Famous Israeli Men

Abraham is an important historical character, considered one of the fathers of the human race by the Abrahamic religions, including Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. Abrahamic religions believe that Abraham was in contact with God; his story and life events have inspired several important paintings, sculptures, works of literature, and music.

John the Baptist was a 1st century AD Jewish preacher. The Gospels mention John as the forerunner of Jesus, as John announces Jesus's arrival and Jesus describes him as “Elijah who is to come.” It is also believed that John had baptized Jesus. John was eventually beheaded by Herod Antipas.

Co-founder of the rock band Kiss, Gene Simmons is also known by his stage persona, The Demon.  With his band, he has over 25 gold-certified albums. A devoted philanthropist, he has donated to charities related to underprivileged children. He created an animated series and owns a magazine and a label.

Judas Iscariot was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus. He is remembered for betraying Jesus Christ by kissing him and thereby revealing his identity as a rabbi in front of the authorities who had come to arrest the rabbi. Judas remains a controversial biblical figure and his name is used synonymously with treason or betrayal.

King David of Israel remains a significant figure not just in Christianity, but also in Judaism and Islam. The Books of Samuel describe him as a shepherd. Legends also mention how he killed the giant Goliath and had an affair with Bathsheba. He was also a poet and a psalmist.

Saint George was a Christian soldier in the Roman army who is accepted as a saint in Christianity. He was sentenced to death for refusing to recant his Christian faith and was executed by decapitation, according to Greek tradition.  Saint George's Day is celebrated in his memory on 23 April. He is one of the most venerated saints in Christianity.

The current Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu is the longest-serving prime minister in the history of Israel. Before becoming a politician, Netanyahu had a prolific military career; he played important roles in the Yom Kippur War and the War of Attrition and participated in missions, such as Operation Isotope and Operation Gift.

Israelite prophet Isaiah is mentioned in the Book of Isaiah of the Bible. Some believe the 8th-century prophet had written all the 66 chapters of the Book of Isaiah, while others believe two separate portions were written by two people. He also finds mention in Judaism and Islam.

Daniel Kahneman is an Israeli economist and psychologist. He was honored with the 2002 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences for his work on behavioral economics. In 2011, Kahneman was named among the top global thinkers by Foreign Policy magazine. In 2015, Daniel Kahneman was ranked seventh in the most influential economist in the world list published by The Economist.

Born to Ukrainian Jewish immigrants, military leader/politician Moshe Dayan, grew up to be an revered for his exploits against Israel’s Arab neighbors. His invasion of the Sinai peninsula is etched in his memoir, Diary of the Sinai Campaign. Following his death, his eye patch was sold on eBay for US$75,000.

Josephus was a Romano-Jewish historian. He played a major role during the First Jewish–Roman War, where he fought against the Romans as head of Jewish forces. However, he surrendered to Roman forces in 67 CE. As a historian, Josephus' works provide the first-known source for stories considered Biblical history. These stories include the narration of the Siege of Masada. 

Thomas the Apostle was one of Jesus Christ's Twelve Apostles, according to the New Testament. He is often called Doubting Thomas as he doubted Jesus' resurrection. Widely considered the patron saint of India, Thomas is believed to have traveled to present-day Kerala, where Christianity is a major religion. Hence, he is credited with popularizing the religion in South India.

Mentioned in the biblical Book of Judges, Samson was an Israelite warrior, known for his long hair, which was the reason behind his superhuman strength. He had killed a lion with his bare hands but was eventually betrayed by his lover, Delilah, who cut his hair while he slept.

Israeli politician, statesman, and general, Yitzhak Rabin, served two stints as the prime minister of Israel. As a young man, he joined the military and served for nearly three decades. He had an extensive political career as well and played a key role in embracing the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. He was assassinated in November 1995.

Ariel Sharon was the Israeli prime minister from 2001 to 2006. As a commander of the Israeli Army, he had participated in the Palestine War of 1948 and the 1967 Six-Day War. He was removed as the defense minister after he led the massacre of Palestinians in the Lebanon War.

Israeli televangelist Benny Hinn gained fame with his Miracle Crusades held in stadiums across major cities and broadcast worldwide on his show This Is Your Day. He incorrectly predicted twice that the world would end. He has also authored several books, such as Lord, I Need a Miracle.

Daniel Pearl was an American journalist who was kidnapped and murdered by terrorists in Pakistan. He was kidnapped when he visited Pakistan to investigate the alleged links between Al-Qaeda and British citizen Richard Reid. Since his death, several institutions and schools have been named after him. His parents formed the Daniel Pearl Foundation in 2002 to continue his mission.

An important figure in the Tanakh and the Quran, Ishmael was the first son of Abraham according to the Bible. He is considered to be the ancestor of the Ishmaelites and patriarch of Qaydār. According to the Genesis account, he was the son of Abraham and Sarah's Egyptian handmaiden Hagar and reportedly died at the age of 137 years. 

Oded Fehr is an Israeli actor best known for playing Ardeth Bay in the 1999 film The Mummy. Fehr went on to reprise his role in the 2001 sequel The Mummy Returns. His portrayal of Ardeth earned him similar roles in films like Resident Evil: Apocalypse. Over the years, he has also established himself as a TV actor in America.

Jeff Wilbusch is an Israeli-German actor. He is best known for his portrayal of Moishe Lefkovitch in a drama television miniseries titled Unorthodox for which he was honored at the 25th Satellite Awards with the Best Supporting Actor award under the Series, Miniseries or Television Film category.

Jeremiah was one of the major prophets, according to the Hebrew Bible. As per Jewish tradition, he authored the Book of Lamentations, the Books of Kings, and the Book of Jeremiah. According to Judaism, Jeremiah is the second of the major prophets and the Book of Jeremiah is often considered a part of the religion's canon.

Adam Neumann is an Israeli-American businessman. He is credited with co-founding the popular commercial real estate company, WeWork, which he established in 2010 alongside his wife Rebekah Neumann and Miguel McKelvey. According to a report from The Wall Street Journal, Adam Neumann had aspirations like becoming the first trillionaire, living forever, and becoming president of the world.

The Book of Ezekiel, or The Prophecy of Ezechiel, of the Hebrew Bible talks about Ezekiel, the prophet. He is said to have lived near the Chebar River during the Babylonian Captivity. In about 592 BC, Ezekiel received a religious call, having viewed the “throne-chariot” of God in a vision.

Saul the King reigned as the first king of the United Monarchy (Israel and Judah) from 1037 to 1010 BCE. His reign played a major role in helping the then-civilization undergo a major transition from a tribal society to statehood. According to a biblical summary, Saul was a successful king. He conducted several military campaigns against kingdoms like Aram Rehob.

Nicodemus was a member of the Sanhedrin who finds mention in the Gospel of John. According to the gospel, Nicodemus provides the embalming spices required to prepare the body of Jesus for burial after the Crucifixion of Jesus. He is venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church and in the various Eastern Churches.

The Book of Jonah of the Old Testament talks about Jonah, the prophet. Jonah apparently set sail to Tarshish instead of listening to God and traveling to Nineveh to warn its citizens of God’s wrath due to its wickedness. However, shipwrecked, he eventually ends up warning Nineveh of the impending danger.

Though seriously hindered by leprosy, Baldwin IV, who came to power at the age of 13, was successful in defending his Jerusalem kingdom during his nearly 11-year rule. His reign was marked by his confrontations with Saladin, the ruler of Egypt and Syria. Also known as The Leper King, Baldwin slowed Saladin’s military campaigns. He was succeeded by his nephew.

Vince Offer is an Israeli-American writer, director, infomercial pitchman, and comedian. He is credited with directing the 1999 comedy film The Underground Comedy Movie, which is widely regarded as one of the worst films ever. Vince Offer owns and produces several household products like kitchen utensils and liquid cleaners. He also appears in commercials, promoting his products.

Named in the Gospels, Joseph of Arimathea was a secret follower of Jesus, who asked for Pontius Pilate’s permission to get Jesus’s body down from the cross and give it a fair burial. He has also been part of many legends, including one associated with the Holy Grail.

Israeli president Reuven Rivlin, a qualified lawyer, has been associated with organizations such as the Betar Jerusalem Sports Association. A supporter of the one-state solution to end the Israel–Palestine issue, he has previously made headlines for cancelling an Amir Benayoun show after the singer sang an anti-Arab track.

Esau, who finds mention in the Hebrew Bible, was the elder son of Isaac. Apart from The Book of Genesis, he is also mentioned in The New Testament. Esau was rough and hairy, and had become a hunter, whereas his twin Jacob was a simple man.