List of British Jews is a list of prominent Jews from the United Kingdom and its predecessor states.
Although the first Jews may have arrived on the island of Great Britain with the Romans, it was not until the Norman Conquest of William the Conqueror in 1066 that organised Jewish communities first appeared in England. These existed until 1290 when the Jewish population of England was expelled by King Edward I of England.
There was never a corresponding expulsion from Scotland. The eminent scholar David Daiches states in his autobiographical Two Worlds: An Edinburgh Jewish Childhood that there are grounds for saying that Scotland is the only European country with no history of state persecution of Jews.
Jews were re-admitted to England and Wales in 1656 by Oliver Cromwell. Slightly more than 200 years later, in 1858 they were emancipated, that is, accepted as full citizens. In the late 19th century, there was mass Jewish immigration to England from Russia due to Russian domestic policy. In the 1930s, the country accepted many refugees from Nazism. The Jewish population peaked at 450,000, but has since declined due to low birth-rate, intermarriage and emigration, mainly of the younger generation to Israel. According to the 2001 census, the current population is around 295,000, most of whom live in London.
See List of British Jewish scientists, which includes economists.
David Abulafia, professor of history, University of CambridgeGeoffrey Alderman, historianRichard David Barnett, museum curator and archaeologistMax Beloff, Lord Beloff, historian (Encyclopaedia Judaica, art. Historians)David Cesarani, historianNorman Cohn, historianIsaac Deutscher, historianGeoffrey Rudolph Elton, historianSamuel FinerSir Moses I. Finley, historian and sociologistSir Martin Gilbert, historianMartin GoodmanPhilip Guedalla, biographerEric Hobsbawm, historian and Communist theoreticianAlbert Montefiore Hyamson, zionist and historianJonathan Israel, historianJoseph Jacobs, editor of the Jewish EncyclopediaLisa Jardine, historianTony Judt, Director of the Erich Maria Remarque Institute at New York UniversityElie Kedourie, historian and political scientistOtto Kurz, historianBernard Lewis, historianDavid Malcolm Lewis, professor of history, University of OxfordHyam Maccoby, professor of historySir Philip Magnus, 1st Baronet, educationalist and politicianSir Philip Magnus-Allcroft, 2nd Baronet, biographerShula Marks, expert on African historyArnaldo Momigliano, professor of history, University College LondonLewis Bernstein Namier, historian (converted to Anglicanism)Sir Francis Palgrave (born Cohen) (1768–1861), UK historianSir Michael Postan, historianCecil Roth, historian and editor of the Encyclopaedia JudaicaSimon Schama, historianLeonard Schapiro, historianSimon Sebag Montefiore, historianCharles Singer, historian of scienceSir Aurel Stein, archeologistBarry Supple, British economic historian (Jewish Year Book, 2005, p. 215)Geza VermesSir George Alberti, President, Royal College of PhysiciansAsher Asher, first Scottish Jewish doctorHenry Cohen, 1st Baron Cohen of Birkenhead, President of the Royal Society of MedicineSir Ian Gainsford, dentistSir Abraham Goldberg, Regius Professor of Medicine, University of Glasgow, 1923–2007Max Hamilton, psychiatristRoderigo Lopez, New Christian doctor to Queen Elizabeth IJohn Henry Marks, chairman of the British Medical AssociationSir Jonathan Miller, physician and theatre directorLeslie Turnberg, Baron Turnberg, professor, FMedSciLord Robert Winston, medical doctor, politician, and television personalityOliver Zangwill, professor of psychologySamuel Alexander, professor of philosophy at Manchester, born in Australia, the first Jewish fellow of an Oxbridge collegeSir Alfred Ayer, philosopher, populariser of logical positivism (Jewish mother)Sir Isaiah Berlin, political philosopherMax Black, philosopherAlain de Botton, Swiss-British Jewish philosopherGerald Cohen, Oxford professor of philosophyLaurence Jonathan Cohen, Oxford professor of philosophyErnest Gellner, philosopher social scientistH. L. A. Hart, legal philosopherBrian Klug, Senior Research Fellow in Philosophy, St Benet's Hall, University of Oxford; concepts of race, antisemitism, Islamophobia, Jewish identityStephan Korner, Bristol professor of philosophyImre Lakatos, Hungarian-born philosopherAlexander Piatigorsky, philosopher, Buddhologist, writerMichael Polanyi, Anglo-Hungarian scientist and philosopherSir Karl Popper, philosopher of science (family became Lutheran)Jonathan Romain, minister of Maidenhead Jewish community and leader of the British reform movementRichard Rudolf WalzerLudwig Wittgenstein, philosopher; Jewish grandparents on both sides of the family who had converted to Christianity in the 19th century; he was christened, raised and eventually buried as a CatholicRichard WollheimSee also List of British Jewish scientists.
Roy Clive Abraham, linguistMichael Balint, psychoanalyst (converted to Unitarianism)Zygmunt Bauman, sociologistBasil Bernstein, linguistVernon Bogdanor, professor of politicsGeorgina Born, anthropologist; daughter of Gustav Victor Rudolf BornGerald Cohen, Professor of Social and Political TheoryArthur Lumley Davids, linguist and orientalistNorbert Elias, sociologistHerman Finer, political scientistSamuel Finer, political scientistSir Moses I. Finley, historian and sociologistMeyer Fortes, anthropologistEduard Fraenkel, philologistAnna Freud, child psychoanalystNorman Geras, professor of governmentMorris GinsbergMax Gluckman, anthropologistTheodor Goldstücker, orientalistJean Gottmann, professor of geography, Oxford UniversityJulius Gould, sociologistPaul Hirst, social theorist (Jewish mother)Marie Jahoda, psychology of discriminationMelanie Klein, child psychoanalystGeoffrey Lewis Lewis, professor of TurkishSteven Lukes, political scientistAshley Montagu, anthropologist and humanistIsaac Schapera, anthropologistEdward Ullendorff, linguistTheologians and Hebraists
Isaac Abendana, HebraistChimen Abramsky, professor of HebrewLionel Barnett, orientalistAbraham Benisch, Hebraist and editor of the Jewish ChronicleImmanuel Oscar Menahem Deutsch, Semitic scholar and orientalistAlfred Edersheim, Bible scholarPhilip Ferdinand, professor of HebrewChristian David Ginsburg, expert on the Masoretic textRidley Haim Herschell, missionaryMarcus Kalisch, Hebraist and Biblical commentatorDavid Levi, Jewish scholarDavid Samuel Margoliouth, orientalist (family converted to Anglicanism)Hugh Montefiore, bishopAdolf Neubauer, HebraistStefan Reif, Cambridge academicJudah Segal, professor of Semitic languagesJoseph Wolff, missionarySidney Greenbaum, Quain Professor of English Language and Literature, University College London 1983-90 Frank Auerbach, painterDavid Bomberg, painterSir Anthony Caro, sculptorBenno Elkan, sculptorSir Jacob Epstein, sculptor (UK-based)Hannah Frank, artist and sculptorBarnett Freedman, artistLucian Freud, painterAbram GamesMark Gertler, painterGluck (Hannah Gluckstein), artistWalter Goodman, painterDora Gordine, artist and sculptorSolomon Alexander Hart, painterGerry Judah, artist and designerAnish Kapoor, sculptor (Jewish mother)R. B. Kitaj, US-born painterJacob Kramer, painterLennie Lee, Young British Artist; mixed mediaLinda McCartney, photographerRuth Rix, painterSir William RothensteinAntony Armstrong-Jones, 1st Earl of SnowdonIsaac Snowman, painterSolomon Joseph Solomon, painterTolleck Winner, mixed mediaAlfred Wolmark, painterDesigners and architects
Nicole Farhi, fashion designerJohn Frieda, hair stylist; father of actor Jordan FriedaRay Kelvin, fashion designer, founder of Ted BakerArthur Korn, architect and urban plannerDenys Lasdun, architectStella McCartney, fashion designer (Jewish mother)Erich Mendelsohn, architectJanet Reger, lingerie designerVidal Sassoon, hair stylistRichard Seifert, architectArts and literature
Simon Goldhill, Professor of Greek Literature and Culture at the University of CambridgeSir Israel Gollancz, Shakespeare expertSir Ernst Gombrich, art historianSir Sidney Lee, editor of the Dictionary of National Biography and Shakespeare expertSir Nickolaus Pevsner, art historianSiegbert Salomon Prawer, professor of GermanSir Nicholas Serota, Director of the Tate Gallery, 1987–Ernest Simon, professor of ChineseArthur Waley, poet, translator of Chinese and Japanese literatureSee List of British Jewish entertainers (includes classical musicians and actors as "entertainers").
See List of British Jewish writers.
Abraham Manie Adelstein, government statisticianSir Hermann Bondi, Chief Scientific Adviser to the Ministry of Defence and the Department of EnergySir Andrew Cohen, colonial administratorEugene Grebenik, first head of the Civil Service CollegeHans Kronberger, nuclear physicistSir Alan Marre, Second Permanent Secretary, Health; later Parliamentary Commissioner for AdministrationSir Claus Moser, Lord Moser, government statisticianSir Ernest Cassel, bankerSir Ronald Cohen, Egypt-born businessman and Labour party supporterMoses da Costa, also called Anthony da CostaAbraham and Benjamin Goldsmid, brothers, leading financiers and philanthropistsSir Isaac Lyon Goldsmid, financier, a leading figure in Jewish emancipation and in the foundation of University College LondonSir James GoldsmithDudley Joel, financierSolomon Joel, financierLord Levene of Portsoken, Peter Keith Levene, chairman of Lloyd's of London, Lord Mayor of London (1998–1999)Aaron of Lincoln, 12th-century financierMoses Haim Montefiore, financier and philanthropistN M Rothschild & SonsNathan Mayer Rothschild, financier and bankerJoseph Salvador, first Jewish director of the British East India CompanyBarons Swaythling, bankersSamuel Montagu, 1st Baron SwaythlingMichael Sherwood, Banker. The vice chairman of Goldman Sachs and the co-chief executive officer of Goldman Sachs International.Desmond Ackner, Baron Ackner, Law LordSir John Balcombe, Lord Justice of AppealJudah P. Benjamin, American exile, lawyerHerbert Bentwich, lawyer and Zionist leaderNorman Bentwich, lawyer and Attorney-General of Palestine; son of Herbert BenwitchHis Honour Gerald Butler, Q.C., judgeAlex Carlile, Baron Carlile of Berriew, Liberal DemocratsArthur Cohen, QC and politicianLionel Cohen, Baron Cohen, Lord of AppealMyrella Cohen, judge, QC and agunah campaignerLawrence Collins, Baron Collins of Mapesbury, Justice of the Supreme Court of the United KingdomHazel Cosgrove, Lady Cosgrove, Scottish Queen's Counsel and sheriffDavid Daube, Professor of LawSir Morris Finer, judgeDame Hazel GennSir Francis Henry Goldsmid, MP for Reading, first Jewish barrister (Q.C. 1858)Sir David Lionel Goldsmid-Stern-Salomons, barristerPeter Goldsmith, Baron Goldsmith, Attorney GeneralArthur Lehman Goodhart, juristWilliam Goodhart, Baron Goodhart, human rights lawyer and politician (son of Arthur Goodhart)Arnold Goodman, Baron Goodman, solicitorDame Rose Heilbron, Britain's first female Q.C., judgeRosalyn Higgins, President of the International Court of JusticeLeonard Hoffmann, Baron Hoffmann, Law LordRufus Isaacs, 1st Marquess of Reading, lawyer and politicianSir George Jessel, Solicitor General for England and Wales, later Master of the RollsAnthony Julius, prominent lawyer for Princess Diana, and against David IrvingSir Otto Kahn-Freund, Professor of LawNeville Laski, judgeHersch LauterpachtSir Brian Leveson, Lord Justice of AppealLeone Levi, barrister and statisticianGeorge Henry Lewis, solicitorGavin Lightman, judge; son of Harold LightmanHarold Lightman, barrister, father of Gavin Lightman and Stafford LightmanSir Alan Mocatta, judgeVictor Mishcon, Baron Mishcon, solicitorDavid Neuberger, Baron Neuberger of Abbotsbury, Justice of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom; son of Albert Neuberger, brother of James Neuberger and Michael Neuberger, and brother-in-law of Julia NeubergerDavid Pearl, judgeNicholas Phillips, Baron Phillips of Worth Matravers, President of the Supreme Court of the United KingdomSir Bernard Rix, Lord Justice of Appeal (2000–)Leonard Sainer, solicitor and retailerFiona Shackleton, solicitor who has acted for the royal family and Paul McCartneyLewis Silkin, 1st Baron Silkin, solicitorLinda Joy Stern, Q.C., prosecutor and judgeJulius StoneEldred Tabachnik, Q.C., former president of the Board of Deputies of British JewsPeter Taylor, Baron Taylor of Gosforth, Q.C., former Lord Chief JusticeHarry Woolf, Baron Woolf, former Lord Chief Justice, Q.C., former Master of the RollsMichael Zander, Q.C., solicitor and academicAdrian Zuckerman, Professor of Civil Procedure, University of OxfordSir Leon Bagrit, pioneer of automationSir Monty Finniston, industrialistDavid Gestetner, inventorJoseph Kagan, Baron Kagan, clothes manufacturer and disgraced friend of Prime Minister Harold WilsonSir Emmanuel Kaye, industrialist and philanthropistLord Alan Sugar, founder and chairman of Amstrad (1968–2007)Sir Robert Waley-Cohen, industrialistArnold Weinstock, Lord Weinstock, Chairman of GECRachel Beer, newspaper editorSidney Bernstein, cinema ownerBenjamin Cohen, Channel 4 News reporter and presenterRichard Desmond, publisher, Chairman of the Daily Express GroupAndré DeutschLew Grade, founder of ATVMichael Grade, Chairman of ITVMichael Green, founder of Carlton TelevisionMiles Jacobson OBE, owner and founder of Sports Interactive and inventor of Football Manager Sydney Jacobson, newspaper editorNatasha Kaplinsky, newsreader, TV presenterNigella Lawson, television chef, daughter of Nigel LawsonJoseph Moses Levy, owner of the Daily TelegraphEdward Levy-Lawson, 1st Baron Burnham, newspaper proprietorRobert Maxwell, publisherSuzy Menkes, fashion journalistPaul Reuter, founder of ReutersGail Rebuck, Publisher [www.independent.co.uk/life-style/interview-gail-warning-1154352.html]Rachel Riley, television presenter and co-host of CountdownJacob Rothschild, 4th Baron Rothschild, Non-Executive Deputy Chairman of the Board, British SKY Broadcasting Group PLCMaurice Saatchi, Baron Saatchi and Charles Saatchi, founders of Saatchi and SaatchiMartin Sorrell, founder of the WPP GroupGeorge Weidenfeld, publisherClaudia Winkleman, television presenter, columnist, radio hostSir Edward Brampton, godson of King Edward IV, a knight and commander during the War of the RosesPeter George Davis, DSC, Royal Marine, founder of Modern SBSFrank Alexander de Pass, World War I British Indian Army Victoria Cross recipientAlbert Goldsmid, colonelFrederick John Goldsmid, generalThomas William Gould, World War II Royal Navy Victoria Cross recipientHerbert Hollander,John Patrick Kenneally, World War II British Army Victoria Cross recipient (Jewish father)Issy Smith, World War I British Army Victoria Cross recipientPeter Stevens, World War II bomber pilot/POW and recipient of the Military Cross for numerous escape activities; a German-Jewish refugee living in London at the outbreak of hostilities; born Georg Franz HEIN in Hanover; committed identity theft in order to join the RAF; was naturalized a British citizen in 1946Wing Commander Roland Robert Stanford Tuck, DSO, DFC and Two Bars, AFC (1916-1987), RAF fighter pilot, Battle of Britain and Battle of France (27 air-to-air kills), English Electric Canberra test pilotJack White, World War I British Army Victoria Cross recipientJack Cotton, property developerPoju Zabludowicz, owner of Tamares GroupDavid Alliance, Baron Alliance, businessman and Liberal Democrat politicianSir Victor Blank, chairman of GUSSir Montague Burton, retailerSir Charles Clore, owner of SelfridgesJack Cohen, founder of TescoRalph and David Gold, founders of Ann Summers and co-owners of Birmingham City football clubSir Philip Green, owner of Bhs, Arcadia GroupIrene Howard, English costume designer; sister of actor Leslie HowardStanley Kalms, now Baron Kalms of Edgware, life president of Dixons Group PLCBernard Lewis, founder of River IslandDavid Lewis, department store founderMichael Marks, co-founder of Marks & Spencer (born in Poland)Simon Marks, chairman of Marks & SpencerGerald Ratner, chairman of Ratners GroupGerald Ronson, business tycoon and philanthropistMarcus Samuel, founder of the "Shell" Transport and Trading Company Israel Sieff, chairman of Marks & SpencerJoseph Stillitz, founder and chairman of Gor-RayLord Alan Sugar, founder of Amstrad and star of The Apprentice (UK)Isaac Wolfson, founder of GUS plc; philanthropistHenry Solomon, Chief Constable of Brighton Borough 1838 to 1844See List of British Jewish politicians.
Religious and communal leaders
Jacob Abendana, Haham of the Spanish and Portuguese JewsBarnett Abrahams, Dayan, Principal of Jews' CollegeIsrael Abrahams, scholar and educatorYehezkel Abramsky, rabbi and dayanHermann Adler, Chief RabbiNathan Marcus Adler, Chief RabbiBenjamin Artom, Haham of the Spanish and Portuguese JewsRabbi Dr. Tony Bayfield, head of the Movement for Reform JudaismJon Benjamin, Chief Executive, Board of Deputies of British JewsMoses Berlin, 19th-century British Reform rabbiLionel Blue, Reform rabbi and broadcasterLevi Brackman, rabbiSir Israel Brodie, Chief RabbiFelix Carlebach, German-born rabbiEli Cashdan, rabbiIsidore Epstein, rabbi, Principal of Jews' CollegeHarry Freedman, rabbiMoses Gaster, Haham of the Spanish and Portuguese JewsSir Hermann Gollancz, rabbi and educatorAaron Hart, Chief RabbiJoseph H. Hertz, Chief RabbiShmuel Yitzchak Hillman, rabbi and dayanSolomon Hirschell, Chief RabbiMoses Hyamson, acting Chief RabbiLouis Jacobs, rabbi and educatorLaura Janner-Klausner, Senior Rabbi of the Movement for Reform JudaismImmanuel Jakobovits, Baron Jakobovits, Chief RabbiNathan S. JosephCasriel Dovid Kaplin, rabbi and dayanJames Kennard, rabbi and educationalistHart Lyon, Chief RabbiFrederick de Sola Mendes, rabbiSolomon Mestel, British rabbiEwen Montagu, President of the United SynagogueClaude Montefiore, lay synagogue leaderJulia Neuberger, Reform RabbiDavid Nieto, Haham of the Spanish and Portuguese JewsIsaac Nieto, Haham of the Spanish and Portuguese JewsMichael Plaskow, ministerJonathan Romain, rabbiSir Anthony Rothschild, first president of the United SynagogueLord Jonathan Sacks, Chief RabbiSolomon Marcus Schiller-Szinessy, rabbi and first Jewish professor in CambridgeElyakim Schlesinger, rabbiJoseph ben Yehuda Leib Shapotshnick, rabbiSimeon Singer, rabbiSimon Waley Waley, lay leaderChaim Weizmann, Zionist leaderJonathan Wittenberg, Massorti rabbiSee List of British Jewish entertainers.
Diana Barnato Walker, the first British woman to break the sound barrierBarney Aaron (Young), English-born US lightweight, Hall of FameJackie Kid Berg, Junior Welterweight Champion (IBHOF), wore a Star of David on his trunksRoman Greenberg, IBO intercontinental heavyweight championGary Jacobs, Scottish, British, Commonwealth, and European (EBU) champion welterweightTed "Kid" Lewis (Gershon Mendeloff), world welterweight champion 1915–16, 1917–19Daniel Mendoza, 18th-century heavyweight world champion, ancestor of actor Peter Sellers and Mike Mendoza (talksport), radio and television presenterGerald Abrahams, British chess playerAaron Alexandre, German/French/British chess playerVictor Berger, Ukrainian/British chess playerStephan Fazekas, Hungarian/British chess playerDavid Friedgood, South African/British chess playerHarry Golombek, British chess playerIsidor Gunsberg, Hungarian/British chess playerWilliam Hartston, British chess playerLeopold Hoffer, Hungarian/British chess playerBernhard Horwitz, German/British chess playerErnest Klein, Austrian/British chess playerImre König, Hungarian/British chess playerDavid Levy, British chess playerPaul List, Ukrainian/British chess playerEdward Löwe, British chess playerJohann Löwenthal, Hungarian/British chess playerJacques Mieses, German/British chess playerRaaphi Persitz, Israeli/British chess playerJon Speelman, British chess playerMichael Stean, British chess playerVictor Wahltuch, British chess playerBaruch Harold Wood, British chess playerJohannes Zukertort, Polish/German/British chess playerMike Barnard, England, cricketerMark Bott, England, cricketerDarren Gerard, England, cricketerSteven Herzberg, English-born Australian, cricketerBev Lyon, England, cricketerDar Lyon, England, cricketer (brother of Bev)John Raphael, England, batsmanFred Trueman, cricketer (Jewish ancestry)Allan Jay, British (épée and foil), Olympic two-time silver, world championEdgar Seligman, British (épée, foil, and sabre), Olympic two-time silver (épée), two-time British champion in each weaponNick Blackman, England, wingerBradley Goldberg, England, forwardJoe Jacobson, Wales, left back (Shrewsbury Town and U21 national team)Josh Kennet, England, midfielder/right back (Maccabi Herzliya)Mark Lazarus, England, right wingerScott Kashket, England, striker for Wycombe WanderersSheila van Damm, British rally driverLewis Harris, England, English rugby leagueAaron Liffchak, England, prop, English national teamAlan Menter, England/South Africa, South Africa national teamJohn Raphael, Belgium/England, England national teamTony Bullimore, British, yachtsmanPeter Jaffe, Great Britain, Olympic silver (yachting; star-class)Viktor Barna (born "Győző Braun"), Hungary/Britain, 22-time world champion, International Table Tennis Foundation Hall of Fame (ITTFHoF)Richard Bergmann, Austria/Britain, seven-time world champion, ITTFHoFIvor Montagu, Britain, national teamAngela Buxton, England, won 1956 French Women's Doubles (w/Althea Gibson) and 1956 Wimbledon Women's Doubles (w/Gibson), highest world ranking # 9Daniel Prenn, Germany and Britain, highest world ranking, #6Track and field
Harold Abrahams, Britain, sprinter, Olympic champion (100 metre sprint) and silver (4x100-m relay) who was immortalized in the film Chariots of FireSir Sidney Abrahams, Britain, Olympic long jumperJo Ankier, Britain, record holder (1,500m & 3,000m steeplechase)Harry Kane, Britain, Olympic hurdlerBen Helfgott, Polish-born British, three-time British champion (lightweight), three-time Maccabiah champion; survived Buchenwald and Theresienstadt concentration camps, as all but one other of his family were killed by the NazisEdward Lawrence Levy, Great Britain, world weightlifting champion; 14 world recordsFred Oberlander, Austrian, British, and Canadian wrestler; world champion (freestyle heavyweight); Maccabiah championSamuel Rabin, Great Britain, Olympic bronze (freestyle middleweight)Ludwig Guttmann, founder of the ParalympicsDavid Pleat, former football managerBarry Silkman, footballer and agentDavid Triesman, former Chairman of the Football AssociationBernhard Baron, cigarette maker and philanthropistSir Clive Bourne, philanthropistDame Vivien Duffield, philanthropist, daughter of Sir Charles CloreJoseph Duveen, 1st Baron Duveen of MillbankAnna Maria Goldsmid, philanthropistSir Basil Henriques, philanthropistMaurice de Hirsch, banker and philanthropistSamuel Lewis, financier and philanthropistSir Robert Mayer, philanthropistFrederic David Mocatta, philanthropistBarney Barnato, diamond minerJack Beddington, advertising executiveAntonio Fernandez Carvajal, merchant, first Jew to be naturalised as a British citizenJeremiah Duggan, possible murder victimAlexander Goldberg, human rights activist, chaplain and barristerHenry Edward Goldsmid, East India Company servantKurt Hahn, educationalistNathaniel Isaacs, explorerAaron Kosminski, suspect in the Jack the Ripper caseGottlieb Wilhelm Leitner (1840–1899), educationist and orientalistSir Solomon de Medina, army contractor, first English Jew to be knightedChava Mond, modelDon Pacifico, cause of the Pacifico incidentKrystyna Skarbek, spySir Bernard Waley-Cohen, Lord Mayor of London