List of Asian Jews
There have been a number of established Asian Jewish communities outside the Arab World: in Iran and Kurdistan; the Gruzim and Juhurim of the Caucasus; the Bene Israel and Cochin Jews of India; and the Bukharan Jews of Uzbekistan. Even China once had an established Jewish community in Kaifeng. Here is a list of some prominent Asian Jews, arranged by country of origin.
Azerbaijan
- Max Black, philosopher
- Bella Davidovich, pianist
- Jacob Ghermezian, businessman
- Garry Kasparov, world chess champion (Jewish father)
- Lev Landau, physicist, Nobel Prize (1962)
- V. A. Rokhlin, mathematician
- Lotfi Zadeh, mathematician (Jewish mother)
China
- Nina Brosh, model (Chinese mother)
- Morris Cohen, bodyguard of Sun Yat-Sen
- Misha Dichter, pianist (Chinese-born)
- Edmond Fischer, biochemist, Nobel Prize (1992) (Chinese-born; Jewish father)
- Silas Aaron Hardoon, real estate tycoon
- Elly, Lawrence & Michael Kadoorie, businessmen
- Matthew Nathan, Hong Kong governor (1904)
- Ehud Olmert, Israeli politician (parents from Harbin)
- Jakob Rosenfeld, doctor and general in the Chinese Liberation Army
Georgia
- Josef Bardanashvili, composer
- Melvin Calvin, chemist (Georgian mother)
- Roman Dzindzichashvili, chess grandmaster
- Dover Kosashvili, film director
- Lev Vlassenko, pianist (Jewish mother)
India
- Nissim Ezekiel, poet
- Jack F.R. Jacob, army general, Goa governor
- Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, writer (Indian-based 1951-75)
- Anish Kapoor, sculptor (Jewish mother)
- Pramila, Bollywood actress, first Miss India
- other Bollywood actors include: Helen, David, Nadira & Sulochawa
- David & Simon Reuben, businessmen
- David Sassoon, businessman
Indonesia
- Xaviera Hollander, writer (Indonesian-born; Jewish father)
Iran
- Richard Danielpour, composer
- Jacob Ghermezian & sons, businessmen
- Moshe Katsav, Israeli president
- Nasser David Khalili, businessman, art collector
- Isaac Larian, inventor of Bratz, founder of MGA Entertainment
- Jamie Masada, founder of the Laugh Factory comedy club
- Yasmina Reza, playwright (Iranian father)
- Elie Tahari, fashion designer
- Lotfi Zadeh, mathematician (Jewish mother)
Japan
- Michael Kogan, founder of Taito
- David Rosen, founder of SEGA (unconfirmed)
- Joseph Rosenstock, conductor of the NHK Symphony Orchestra
Kazakhstan
- Alexander Mashkevich, businessman
- Vladimir Zhirinovsky, Russian nationalist (Jewish father)
Kyrgyzstan
- Alexander Mashkevich, businessman (Kyrgyz-born)
Myanmar
- Ike Isaacs, jazz player
Singapore
- David Saul Marshall, Chief Minister
Tajikistan
- Moses Znaimer, TV producer
Uzbekistan
- Liane Balaban, actress (Jewish Uzbek father)
- Yefim Bronfman, pianist
- Lev Leviev, diamond tycoon