer was born on 30 November 1973 in Adelaide, South Australia, the daughter of future Australian ...

, Australian-American former model and actress *

Ada Fisher Ada M. Fisher (October 21, 1947 – October 7, 2022) was an American physician from Salisbury, North Carolina, and a frequent Republican candidate for office. She challenged incumbent Mel Watt in North Carolina's 12th Congressional district in ...

, American physician and political candidate *

Isla Fisher Isla Lang Fisher (; born 3 February 1976) is an Australian actress and author. Born to Scottish parents in Oman, she moved to Australia at age six where she began appearing in television commercials. Fisher came to prominence for her portrayal ...

, model and actress (ex-Methodist) * Mike Flanagan, Irish-Israeli soldier *

Luke Ford Luke Ford (born 26 March 1981) is a Canadian-Australian actor. His career began in television in 2000 and his first film role was in 2006 before being cast in '' The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor'' in 2008. Ford's regular television roles ...

, journalist *

Maureen Forrester Maureen Kathleen Stewart Forrester, (July 25, 1930 – June 16, 2010) was a Canadian operatic contralto. Life and career Maureen Forrester was born and grew up in Montreal, Quebec, one of four children of Thomas Forrester, a Scottish cabinetmak ...

, Canadian opera singer *

Erin Foster Erin Taylor Foster is an American writer, performer and entrepreneur. Career Foster was a writer on the NBC sitcom '' The New Normal''. With her sister Sara Foster, she created the TV series ''Barely Famous'' on VH1. It is a mockumentary satire ...

, American writer, performer and entrepreneur *

Paula Fredriksen Paula Fredriksen (born January 6, 1951, Kingston, Rhode Island) is an American historian and scholar of early Christianity. She held the position of William Goodwin Aurelio Professor of Scripture at Boston University from 1990 to 2010. Now emerit ...

, former Catholic, historian of religion *

Aaron Freeman Aaron Freeman (born June 8, 1956) is an American journalist, stand-up comedian, author, cartoonist, and blogger. Career During the 1990s, Freeman was the host of the weekly informational radio program ''Metropolis'' which was broadcast in the ...

, journalist and comedian (lapsed Roman Catholic) *

Maja Ruth Frenkel Maja Ruth Frenkel (born Maja Brinar; 14 April 1971) is a Croatian entrepreneur and former deputy of Croatian Minister of Economy. Education and career Frenkel was born in Zagreb on April 14, 1971. She finished elementary school and Gymnasium ...

, Croatian entrepreneur *

Capers Funnye Capers C. Funnye Jr. (; born April 14, 1952) is an African-American rabbi, who leads the 200-member Beth Shalom B'nai Zaken Ethiopian Hebrew Congregation of Chicago, Illinois, assisted by rabbis Avraham Ben Israel and Joshua V. Salter. Born in ...

(ex-Methodist), rabbi *

Steve Furness Stephen Robert Furness (December 5, 1950 – February 9, 2000) was an American defensive tackle for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Detroit Lions of the National Football League, and a member of the Steelers' famed Steel Curtain defense. He earned fo ...

, American football player * Natan Gamedze, former Protestant, linguist and a

Swazi Swazi may refer to: * Swazi people, a people of southeastern Africa * Swazi language * Eswatini Eswatini ( ; ss, eSwatini ), officially the Kingdom of Eswatini and formerly named Swaziland ( ; officially renamed in 2018), is a landlocked coun ...

royal, now a black

Haredi Haredi Judaism ( he, ', ; also spelled ''Charedi'' in English; plural ''Haredim'' or ''Charedim'') consists of groups within Orthodox Judaism that are characterized by their strict adherence to ''halakha'' (Jewish law) and traditions, in oppos ...

rabbi A rabbi () is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi – known as ''semikha'' – following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form of ...

Scott Glenn Theodore Scott Glenn (born January 26) is an American actor. His roles have included Pfc Glenn Kelly in ''Nashville'' (1975), Wes Hightower in ''Urban Cowboy'' (1980), astronaut Alan Shepard in '' The Right Stuff'' (1983), Emmett in '' Silverado'' ...

, American actor *

Albert Goldsmid Colonel Albert Edward Williamson Goldsmid (6 October 1846 – 27 March 1904) was a British officer. He was the founder of the Jewish Lads' Brigade (in 1895) and the Maccabaeans. Biography Albert Goldsmid was born in Poona, British India, the s ...

, British officer, Founder of the

Jewish Lads' Brigade The JLGB (Jewish Lads' and Girls' Brigade) is a national Jewish youth organisation based in and primarily serving the United Kingdom. The UK's oldest Jewish youth movement, it was founded in 1895 as the Jewish Lads' Brigade by Colonel Albert E. ...

and the

Maccabaeans Order of Ancient Maccabeans (also Maccabaeans) is an Anglo-Jewish society. The order is a controversial society established in 1894, and registered on 8 May 1901, under the Friendly Societies' Act, as amended 1896.Nahum Sokolow, ''History of Z ...

Lord George Gordon Lord George Gordon (26 December 1751 – 1 November 1793) was a British politician best known for lending his name to the Gordon Riots of 1780. An eccentric and flighty personality, he was born into the Scottish nobility and sat in the House ...

, nobleman and politician * Reuben Greenberg, police chief of Charleston, South CarolinaThe movie

Shalom y'all ''Shalom'' ( he, שָׁלוֹם ''šālōm''; also spelled as ''sholom'', ''sholem'', ''sholoim'', ''shulem'') is a Hebrew word meaning ''peace'', ''harmony'', ''wholeness'', ''completeness'', ''prosperity'', ''welfare'' and ''tranquility'' and ...

Lars Gustafsson Lars Erik Einar Gustafsson (17 May 1936 – 3 April 2016) was a Swedish poet, novelist, and scholar. Among his awards were the in 2006, the Goethe Medal in 2009, the Thomas Mann Prize in 2015, and the International Nonino Prize in Italy in 2016 ...

, Swedish professor of philosophy at the University of Texas *

Daryl Hall Daryl Franklin Hohl (born October 11, 1946), known professionally as Daryl Hall, is an American rock, R&B and soul singer and musician, best known as the co-founder and principal lead vocalist of Daryl Hall and John Oates (with guitarist and ...

, American musician *

Mary Hart Mary Hart (born Mary Johanna Harum; November 8, 1950) is an American television personality and actress. She was the long-running host (1982–2011) of the syndicated gossip and entertainment round-up television program ''Entertainment Tonight'' ...

(born 1950), American television personality, long-time host of the entertainment program Entertainment ''Tonight'' *

Morris Hatalsky Morris Hatalsky (born November 10, 1951) is an American professional golfer. Early years and amateur career Hatalsky was born in San Diego, California. He started in golf at age 10, when his older brother bought him a set of junior clubs. As an a ...

, American professional golfer *

Anthony Heald Philip Anthony Mair Heald (born August 25, 1944) is an American character actor known for portraying Hannibal Lecter's jailer, Dr. Frederick Chilton, in '' The Silence of the Lambs'' and '' Red Dragon'', and for playing assistant principal Sco ...

, American actor *

Henry Hill Henry Hill Jr. (June 11, 1943 – June 12, 2012) was an American mobster who was associated with the Lucchese crime family of New York City from 1955 until 1980, when he was arrested on narcotics charges and became an FBI informant. Hill testif ...

, American mobster *

Carolivia Herron Carolivia Herron (born Carol Olivia Herron; July 22, 1947) is an American writer of children's and adult literature, and a scholar of African-American Judaica. Personal life She was born to Oscar Smith Herron and Georgia Carol (Johnson) Herron, ...

, writer of children's and adult literature *

Monica Horan Monica Louise Horan (born January 29, 1963) is an American actress best known for her role as Amy MacDougall-Barone on the television sitcom ''Everybody Loves Raymond''. Life and career Horan was born in Darby, Pennsylvania, the daughter of Selm ...

, actress *

Joel Horlen Joel Edward Horlen (August 14, 1937 – April 10, 2022) was an American professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1961 to 1972 for the Chicago White Sox and Oakland Athletics. In references, he is called Joe Ho ...

, American baseball player *

James Newton Howard James Newton Howard (born June 9, 1951) is an American film composer, music producer and keyboardist. He has scored over 100 films and is the recipient of a Grammy Award, an Emmy Award, and nine nominations for Academy Awards. His film scores ...

, composer, conductor, and record producer *

Martha Hyer Martha Hyer (August 10, 1924 – May 31, 2014) was an American actress who played Gwen French in ''Some Came Running'' (1958), for which she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Her autobiography, ''Finding My Way ...

, actress *

Jenna Jameson Jenna Marie Massoli (born April 9, 1974), known professionally as Jenna Jameson (), is an American model, former pornographic film actress, businesswoman, and television personality. She has been named the world's most famous adult entertainme ...

, adult entertainer and entrepreneur *

Carolyn Jones Carolyn Sue Jones (April 28, 1930 – August 3, 1983) was an American actress of television and film. Jones began her film career in the early 1950s, and by the end of the decade had achieved recognition with a nomination for an Academy ...

, actress * Thomas Jones (lapsed Roman Catholic) *

Y-Love Yitz Jordan (born January 5, 1978), better known by his stage name Y-Love, is an American hip hop artist. An Orthodox Jew, Jordan was formerly Hasidic.Jerry Portwood"Y-Love is Ready for Love,"'' Out'', May 15, 2012. He is a web developer, activis ...

a/k/a Yitz Jordan, musician *

Jon Juaristi Jon Juaristi Linacero (born in Bilbao in 1951) is a Spanish poet, essayist and translator in Spanish and Basque, as well as a self-confessed former ETA militant.

, Spanish writer *

Skip Jutze Alfred Henry "Skip" Jutze (born May 28, 1946) is a former professional baseball player. He played all or part of six seasons in Major League Baseball, primarily as a catcher. Baseball career Jutze attended W. Tresper Clarke High School in Westb ...

, American major league baseball player *

Semei Kakungulu Semei may be *Σεμεϊ, the LXX spelling of Shimei * Semei Kakungulu, Ugandan religious leader * Treaty of Semei *Semey Semey ( kk, Семей, Semei, سەمەي; cyrl, Семей ), until 2007 known as Semipalatinsk (russian: Семип ...

* Walter Kaufmann, German-American philosopher, translator and poet *

Carol Kaye Carol Kaye (née Smith, born March 24, 1935) is an American musician. She is one of the most prolific recorded bass guitarists in rock and pop music, playing on an estimated 10,000 recordings in a career spanning over 50 years. Kaye began play ...

, American musician *

Felicity Kendal Felicity Ann Kendal (born 25 September 1946) is an English actress, working principally in television and theatre. She has appeared in numerous stage and screen roles over a more than 70-year career, but the role that brought attention to her ...

, British actress * Cameron Kerry, politician, brother of

John Kerry John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is an American attorney, politician and diplomat who currently serves as the first United States special presidential envoy for climate. A member of the Forbes family and the Democratic Party (Unite ...

(lapsed Roman Catholic) *

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 ...

, author * John King, American television journalist (lapsed Roman Catholic) *

Karlie Kloss Karlie Elizabeth Kloss (born August 3, 1992) is an American fashion model. ''Vogue Paris'' declared her one of the "top 30 models of the 2000s" when she was 17. Kloss was a Victoria's Secret Angel from 2013 until 2015; she resigned to study at ...

, model *

Fumiko Kometani is a Japanese author and artist (painter) and a longtime resident of the United States. Kometani moved to the US in 1960 when she was working as an abstract painter, spending time at the MacDowell Colony in New Hampshire where she met her husban ...

, Japanese author and painter *

Mathilde Krim Mathilde Krim ( he, מתילדה קרים; née Galland; July 9, 1926 – January 15, 2018) was a medical researcher and the founding chairman of amfAR, American Foundation for AIDS Research. Biography Mathilde Galland was born in Como, Italy t ...

, Ph.D., founding Chairman of

amfAR amfAR, the Foundation for AIDS Research, known until 2005 as the American Foundation for AIDS Research, is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to the support of AIDS research, HIV prevention, treatment education, and the advocacy of ...

, association for

AIDS Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual m ...

research *

Anthony Lake William Anthony Kirsopp Lake (born April 2, 1939) is an American diplomat and political advisor who served as the 17th United States National Security Advisor from 1993 to 1997 and as the 6th Executive Director of UNICEF from 2010 to 2017. He ha ...

, American diplomat, political figure, and academic *

Frida Laski Frida Kerry Laski (6 August 1884 – 31 July 1977) was a British suffragist, birth control advocate and eugenicist. Born in Suffolk, England, Winifred Mary (Frida) Kerry, the daughter of Francis John Kerry of Acton Hall, Suffolk, a member of t ...

, British suffragist, birth control advocate, and eugenicist *

Nahida Lazarus Nahida Lazarus (born February 3, 1849) was a German–Jewish author, essayist, scholar, and literary critic. She was born in Berlin into a German Christian family. She was married first to Dr. Max Remy (in her writings she still signed herself ...

, German author, essayist, scholar, and literary critic *

Natasha Leggero Natasha Leggero () (born March 26, 1974) is an American comedian, actress and writer. She rose to fame after appearing as the host of the MTV reality television series '' The 70s House'' in 2005, and as a regular roundtable panelist on Chelsea Ha ...

, American actress and comedian *

John Lehr John Lehr (born November 25, 1965) is an American film and television actor and comedian. Personal life Lehr was born on November 25, 1965, in Overland Park, Kansas. He went to high school at Shawnee Mission West High. He graduated from Northw ...

, American film and television actor and comedian *

Julius Lester Julius Bernard Lester (January 27, 1939 – January 18, 2018) was an American writer of books for children and adults and an academic who taught for 32 years (1971–2003) at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Lester was also a civil right ...

, son of a Methodist minister and a children's author (ex-Methodist) *

Joan Lunden Joan Lunden (born Joan Elise Blunden on September 19, 1950) is an American journalist, an author, and a television host. Lunden was the co-host of ABC's ''Good Morning America'' from 1980 to 1997, and has authored eight books. She has appeared on ...

, American journalist, author and television host * Ernst von Manstein, army officer and teacher *

Elliott Maddox Elliott Maddox (born December 21, 1947) is an American former Major League Baseball player. In , he was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the first round (20th pick) of the draft (secondary phase). He made his MLB debut in 1970. Early years Maddox ...

, American former

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

player *

Richard Marceau Richard Marceau (born August 25, 1970) is a Canadian politician. Marceau was born in Charlesbourg, Quebec City. A lawyer in both Québec and Ontario, Marceau was first elected to the House of Commons of Canada in the 1997 federal election fo ...

, Canadian politician *

Sam McCullum Samuel Charles McCullum (born November 30, 1952) is a former professional American football player who played wide receiver for 10 seasons in the National Football League (NFL) for the Seattle Seahawks and Minnesota Vikings from 1974 through 198 ...

(born 1952), NFL football wide receiver *

Charles McDew Charles "Chuck" McDew (June 23, 1938 – April 3, 2018)

(1938–2018), African-American activist of the

Civil Rights Movement The civil rights movement was a nonviolent social and political movement and campaign from 1954 to 1968 in the United States to abolish legalized institutional Racial segregation in the United States, racial segregation, Racial discrimination ...

. *

Anne Meara Anne Meara Stiller (September 20, 1929 – May 23, 2015) was an American actress and comedian. Along with her husband Jerry Stiller, she was one-half of the prominent 1960s comedy team Stiller and Meara. Their son is actor, director, and producer ...

(1929–2015), American comedian and actress, partner and wife of

Jerry Stiller Gerald Isaac Stiller (June 8, 1927 – May 11, 2020) was an American actor and comedian. He spent many years as part of the comedy duo Stiller and Meara with his wife, Anne Meara, to whom he was married for over 60 years until her death in 2015 ...

(lapsed Roman Catholic) *

Adah Isaacs Menken Adah Isaacs Menken (June 15, 1835August 10, 1868) was an American actress, painter and poet, and was the highest earning actress of her time.Palmer, Pamela Lynn"Adah Isaacs Menken" ''Handbook of Texas Online,'' published by the Texas State Histor ...

, stage actress *

LaVon Mercer LaVon Mercer (לבן מרסר; born January 13, 1959) is an American-Israeli former basketball player. He played at the center position. As a high school senior, he averaged 37.6 points, 30.1 rebounds, and 12 blocked shots per game, and was named ...

(born 1959), American-Israeli basketball player *

Anastassia Michaeli Anastassia Yehudith Michaeli ( he, אנסטסיה מיכאלי, russian: Анастасия Михаэли (Михалевская); born 12 July 1975) is an Israeli journalist, television presenter, and politician. She served as a member of Kness ...

, Russian-born former member of the Israeli

Knesset The Knesset ( he, הַכְּנֶסֶת ; "gathering" or "assembly") is the unicameral legislature of Israel. As the supreme state body, the Knesset is sovereign and thus has complete control of the entirety of the Israeli government (with ...

Benjamin Millepied Benjamin Millepied (; born 10 June 1977) is a French dancer and choreographer, who has lived and worked in the United States since joining the New York City Ballet in 1995, where he became a soloist in 1998 and a principal in 2002. He has also ...

, French dancer and choreographer *

Marilyn Monroe Marilyn Monroe (; born Norma Jeane Mortenson; 1 June 1926 4 August 1962) was an American actress. Famous for playing comedic " blonde bombshell" characters, she became one of the most popular sex symbols of the 1950s and early 1960s, as wel ...

, actress (ex-Christian) *

Santa Montefiore Santa Montefiore (; born 2 February 1970) is a British author. Early life Santa Montefiore was born Santa Palmer-Tomkinson on 2 February 1970 in Winchester. Her parents are Charles Palmer-Tomkinson, formerly High Sheriff of Hampshire, and Pa ...

, novelist *

Tommy Mottola Thomas Daniel Mottola (born July 14, 1948) is an American music executive, producer and author. Mottola is currently the Chairman of Mottola Media Group and was previously the Chairman and CEO of Sony Music Entertainment, parent of the Columb ...

, American record producer *

Françoise Mouly Françoise Mouly (; born 24 October 1955) is a Paris-born New York-based designer, editor, and publisher. She is best known as co-founder, co-editor, and publisher of the comics and graphics magazine ''Raw'' (1980–1991), as the publisher of ...

, French artist, designer, and art editor of ''

The New Yorker ''The New Yorker'' is an American weekly magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. Founded as a weekly in 1925, the magazine is published 47 times annually, with five of these issues ...

'' * Jeff Newman, American Major League Baseball catcher *

Bob Nystrom Robert Thore Nystrom (born October 10, 1952) is a Swedish-Canadian former professional ice hockey right winger. He played for the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1972– 86. He is best remembered as having scored the w ...

, Canadian former NHL player *

Arieh O'Sullivan Arieh O'Sullivan ( he, אריה אוסליבן; born March 22, 1961) is an author, journalist, soldier, and award-winning defense correspondent who has covered Israel and the Middle East for over two decades. He currently serves as an anchor and ...

, American-born Israeli journalist *

Eleanor Parker Eleanor Jean Parker (June 26, 1922 – December 9, 2013) was an American actress. She was nominated for three Academy Awards for her roles in the films '' Caged'' (1950), ''Detective Story'' (1951), and ''Interrupted Melody'' (1955), the first ...

, American actress *

Lorna Patterson Lorna Patterson (born October 1, 1956) is an American film, stage and television actress and, more recently, a Jewish cantor. As an actress, her best-known roles were as Randy, the singing stewardess, in ''Airplane!'', and as the lead in the tel ...

, American film, stage and television actress *

Annamie Paul Annamie Paul (born November 3, 1972) is a Canadian activist, lawyer, and former politician who served as the leader of the Green Party of Canada from 2020 to 2021. She was the first Black Canadian and first Jewish woman to be elected leader of ...

, leader of the Green Party of Canada, converted to

Conservative Judaism Conservative Judaism, known as Masorti Judaism outside North America, is a Jewish religious movement which regards the authority of ''halakha'' (Jewish law) and traditions as coming primarily from its people and community through the generatio ...

in 2000. She was the first Black Canadian and first Jewish woman to be elected leader of a federal party in Canada. *

Andrew Percy Andrew Theakstone Percy (born 18 September 1977) is a British Conservative Party politician who has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Brigg and Goole since 2010. He is an active member of many groups in Parliament, including All Part ...

, British politician *

Alison Pick Alison Pick (born 1975) is a Canadian writer. She is most noted for her Booker Prize-nominated novel ''Far to Go'', and was a winner of the Bronwen Wallace Memorial Award for most promising writer in Canada under 35. Life and career Alison Pick ...

, Canadian novelist and poet *

Rebecca Pidgeon Rebecca Pidgeon (born October 10, 1965) is an American actress who has appeared on stage and in feature films, and a singer, songwriter and recording artist. She is married to American playwright David Mamet. Early life Pidgeon was born to Engl ...

, Scottish-American actress, singer and songwriter *

Bob Plager Robert Bryant Plager (March 11, 1943 – March 24, 2021) was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for 14 seasons from 1964–65 NHL season, 1964 until 1977–78 NHL season, 1978, primarily f ...

, Canadian retired professional NHL ice hockey defenceman * Moses Prado, professor of the classic languages at the University of Marburg *

Roger Rees Roger Rees (5 May 1944 – 10 July 2015) was a Welsh actor and director, widely known for his stage work. He won an Olivier Award and a Tony Award for his performance as the lead in ''The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby''. He also rece ...

, actor *

Reuel Abraham Reuel Abraham (born 1924), born Karl Heinz Schneider, is a former Hitler Youth member and Luftwaffe pilot during World War II reported to be the first former Nazi to convert to Judaism. World War II In 1942 Schneider joined the Luftwaffe servin ...

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

pilot in

Hitler Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Germany from 1933 until his death in 1945. He rose to power as the leader of the Nazi Party, becoming the chancellor in 1933 and then ...

's army, then became a Jew and citizen of

Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...

Mandy Rice-Davies Marilyn Rice-Davies (21 October 1944 – 18 December 2014) was a Welsh model and showgirl best known for her association with Christine Keeler and her role in the Profumo affair, which discredited the Conservative government of British Prime Mi ...

, British model and showgirl * Michael Ross, Canadian intelligence expert, former

Mossad Mossad ( , ), ; ar, الموساد, al-Mōsād, ; , short for ( he, המוסד למודיעין ולתפקידים מיוחדים, links=no), meaning 'Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations'. is the national intelligence agency ...

officer *

Mary Doria Russell Mary Doria Russell (born August 19, 1950) is an American novelist. Early life and education Russell was born in Elmhurst, Illinois She graduated from Glenbard East High School in Lombard, Illinois, which has registered its chapter of the Nati ...

, American author (lapsed Roman Catholic) *

Jackie Sandler Adam Richard Sandler (born September 9, 1966) is an American comedian, actor, screenwriter, producer and singer. He was a cast member on ''Saturday Night Live'' from 1990 to 1995, before going on to star in numerous Hollywood films, those of whi ...

, American actress *

Bärbel Schäfer Bärbel Schäfer (born 16 December 1963 in Bremen) is a German television presenter and talk show host. Life Schäfer works in Germany as television presenter and talk show host. In 2004 Schäfer married Michel Friedman in Eschborn, only short ...

, German television presenter and talk show host * Mary Schaps, Israeli-American mathematical scholar *

Laura Schlessinger Laura Catherine Schlessinger (born January 16, 1947) is an American talk radio host and author. ''The Dr. Laura Program'', heard weekdays for three hours on Sirius XM Radio, consists mainly of her responses to callers' requests for personal adv ...

, American radio personality *

Norma Shearer Edith Norma Shearer (August 11, 1902June 12, 1983) was a Canadian-American actress who was active on film from 1919 through 1942. Shearer often played spunky, sexually liberated ingénues. She appeared in adaptations of Noël Coward, Eugene O'N ...

, American actress *

Joseph J. Sherman Joseph J. Sherman is an American marketing strategist and artist. Early life Sherman was born in Anaheim, California, and was raised in Riverside, California. At the age of 10 he spoke at a public hearing regarding noise pollution at Riverside ...

, businessman *

Cate Shortland Cate Shortland (born 10 August 1968) is an Australian screenwriter, film director, television director, and television writer. She received international acclaim for her 2004 romantic drama film ''Somersault'', her 2012 historical drama film '' ...

, Australian director *

Shyne Moses Michael Levi Barrow (born Jamal Michael Barrow, best known by his stage name Shyne; November 8, 1978) is a Belizean rapper and politician.

, Belizean–American rapper *

Karol Sidon Karol may refer to: Places * Karol, Gujarat, a village on Saurashtra peninsula in Gujarat, west India * Karol State, a former Rajput petty princely state with seat in the above town Film/TV *'' Karol: A Man Who Became Pope'', a 2005 miniseries *' ...

, Czech Orthodox rabbi, writer and playwright * Daniel Silva, American author of thriller and espionage novels * Chris Smith, American-Israeli basketball player *

Willie "the Lion" Smith William Henry Joseph Bonaparte Bertholf Smith (November 23, 1893 – April 18, 1973), nicknamed "The Lion", was an American jazz and stride pianist. Early life William Henry Joseph Bonaparte Bertholf, known as Willie, was born in 1893 in Goshen, ...

, American pianist and composer * Robin Spark, Scottish artist. *

June Squibb June Louise Squibb (born November 6, 1929) is an American actress. In 2013, she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for the film ''Nebraska''. Squibb has appeared in the films ''Alice'', '' In & Out'', ''About Schm ...

, American actress * Dubrovin Stanislav *

Kim Stanley Kim Stanley (born Patricia Kimberley Reid; February 11, 1925 – August 20, 2001) was an American actress, primarily in television and theatre, but with occasional film performances. She began her acting career in theatre, and subsequently at ...

, American actress *

Venetia Stanley Venetia Anastasia Digby (née Stanley) (December 1600 – 1 May 1633) was a celebrated beauty of the Stuart period and the wife of a prominent courtier and scientist, Kenelm Digby. She was a granddaughter of Thomas Percy, 7th Earl of North ...

, socialite * Joseph Abraham Steblicki (lapsed Roman Catholic) *

Margo Stilley Margo Stilley (born November 20, 1982) is an American actress. Early life Stilley was born in Conway, South Carolina, and grew up between there and Swansboro, North Carolina. She was raised in a strict Baptist household in America's Bible Belt ...

, American film actress *

Annette Taddeo Annette Joanne Taddeo-Goldstein (née Taddeo; born April 7, 1967) is a Colombian-American politician and businesswoman serving as a member of the Florida Senate from the 40th district. She was an unsuccessful candidate for several elections star ...

, businesswoman and politician *

Elizabeth Taylor Dame Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor (February 27, 1932 – March 23, 2011) was a British-American actress. She began her career as a child actress in the early 1940s and was one of the most popular stars of classical Hollywood cinema in the 1950s. ...

, actress (ex-Christian Scientist) *

Karen Tintori Karen Tintori (born September 1, 1948) is an Italian-American author of fiction and nonfiction. Her books cover a wide range of human experience, from the mysteries of the Kabbalah to the lives of Italian American immigrants. She writes both as ...

, American author of fiction and nonfiction (lapsed Roman Catholic) * Andre Bernard Tippett, American Hall of Fame former football linebacker for the New England Patriots (ex-Baptist) *

Jacob Tirado Jacob Tirado (born ca. 1540; died in Jerusalem 1620) was one of the founders of the Spanish-Portuguese community of Amsterdam. With several Marranos he sailed from Portugal in a vessel which was driven out of its course to Emden in East Friesla ...

(ca. 1540–1620), co-founder of the Sephardic community of Amsterdam *

Ivanka Trump Ivana Marie "Ivanka" Trump (; born October 30, 1981) is an American businesswoman and the first daughter of Donald Trump, 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. She was a senior advisor in his administration, and also was the ...

, businesswoman, former first-daughter, raised Presbyterian *

Bob Tufts Robert Malcolm Tufts (November 2, 1955 – October 4, 2019) was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher who played for the San Francisco Giants and Kansas City Royals between 1981 and 1983. Early life Tufts was born in Medford, Massac ...

(1955-2019), American former Major League Baseball pitcher *

Ike Turner Izear Luster "Ike" Turner Jr. (November 5, 1931 – December 12, 2007) was an American musician, bandleader, songwriter, record producer, and talent scout. An early pioneer of 1950s rock and roll, he is best known for his work in the 1960s and 1 ...

, American musician, bandleader, talent scout, and record producer; son of a Baptist minister *

Jeff Tweedy Jeffrey Scot Tweedy (born August 25, 1967) is an American musician, songwriter, author, and record producer best known as the singer and guitarist of the band Wilco. Tweedy, originally from Belleville, Illinois, started his music career in high s ...

, American musician *

Michael W. Twitty Michael W. Twitty (born 1977) is an African-American Jews, African-American Jewish writer, culinary historian, and educator. He is the author of ''The Cooking Gene: A Journey through African American Culinary History in the Old South, The Cookin ...

, American writer, culinary historian and educator *

Alex Tyus Alexander Trent Tyus (born January 8, 1988) is an American-Israeli professional basketball player for ASVEL Basket of the LNB Pro A. He was the 2018 Israeli Basketball Premier League Finals MVP. Having been naturalized as an Israeli citizen, he al ...

, American-Israeli professional basketball player *

Chris Van Allsburg Chris Van Allsburg (born June 18, 1949) is an American illustrator and writer of children's books. He has won two Caldecott Medals for U.S. picture book illustration, for ''Jumanji'' (1981) and ''The Polar Express'' (1985), both of which he al ...

, children's writer *

Conrad Veidt Hans Walter Conrad Veidt (; 22 January 1893 – 3 April 1943) was a German film actor who attracted early attention for his roles in the films ''Different from the Others'' (1919), '' The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari'' (1920), and ''The Man Who Laugh ...

, German actor *

Jackie Wilson Jack Leroy Wilson Jr. (June 9, 1934 – January 21, 1984) was an American singer and performer of the 1950s and 60s. He was a prominent figure in the transition of rhythm and blues into soul. Nicknamed "Mr. Excitement", he was considered a mas ...

, American soul singer *

Mare Winningham A mare is an adult female horse or other equine. In most cases, a mare is a female horse over the age of three, and a filly is a female horse three and younger. In Thoroughbred horse racing, a mare is defined as a female horse more than four y ...

, actress, singer (lapsed Roman Catholic) *

Katarzyna Weiglowa Katarzyna Weiglowa (Wajglowa) (German: Katherine Weigel; given erroneously in a Polish source of 17c. as Vogel, and known in many English sources as Catherine Vogel) (circa 1460 – April 19, 1539), was a Polish woman who was burned at the stake fo ...

, Polish martyr *

Steve Yeager Stephen Wayne Yeager (born November 24, 1948) is an American former professional baseball catcher. Yeager spent 14 of the 15 seasons of his Major League Baseball career, from 1972 through 1985, with the Los Angeles Dodgers. His last year, 1986, h ...

, American baseball player *

Nikki Ziering Nikki Ziering (born August 9, 1971) is an American model and actress. Ziering was '' Playboy's'' Playmate of the Month for September 1997. Early life Ziering was born Natalie Schieler in Norwalk, California. She is of Norwegian and German desce ...

, model

Not from Christianity

From
atheism Atheism, in the broadest sense, is an absence of belief in the existence of deities. Less broadly, atheism is a rejection of the belief that any deities exist. In an even narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there no d ...
and/or
agnosticism Agnosticism is the view or belief that the existence of God, of the divine or the supernatural is unknown or unknowable. (page 56 in 1967 edition) Another definition provided is the view that "human reason is incapable of providing sufficient ...

Christian B. Anfinsen Christian Boehmer Anfinsen Jr. (March 26, 1916 – May 14, 1995) was an American biochemist. He shared the 1972 Nobel Prize in Chemistry with Stanford Moore and William Howard Stein for work on ribonuclease, especially concerning the conne ...

– Nobel prize-winning chemist (Orthodox Judaism) *

David P. Goldman David Paul Goldman (born September 27, 1951) is an American economist, music critic, and author, best known for his series of online essays in the ''Asia Times'' under the pseudonym Spengler with the first column published January 1, 2000. The p ...

, "Spengler" – columnist and former member of the

LaRouche movement The LaRouche movement is a political and cultural network promoting the late Lyndon LaRouche and his ideas. It has included many organizations and companies around the world, which campaign, gather information and publish books and periodicals. ...

who embraced Judaism in the 1990s *

Will Herberg William Herberg (June 30, 1901 – March 26, 1977) was an American writer, intellectual and scholar. A communist political activist during his early years, Herberg gained wider public recognition as a social philosopher and sociologist of religi ...

– social philosopher and sociologist of religion; Jewish theologian; former atheist and Marxist of Jewish ancestry who was raised atheist *

Benny Lévy Benny Lévy (also Pierre Victor; 1945–2003) was a philosopher, political activist and author. A political figure of May 1968 in France Beginning in May 1968, a period of civil unrest occurred throughout France, lasting some seven weeks a ...

– philosopher; last personal secretary of

Jean-Paul Sartre Jean-Paul Charles Aymard Sartre (, ; ; 21 June 1905 – 15 April 1980) was one of the key figures in the philosophy of existentialism (and phenomenology), a French playwright, novelist, screenwriter, political activist, biographer, and litera ...

Suzy Menkes Suzy Peta Menkes (born 24 December 1943) is a British journalist and fashion critic. Formerly the fashion editor for the International Herald Tribune, Menkes also served as editor, Vogue International, for 25 international editions of ''Vogue'' ...

– fashion journalist *

Hilary Putnam Hilary Whitehall Putnam (; July 31, 1926 – March 13, 2016) was an American philosopher, mathematician, and computer scientist, and a major figure in analytic philosophy in the second half of the 20th century. He made significant contributions ...

– philosopher raised in a Jewish-atheist home *

Anna Silk Anna Silk (born 31 January 1974) is a Canadian actress best known for her role as Bo Dennis, the protagonist of the Showcase television series ''Lost Girl'' (2010–2015). Personal life Silk was born in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canad ...

– Canadian actressCohen, Mike
TV’s Lost Girl converts to Judaism
''Jewish Tribune'', August 23, 2011. Accessed October 18, 2011. *

– actress *

David Wolpe David J. Wolpe (born 1958) is the Max Webb Senior Rabbi of Sinai Temple. He previously taught at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America in New York, the American Jewish University in Los Angeles, Hunter College, and UCLA. Wolpe became th ...

– a leading rabbi in

; former atheist

From Black Hebrew Israelitism

* Eddie Butler – Israeli singer, converted to Orthodox Judaism *

From
Islam Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...

Avraham Sinai Avraham Sinai ( he, אברהם סיני; born December 15th 1962) is a former Hezbollah member who spied for Israel. Originally named Ibrahim Yassin ( ar, إبراهيم ياسين), he fled from Lebanon to Israel in 1997 and later converted from ...

– Lebanese member of

Hezbollah Hezbollah (; ar, حزب الله ', , also transliterated Hizbullah or Hizballah, among others) is a Lebanese Shia Islamist political party and militant group, led by its Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah since 1992. Hezbollah's parami ...

who had an Orthodox conversion and lives as a

Haredi Jew Haredi Judaism ( he, ', ; also spelled ''Charedi'' in English; plural ''Haredim'' or ''Charedim'') consists of groups within Orthodox Judaism that are characterized by their strict adherence to ''halakha'' (Jewish law) and traditions, in oppos ...

in Tsfat. * Ayman Subah (now known as Dor Shachar) –

Palestinian Arab Palestinians ( ar, الفلسطينيون, ; he, פָלַסְטִינִים, ) or Palestinian people ( ar, الشعب الفلسطيني, label=none, ), also referred to as Palestinian Arabs ( ar, الفلسطينيين العرب, label=non ...

from

Khan Yunis Khan Yunis ( ar, خان يونس, also spelled Khan Younis or Khan Yunus; translation: ''Caravansary fJonah'') is a city in the southern Gaza Strip. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, Khan Yunis had a population of 142,6 ...

, Gaza who fled to Israel and converted to Judaism. *

Baruch Mizrahi Baruch Mizrahi ( he, ברוך מזרחי; born Hamuda Abu Al-Anyan), was an Israeli member of the Irgun ("The National Military Organization in the Land of Israel") during the pre-Israel Jewish insurgency in Palestine. Born an Arab Muslim, he be ...

–

and member of the

Irgun Irgun • Etzel , image = Irgun.svg , image_size = 200px , caption = Irgun emblem. The map shows both Mandatory Palestine and the Emirate of Transjordan, which the Irgun claimed in its entirety for a future Jewish state. The acronym "Etzel" i ...

. *

Dario Hunter Dario David Hunter (born April 21, 1983), also known as Yisroel Hunter, is an American rabbi, lawyer and politician. He is the first Muslim-born man to be ordained as a rabbi. A former member of the Youngstown, Ohio Board of Education, Hunter sou ...

– American lawyer, rabbi and politician. * Ibrahim Shaheen and Inshirah Moussa – Palestinian man and his Egyptian wife. * Ibtisam Hamid (popularly known as Basma al-Kuwaiti) – Kuwaiti singer and actress. *

Lucy Aharish Lucy Aharish ( ar, لوسي هريش, he, לוסי אהריש; born 18 September 1981) is an Arab-Israeli news anchor, reporter, television host and actress. She was the first Muslim Arab news presenter on mainstream Hebrew-language Israeli tel ...

– Arab-Israeli news anchor, reporter, television host and actress. *

Michaela DePrince Michaela Mabinty DePrince (born Mabinty Bangura, 6 January 1995) is a Sierra Leonean-American ballet dancer, currently dancing with the Boston Ballet. She rose to fame after starring in the documentary ''First Position'' in 2011, following her an ...

– Sierra Leonean-American ballet dancer. *

Nasreen Qadri Nasreen Qadri ( ar, نسرين قادري, he, נסרין קדרי; born September 2, 1986) better known as Nasrin Kadri is an Arab-Israeli singer of traditional and pop Middle Eastern music, Middle Eastern and Mizrahi music. Qadri, a Muslim con ...

–

Arab Israeli The Arab citizens of Israel are the largest ethnic minority in the country. They comprise a hybrid community of Israeli citizens with a heritage of Palestinian citizenship, mixed religions (Muslim, Christian or Druze), bilingual in Arabic an ...

singer. * Nissim Baruch Black (born Damian Jamohl Black) – American rapper and music producer, raised Muslim but converted to Christianity before converting to Judaism.

From other Middle Eastern religions

* Avtalyon, Sage and vice-president of the

Sanhedrin The Sanhedrin (Hebrew and Aramaic: סַנְהֶדְרִין; Greek: , ''synedrion'', 'sitting together,' hence 'assembly' or 'council') was an assembly of either 23 or 71 elders (known as "rabbis" after the destruction of the Second Temple), ap ...

, apparently from a Mideastern religion * Sh'maya, Sage and President of the Sanhedrin, apparently from a Mideastern religion

From Greco-Roman religion

(Acylas), from traditional Greek religion * Paulina Beturia, from traditional Roman religion * Flavia Domitilla, from traditional ancient Roman religion (possibly to

Jewish Christianity Jewish Christians ( he, יהודים נוצרים, yehudim notzrim) were the followers of a Jewish religious sect that emerged in Judea during the late Second Temple period (first century AD). The Nazarene Jews integrated the belief of Jesus a ...

, as she is also a Christian saint) * Titus Flavius Clemens, consul, great-nephew of the Roman Emperor Vespasian, from traditional Roman religion (possibly to

, as he is also a Christian saint) *

Fulvia Fulvia (; c. 83 BC – 40 BC) was an aristocratic Roman woman who lived during the Late Roman Republic. Fulvia's birth into an important political dynasty facilitated her relationships and, later on, marriages to Publius Clodius Pulcher, Gai ...

, wife of Emperor Tiberius' close friend, Saturninus, from traditional Roman religion *

Onkelos Onkelos ( he, אֻנְקְלוֹס ''ʾunqəlōs''), possibly identical to Aquila of Sinope, was a Roman national who converted to Judaism in Tannaic times ( 35–120 CE). He is considered to be the author of the Targum Onkelos ( 110 CE) ...

, Hebrew scholar and translator, from

ancient Roman religion Religion in ancient Rome consisted of varying imperial and provincial religious practices, which were followed both by the people of Rome as well as those who were brought under its rule. The Romans thought of themselves as highly religious, ...

From
Samaritanism Samaritanism is the Abrahamic, monotheistic, ethnic religion of the Samaritan people, an ethnoreligious group who, alongside Jews, originate from the ancient Israelites. Its central holy text is the Samaritan Pentateuch, which Samaritans ...

Sofi Tsedaka Sofi Tsedaka ( he, סופי שרה צדקה; born ), also known by her post-conversion name Sofi Sarah, is an Israeli actress, singer, television presenter and politician. Born into a Samaritan family in the city of Holon, Israel, Tsedaka fo ...

, Israeli actress, singer, television presenter and politician

From Shinto

Setzuso Kotsuji was a Japanese Orientalist, and the son of a Shinto priest who descended from a long line of Shinto priests. During the Holocaust he helped Jewish refugees to escape the Nazis, arranging for them to stay first in Kobe and later in Japanese-occup ...

, son of a Shinto priest, and a professor in Japan (converted from Shinto to Christianity and then from Christianity to Judaism)

From Hinduism

* Sarah Avraham, women's world Thai-boxing champion

From
Buddhism Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and gra ...

Angela Warnick Buchdahl Angela Warnick Buchdahl ( ko, 앤절라 워닉 북달; born July 8, 1972) is an American rabbi. She was the first Asian-American to be ordained as a rabbi, and the first Asian-American to be ordained as a ''hazzan'' (cantor). In 2011 she was name ...

, converted to

at age 21. She was not raised within the Buddhist faith, however; her mother is Buddhist, so by Orthodox Jewish law she was not considered Jewish, but she was raised Jewish and so by Reform Jewish law she has always been Jewish.

List of conversions named in the Bible

Bithiah The Pharaoh's daughter ( he, בַּת־פַּרְעֹה, lit=daughter of Pharaoh) in the story of the finding of Moses in the biblical Book of Exodus is an important, albeit minor, figure in Abrahamic religions. Though some variations of her stor ...

, from traditional Egyptian religion *

Darius the Mede Darius the Mede is mentioned in the Book of Daniel as king of Babylon between Belshazzar and Cyrus the Great, but he is not known to history, and no additional king can be placed between the known figures of Belshazzar and Cyrus. Most scholars v ...

, from a mideastern religion who admitted that God of Israel is eternal Forever * Jethro, priest of

Midian Midian (; he, מִדְיָן ''Mīḏyān'' ; ar, مَدْيَن, Madyan; grc-gre, Μαδιάμ, ''Madiam'') is a geographical place mentioned in the Hebrew Bible and Quran. William G. Dever states that biblical Midian was in the "northwest Ar ...

and father-in-law of

Moses Moses hbo, מֹשֶׁה, Mōše; also known as Moshe or Moshe Rabbeinu (Mishnaic Hebrew: מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ, ); syr, ܡܘܫܐ, Mūše; ar, موسى, Mūsā; grc, Mωϋσῆς, Mōÿsēs () is considered the most important pro ...

, from a Mideastern religion *

Makeda The Queen of Sheba ( he, מַלְכַּת שְׁבָא‎, Malkaṯ Šəḇāʾ; ar, ملكة سبأ, Malikat Sabaʾ; gez, ንግሥተ ሳባ, Nəgśətä Saba) is a figure first mentioned in the Tanakh, Hebrew Bible. In the original story, s ...

, queen of

Sheba Sheba (; he, ''Šəḇāʾ''; ar, سبأ ''Sabaʾ''; Ge'ez: ሳባ ''Saba'') is a kingdom mentioned in the Hebrew Bible ( Old Testament) and the Quran. Sheba features in Jewish, Muslim, and Christian traditions, particularly the Ethiopian Ort ...

, from a Mideastern or Ethiopian religion *

Osenath Asenath (, ; Koine Greek: Ἀσενέθ, ''Asenéth'') is a minor figure in the Book of Genesis. Asenath was a high-born, aristocratic Egyptian woman. She was the wife of Joseph and the mother of his sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. There are two R ...

, from the ancient Egyptian religion (her name relates to

Anat Anat (, ), Anatu, classically Anath (; uga, 𐎓𐎐𐎚 ''ʿnt''; he, עֲנָת ''ʿĂnāṯ''; ; el, Αναθ, translit=Anath; Egyptian: '' ꜥntjt'') was a goddess associated with warfare and hunting, best known from the Ugaritic texts. ...

) *

Ruth Ruth (or its variants) may refer to: Places France * Château de Ruthie, castle in the commune of Aussurucq in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques département of France Switzerland * Ruth, a hamlet in Cologny United States * Ruth, Alabama * Ruth, Arka ...

, great-grandmother of

King David David (; , "beloved one") (traditional spelling), , ''Dāwūd''; grc-koi, Δαυΐδ, Dauíd; la, Davidus, David; gez , ዳዊት, ''Dawit''; xcl, Դաւիթ, ''Dawitʿ''; cu, Давíдъ, ''Davidŭ''; possibly meaning "beloved one". w ...

, from a Near Eastern religion *

Yael Jael or Yael ( he, יָעֵל ''Yāʿēl'') is the name of the heroine who delivered Israel from the army of King Jabin of Canaan in the Book of Judges of the Hebrew Bible. After Barak demurred at the behest of the prophetess Deborah, God turned ...

, from Canaanite or another Near Eastern religion *

Zipporah Zipporah, or Tzipora (; he, צִפּוֹרָה, ''Ṣīppōrā'', "bird"),, ''Sepphōra''; ar, صفورة, ''Ṣaffūrah'' is mentioned in the Book of Exodus as the wife of Moses, and the daughter of Reuel/Jethro, the priest and prince of Midi ...

, from a Mideastern or northern African religion

Undetermined former religion

* According to rabbinic tradition,

Obadiah Obadiah (; he, עֹבַדְיָה – ''ʿŌḇaḏyā'' or – ''ʿŌḇaḏyāhū''; "servant of Yah", or "Slave of Yah HVH) is a biblical prophet. The authorship of the Book of Obadiah is traditionally attributed to the prophet ...

the prophet, from a Mideastern religion *

Joseph Bánóczi Joseph is a common male given name, derived from the Hebrew Yosef (יוֹסֵף). "Joseph" is used, along with "Josef", mostly in English, French and partially German languages. This spelling is also found as a variant in the languages of the mo ...

Drew Bundini Brown Drew may refer to: __NOTOC__ Places ;In the United States * Drew, Georgia, an unincorporated community * Drew, Mississippi, a city * Drew, Missouri, an unincorporated community * Drew, Oregon, an unincorporated community * Drew County, Arkansas * ...

, assistant trainer of former heavyweight boxing champion

Muhammad Ali Muhammad Ali (; born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.; January 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016) was an American professional boxer and activist. Nicknamed "The Greatest", he is regarded as one of the most significant sports figures of the 20th century, a ...

* Sarah Brown, actress * Salem Shaloam David *

József Eisenhoffer József Eisenhoffer (8 November 1900 – 13 February 1945), also known as József Aczél, was a Hungarian footballer. He could play equally well as an inside or outside left as well as left half. Eisenhoffer played professionally in Hungary, ...

Lenny Kuhr Helena Hubertina Johanna "Lenny" Kuhr (born 22 February 1950) is a Dutch singer-songwriter. Career In 1967, she started a singing career in the Netherlands, performing songs in the French chanson tradition. In 1969, she represented the Neth ...

, Dutch singer-songwriter *

Martha Nussbaum Martha Craven Nussbaum (; born May 6, 1947) is an American philosopher and the current Ernst Freund Distinguished Service Professor of Law and Ethics at the University of Chicago, where she is jointly appointed in the law school and the philosoph ...

, American philosopher and academic *

, Canadian activist, lawyer, and former leader of the

Green Party of Canada The Green Party of Canada (french: Parti vert du Canada) is a federal political party in Canada, founded in 1983 with a focus on green politics. The Green Party is currently the fifth largest party in the House of Commons by seat count. It el ...

. *

Helen Reddy Helen Maxine Reddy (25 October 194129 September 2020) was an Australian-American singer, actress, television host, and activist. Born in Melbourne to a showbusiness family, Reddy started her career as an entertainer at age four. She sang on rad ...

, Australian American singer and actress *

Dara Torres Dara Grace Torres (born April 15, 1967) is an American former competitive swimmer, who is a 12-time Olympic medalist and former world record-holder in three events. Torres is the first swimmer to represent the United States in five Olympic Gam ...

Desmond Wilcox Desmond John Wilcox (21 May 1931 – 6 September 2000) was a British television producer, documentary filmmaker, journalist and television executive. He worked at the BBC and ITV during his career and was producer of series such as '' This ...

Andre Williams Andre Williams may refer to: * Andre Williams (musician) * Andre Williams (American football) * Andre Williams, British DJ better known as Shy FX {{hndis, Williams, Andre ...

Converts who later left the faith

, Grammy Award-nominated Mexican pop singer (reverted to Roman Catholicism after divorcing his Jewish wife) *

Bob Denard Robert Denard (born Gilbert Bourgeaud; 7 April 1929 – 13 October 2007) was a French soldier of fortune and mercenary. He served as the Military Leader of The Comoros twice with him first serving from 13 May 1978 to 15 December 1989 and again ...

, French soldier and mercenary. Converted from Catholicism to Judaism, then from Judaism to Islam, then from Islam to Catholicism * Polemon II, king of Cilicia, converted to marry the Jewish princess

Berenice Berenice ( grc, Βερενίκη, ''Bereníkē'') is the Ancient Macedonian form of the Attic Greek name ''Pherenikē'', which means "bearer of victory" . Berenika, priestess of Demeter in Lete ca. 350 BC, is the oldest epigraphical evidence. Th ...

; later relapsed(

, ''

Jewish Antiquities ''Antiquities of the Jews'' ( la, Antiquitates Iudaicae; el, Ἰουδαϊκὴ ἀρχαιολογία, ''Ioudaikē archaiologia'') is a 20-volume historiographical work, written in Greek, by historian Flavius Josephus in the 13th year of the re ...

'' xx. 7, § 3

External links

*
Did Modern Jews Originate in Italy?

The origin of Eastern European Jews revealed by autosomal, sex chromosomal and mtDNA polymorphisms

Genetic Roots of the Ashkenazi Jews

Gideon Levy Took a DNA Test and Found Out the Truth About His Ancestors' Link to Israel

References

Bibliography

* * {{lists of converts

Converts to Judaism Conversion to Judaism ( he, גיור, ''giyur'') is the process by which non-Jews adopt the Jewish religion and become members of the Jewish ethnoreligious community. It thus resembles both conversion to other religions and naturalization. "Th ...

Converted nations, groups or tribes

Converted nations, groups or tribes from non-Abrahamic religions

Converted nations, groups or tribes from Christianity

Converted individuals

From Christianity

Former Christian clergy or theologians

Other Christians who converted to Judaism

Not from Christianity

From Black Hebrew Israelitism

From Islam Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...

From other Middle Eastern religions

From Greco-Roman religion

From Samaritanism Samaritanism is the Abrahamic, monotheistic, ethnic religion of the Samaritan people, an ethnoreligious group who, alongside Jews, originate from the ancient Israelites. Its central holy text is the Samaritan Pentateuch, which Samaritans ...

From Shinto

From Hinduism

From Buddhism Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and gra ...

List of conversions named in the Bible

Undetermined former religion

Converts who later left the faith

See also

External links

References

Bibliography

From
Islam Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...

From
Samaritanism Samaritanism is the Abrahamic, monotheistic, ethnic religion of the Samaritan people, an ethnoreligious group who, alongside Jews, originate from the ancient Israelites. Its central holy text is the Samaritan Pentateuch, which Samaritans ...

From
Buddhism Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and gra ...