Who are the most influential Jews in the world?
As the Jewish New Year 5779 begins, it is harder than ever to predict what will happen and who will have the greatest impact on Israel, the Jewish world and the world in general.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been the powerful leader of the Jewish state for more than 12 years and has significant influence with a range of world leaders, from US President Donald Trump to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
However, the fate of Netanyahu lies in the hands of Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit, who must decide in the coming months whether or not to indict him in one or more cases related to alleged corruption.
That’s why Mandelblit heads the list of influential Jews this year, followed by Netanyahu.
Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump, who led the list last year, retain a great influence over President Trump, perhaps the most powerful person on the planet, and are in third place.
Next is the United States Ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, who is primarily responsible for the historic decision to move the United States embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem on May 14, 70 years after the establishment of the State.
Perhaps the readers do not agree with all the choices of the most influential, but this list provides a food for reflection and debate during the High Holidays.
The 50 most influential Jews of the year:
1. Avichai Mandelblit
2. Benjamín Netanyahu
3. Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump
4. David Friedman
5. Maggie Haberman
6. Steve Mnuchin
7. Audrey Azulay
8. Ayelet Shaked
9. Ronald Lauder
10. Gal Gadot
11. Naftali Bennett and Avigdor Liberman
12. Yossi Cohen and Gadi Eisenkot
13. Ruth Bader-Ginsberg, Elana Kagan and Stephen Breyer
14. Michael Cohen
15. Isaac Herzog
16. Sheldon Adelson
17. Claudia Sheinbaum
18. Miri Regev
19. Esther Hayut
20. Reuven Rivlin
21. Ron Dermer and Danny Danon
22. Roman Abramovich
23. Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg
24. Avi Gabbay and Yair Lapid
25. Gilad Erdan, Gideon Sa’ar and Israel Katz
26. Benny Gantz and Gabi Ashkenazi
27. Netta Barzilai
28. Luciana Berger
29. Natalie Portman
30. Russell Robinson
31. Rabbi Berl Lazar and Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt
32. Howard Kohr
33. Simone Zimmerman
34. Shari Arison
35. Sylvan Adams
36. Nitsana Darshan-Leitner
37. Danny Atar
38. Mayim Bialik
39. Shiri Maimon
40. Marie van der Zyl
41. Wendy Kahn
42. Dr. Shmuel Rosenman and Phyllis Greenberg Heideman
43. Bini Zomer
44. Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch
45. Bonnie Hammer
46. Sivan Rahav Meir
47. Gidi Mark
48. Haim Saban
49. Or Na’aman
50. Nicole Krauss