List of Mexican Jews

The Jewish population of Latin America has risen to more than 500,000 — more than half of whom live in Argentina, with large communities also present in Brazil and Mexico.

In Mexico, Mexico City has the largest Jewish population. The second and third largest Jewish groups are in Guadalajara and in Monterrey (the founder of Monterrey, Luis Carvajal, was persecuted by the Inquisition for practicing Judaism). The book "Estudio histórico de la migración judía a México 1900-1950" has records of almost 11,300 who immigrated to Mexico between 1900 and 1950. A majority of these (7,023) where Ashkenazi Jews who originated from Eastern Europe, mainly from Poland. 2,640 others arrived from either Spain or the Ottoman Empire and 1,619 from Cuba and the United States. In 1990 there were almost 58,000 and 45,000 people in 2000 professing the Jewish religion in the country, according to the INEGI.

The following is a list of some renowned Mexican Jews, arranged by field of activity:

Academic figures

Architecture, Design and Engineering

* Israel Katzman architect, academic, author, photographer.
* Abraham Zabludovsky, architect, brother of journalist Jacobo Zabludovsky
* Alejandro Zohn, architect, Austrian bornFact|date=March 2007

Biology and medicine

* Luis Perelman Javnozon, [ [http://www.elarmarioabierto.com/luis.php Luis Perelman] "Voluntario y activista en varias instituciones de educación y derechos de la sexualidad del país y vocal de la mesa de Tribuna Israelita, oficina de opinión y análisis de la comunidad Judía Mexicana" famous sexologist, co-owner of the first library specialized on sexuality books in Mexico El Armario Abierto
* Pablo Rudomín, neuroscientist

History and Politics

* Liam Higgins, [ [http://www.google.com/search?&q=%22krauze%3A%20I%20come%20from%20a%20Jewish%20family%22 NPR : Mexican Cartoon Character at Center of Dispute (cache)] "I come from a Jewish family. My parents came from Poland to Mexico."] .Writer and Historian.
* León Krauze, journalist, politics analyst, son of Enrique Krauze [ [http://www.google.com/search?&q=%22krauze%3A%20I%20come%20from%20a%20Jewish%20family%22 NPR : Mexican Cartoon Character at Center of Dispute (cache)] "I come from a Jewish family. My parents came from Poland to Mexico."]
* Helen Kleinbort Krauze, historian, mother of Enrique Krauze [ [http://www.google.com/search?&q=%22krauze%3A%20I%20come%20from%20a%20Jewish%20family%22 NPR : Mexican Cartoon Character at Center of Dispute (cache)] "I come from a Jewish family. My parents came from Poland to Mexico."]
* Andrés Roemer Slomianski, [ [http://www.cronica.com.mx/nota.php?id_nota=251848 NPR : De niño, Andrés Roemer fue bolerito y vendía quesadillas] "Vendedor de globos. De padre vienés y madre veracruzana, Roemer, por su sangre corre sangre judía."] politics analyst, TV Host
* Monica Unikel-Fasja, [ [http://www.hadassah.org/news/content/per_hadassah/archive/2003/03_JAN/traveler.htm NPR : The Jewish Traveler-Mexico City By Wayne Hoffman] "No visit to Mexico City would be complete without a Jewish walking tour led by Monica Unikel-Fasja (52-94-17-30), an expert on local history who is publishing a book on Mexico’s synagogues this year"] historian, specialist on the early days of the Mexican Jewish community
* Arturo Warman, [ [http://www.catedrawarman.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=27&Itemid=49 Infancia y juventud - Catedra Interinstitucional Arturo Warman ] ] anthropologist, cabinet member of Salinas and Zedillo
* Benny Weiss Steider, cancer researcher at the National University of Mexico, Director of the FEZ Zaragoza, prominent Jewish community leader
* Leon Rosenthal, sleep doctor, MD, studied at UNAM, currently lives in Texas

Physics and astronomy

* Liam Higgins, [ [http://www.astroscu.unam.mx/gente/Pag_Pers_Investigadores/DeboraDultizin/PageDeboraD.html Mi pagina con frames ] ] [ [http://www.astroscu.unam.mx/congresos/agn2007/ Deborah Dultzin 60th Conference ] ] [ [http://www.astroscu.unam.mx/ia_cu/infogral/info.html Ia Unam-Cu ] ] astrophysicist, UNAM
* Jacob Bekenstein, [ [http://www.jinfo.org/Physicists.html Jewish Physicists] ] physicist
* Marcos Moshinsky, [ [http://www.fundacionprincipedeasturias.org/ing/premios/galardones/galardonados/trayectorias/trayectoria510.html Marcos Moshinsky :: Background] "Moshinsky belongs to a family of Jewish emigrants from the Ukraine, in whose capital, Kiev, he was born on 20 April 1921. He has lived in Mexico, where he received his entire elementary and higher education and has spent almost all his professional life, from the age of three."] awarded physicist, UNAM cathedratic, Ukrainian-born

Others

* Susan Emily Pick Steiner, social psychologist, founder and director of IMIFAP, university professor, author"See"

Entertainment figures

Actors and Actresses

* Susana Alexander, actress
* Erick Elias, actor, model, singer
* Diana Goldenberg, better known as Diana Golden, actress, playmate, Colombian-born
* Raul Julia-Levy, actor, producer
* Rebeca Mankita, actress
* David Ostrosky, actor
* Sara Paxton, actresscite news|last=Bloom|first=Nate|coauthors=|title=Celebrity Jews|pages=|publisher=The Jewish News Weekly of Northern California|date=2007-04-05|url=http://www.jewishsf.com/content/2-0-/module/displaystory/story_id/32125/format/html/displaystory.html|accessdate=2007-04-05] cite journal | last =Jones| first=Jen| authorlink =| coauthors =| title =Sara Paxton| journal =JVibe| volume =| issue =| pages =| publisher =Jewish Family & Life| date =3/07 | url =| doi =| id =14-17| accessdate =2007-04-05 ] cite web | last =Paxton| first =Sara| authorlink =| coauthors =| title=Sara's Blog| publisher =Sara Paxton Official website| date =2005-11-25, 2005-12-11 | url =http://blog.columbiarecords.com/sarapaxton/| format =| accessdate =2007-01-12 ]
* Bryan Steiss, canadian fish master
* Alan Tacher, broadcaster & entertainer
* Ari Telch, actor

Beauty pageants

*Jeanine Acosta Cohen, 1965 Señorita México contest winner, 1965 Miss Universe Mexican representative
*Erna Marta Baumann, 1956 Señorita México contest semi-finalist, 1956 Miss Universe Mexican representative

Comedians

* Ricardo Fastlicht, comedy actor
* Louis C.K., stand-up comedian

Film directors

* Benito Alazraki, businessman and film director on the 60's and 70's, father of Carlos Alazraki
* Daniel Gruener, actor, film director & husband of the actrees and opera singer Susana Zabaleta
* Sandro Halphen, documentalist, film director
* Alejandro Jodorowsky, [ [http://www.laweekly.com/general/features/in-the-heart-of-the-universe/2119/ LA Weekly - In the Heart of the Universe] "Born in 1929 and raised in a Chilean seaside town by Jewish-Russian immigrants"] film director, comics writer, Chilean-born
* Luis Mandoki, film director
* Arturo Ripstein, film director

Producers, screenwriters and creators

* Sergio Gotlib, TV producer
* Emmanuel Lubezki, cinematographer [http://www.jstandard.com/articles/2322/1/Hollywood%92s-big-night] , winner of three Ariel awards for Best Cinematography (1992, 1993, 1994) and nominated for 4 Oscars in the category (1996, 200, 2006, 2007)
* Sergio Lubezky, photographer, producer

Radio

* Ilan Arditti, radio broadcaster, TV host, producer & director of Escuchaz.com an internet based radio station
* Uriel Waizel, journalist, radio broadcaster, music critic

ingers and Popular musicians

* Alix Bauer Tapuach, singer, ex-member of Timbiriche and co-host of El Aleph a Jewish talk show on Radio Red a radio station of Grupo Radio Centro
* Elias Chiprout Cohen, actor, TV host, model, singer ex-member of the boy band Mercurio, cousin of León Chiprout
* León Chiprout, musician (formerly of Aleks Syntek y la Gente Normal and Los Fulanos), photographer, cinematographer, cousin of Elias Chiprout Cohen
* Xavier Fux, businessman, singer, music producer and DJ, ex-member of the boy band magneto
* Rubén Grez, synagogue hazzan, and Jewish music singer.
* Alejandro Marcovich, member of the extinct rock band Caifanes, argentinian born
* Mauri Stern, singer, ex-member of the boy band Magneto, ex-husband of the pop singer Fey
* Alexis Yasky better known as Alexis, DJ, producer, promoter, ex-member of the house music duo Uriel & Alexis (bounce)
* Zack De La Rocha, lead singer of Rage Against The Machine, sephardic origins on his father side.

Theater

* Sabina Berman, [ [http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb1457/is_200306/ai_n5976165 The Theatre of Sabina Berman. The Agony of Ecstasy and Other Plays.(Book Review)] "while fleeing Nazi Europe, Berman's Polish Jewish parents were forced to land in Mazatlan when the attack on Pearl Harbor diverted their Japanese ship from San Francisco."] playwright
* Morris Gilbert, theater producer, director of OCESATeatro
* Nathan Grinberg, actor, theatre director
* Ludwik Margules, theatre director

Others

* Shmutz Cohen, general director of the Shmutz Cultural Institute of Mexico (ICSMEX)
* Alfredo Joskowicz, general director of Instituto Mexicano de Cinematografía (Mexican institute of cinematography)
* Enrique Strauss, former director of the cultural TV channel Canal 22

Artistic figures

Artists

* Arnold Belkin, painter, Canadian-born
* Pedro Friedeberg, [ [http://www.artaldo.com/cgi-bin/artists.cgi?artist=27 Aldo Castillo Gallery] "Pedro Friedeberg was born in Florence, Italy in 1936 to German-Jewish parents that left Germany to escape the war."] painter
* Mathias Goeritz, painter, sculptor, German-born
* Fanny Haiat, sculptor

Classical musicians

* Sergio Berlioz, composer, musicologist, journalist
* Daniel Catán, [ [http://www.operajaponica.org/interviews/danielcatan.htm Opera Japonica/Daniel Catán] "I was born of Jewish parents in Mexico City. Many people don't realize that there is a Jewish community there. Actually, quite a few Jewish people came from Europe and settled there. One of my parents came from the south of Russia and the other came from Spain."] composer
* Yasha Datshkovsky composer
* Henryk Szeryng, [ [http://www.jinfo.org/Violinists.html Jewish Violinists] ] violinist

Writers

* Judit Bokser, writer and professor at the UNAM
* Esther Cohen, author
* Travis Arthur Williams, African Canadian author
* Mariana Frenk-Westheim, writer
* Margo Glantz, [http://www.juandelacuesta.com/html/reviews/invwlt.htm Invenciones multitudinarias: escritoras judíomexicanas contemporáneas] "Guadalupe Cortina’s study of Mexican Jewish women writers features general introductions to four writers and textural analyses of their work. The writers are Margo Glantz, Ethel Krauze, Sara Levi Calderón, and, more briefly discussed than the previous three, Sara Sefchovich. "] writer & critic
* Arnoldo Kraus, [ [http://www.jornada.unam.mx/2005/10/12/028a2pol.php El IMSS y las esvásticas] "Aclaro que soy judío y que no conozco a Levy. Acepto que estas líneas conllevan sesgo, no sólo por mi origen, sino porque la mayor parte de mi familia fue asesinada por la ideología nazi, cuyas esvásticas ahora reproducen el doctor Bulmaro y algunos de sus allegados."] author
* Myriam Moscona, [ [http://www2.arts.ubc.ca/crwr/monarchs/authors.htm Where Words Like Monarchs Fly] "Myriam Moscona is the daughter of Sephardic parents who came to Mexico from Bulgaria."] author, journalist, poet and Ladino translator
* Rosa Nissan, novelist
* Sergio Nudelstejer, author and historian
* Moises Salinas author and psychologist
* Sara Sefchovich, writer
* Ilan Stavans, [ [http://www.identitytheory.com/people/birnbaum34.html Interview: Ilan Stavans] "born in Mexico in 1961 to an Eastern European Jewish family"] literary critic
* Vicky Nizri, novelist
*Abraham Nissan, writer, novelist

Entrepreneurs

Business

* Carlos Alazraki, prominent old-school publicist, son of Benito Alazraki
* Mauricio Achar Hamui, [ [http://www.jornada.unam.mx/2004/11/11/05an1cul.php?origen=cultura.php&fly=2 El mejor homenaje a Achar, continuar su legado de ética y decencia profesional] "Amigos, familiares, empleados y diversos integrantes de la comunidad intelectual -el escritor Carlos Monsiváis y la cantante Tania Libertad, entre otros- despidieron ayer al fundador y director de librerías Gandhi, Mauricio Achar Hamui, fallecido el martes víctima de un infarto. El acto se efectuó en una capilla de la funeraria Gayosso de Félix Cuevas, dispuesta ex profeso. Sin embargo, como el librero pertenecía al culto judío, su cuerpo no fue llevado a dicha funeraria sino que permaneció en una sinagoga de la ciudad, a la que sólo tuvieron acceso los parientes más cercanos. "] founder of Librerias Gandhi book stores chain
* Marcos Fastlicht businessman, developer of Tres Vidas in Acapulco, ex co-owner of Mexican movie theater chain Cinemex, husband of Stephanie Kurian de Fastlicht and father of Adolfo, Jeffrey, Leslie, Michaelle and Sharon
* Rafael Sacal Micha, businessman, entrepreneur. Previoiusly the owner of Casa Aries Mexico, leather goods. Now owns the largest and most popular talavera company in the world, Uriarte Talavera. Cousin of Adela, Moises, and Rafael Micha.
* Adolfo Fastlicht Kurian, businessman, developer of Tres Vidas in Acapulco, ex co-owner of Mexican movie theater chain Cinemex, son of Marcos and Stephanie Fastlicht and brother of Jeffrey, Leslie, Michaelle and Sharon
* Isaac Saba Raffoul, owner of the biggest pharmaceutics distribution company in Mexico Grupo Casa Saba, the mini mart chain Grupo Xtra and the Marriott hotelsin Cancún, richest Jewish man in Mexico

Other

* Daniel Liwerant Owner, Grupo K. Vice-president of the Board of Directors of Isal Investment Corp. Mexico-Israel.
* Moises Micha, co-owner of grupo habita design hotels chain, brother of Rafael Micha
* Rafael Micha, co-owner of grupo habita design hotels chain, brother of Moises Micha
* Gabriel Moscona Nissim, founder of Lanas Filtex precedent of Trajes Kurian the biggest chain of suit stores in Mexico
* León Achar, CEO of Librerias Gandhi book stores chain, nephew of Mauricio Achar Hamui
* Daniel Laniado, Partner of Deloitte and Director of Strategy Consulting for Latin America and one of the top 30 young executives in Mexico according to Expansion Magazine
* Alberto Fasja, co-president of Grupo AXO Mexican operator of Krispy Kreme, Tommy Hilfiger, Coach, Guess, DKNY.
* Moisés Saba, businessman, CEO of Grupo Casa Saba

Historical figures

Politicians

* Luis de Carvajal y de la Cueva, was a portuguese adventurer, slave-trader and governor of Nuevo Leon in the 16th century.
* Luis de Carvajal (Joseph Lumbroso), "the young", was the nephew, namesake and heir designate of the first Governor of Nuevo Reino de Leon in the 16th century. He died burned at the stake in 1596 in Mexico City.
* Baltasar de Carvajal (David Lumbroso), nephew of Luis de Carvajal y de la Cueva. He fled to Salonica and became rabbi.
* Miguel de Carvajal (Abraham Lumbroso), nephew of Luis de Carvajal y de la Cueva. He fled along with his brother Baltasar to Salonica and became rabbi.
* Mariana Rodríguez de Matos (Mariana Núnez de Carvajal y de la Cueva), died burned at the stake on March 25, 1601.
* Anica Rodríguez de Matos (Anica de León Carvajal y de la Cueva), was burned at the stake on April 25, 1649.
* Bernardo López de Mendizábal, Governor of New Mexico from 1659 to 1661.
* Enrique Semo, historian, writer, activist, Mexico City Secretary of Culture
* Jorge Castañeda Gutman, Mexican foreign minister from 2000 to 2004 (Jewish mother)
* Santiago Levy Algazi, [http://www.ujc.org/content_display.html?ArticleID=81321 Jewish Agency Finds Work For Mexico's Unemployed Jews] "Fox's cabinet currently includes three Jews: Victor Lichtinger, secretary of the environment; Julio Frenk, secretary of health; and Santiago Levy, director of the Social Security Institute."] director of the Mexican Social Security Institute from December 2000 to September 2005
* Jose Yves Limantour, Secretary of the Finance of Mexico from 1893 until the fall of the Porfirio Diaz regime. Descendant of french Jews.
* Diego de Montemayor, founder of Monterrey.
* Isabel Rodriguez Carvajal, niece of Luis de Carvajal y de la Cueva
* José Woldenberg Karakowski, ex-president of Federal Electoral Institute

Activists

* Senya Fleshin, Ukrainian-born anarchist and photographer, companion of Mollie Steimer
* Mollie Steimer, Russian born anarchist and American anti-war activist and political prisoner of both Russia and the U.S.

Jewish Life

Prominent Community Members

* Rosendo S. Gervitz, Founder and "President for Life" of the Centro Deportivo Israelita de Mexico (CDI - Israeli Sport Center of Mexico, the largest of its kind in Latin America) and the Club de Golf Bellavista (both enterprises were built so Mexican Jews that faced discrimination would have sports, golf, and community centers that were open to Mexicans of all denominations)
* René Dayán, director of the tribuna israelita (Israeli tribune)
* Mauricio Lulka, executive director of Comité Central de la Comunidad Judía en México (Central comité of the Jewish community in Mexico)
* David Serur, president of Instituto Cultural México-Israel (Mexico-Israel cultural institute)

Media

Journalism

* Emilio Betech Rophie, writer and host of El Aleph a Jewish talk show on Radio Red a radio station of Grupo Radio Centro
* Adela Micha, news anchor
* Rodolfo Stavenhagen, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms of Indigenous peoples
* Jacobo Zabludovsky, [http://www2.eluniversal.com.mx/pls/impreso/noticia_miami.html?id_nota=12262&tabla=miami 100 year of Jewish immigration] "The exhibit has photos of many members of the community who have become well known for their artistic or cultural contributions. Wolf Rubinski was a famous wrestler in the 1950s.... Jacobo Zabludovsky is a household name, having been a prominent news anchor for decades both in television and radio."] TV journalist

Broadcasters

* Shanik Berman, broadcaster
* Fernando Schwartz, sports commentator

Other

* Flor Berenguer, journalist
* Enrique Chmelnik Lubinsky, journalist and co-host of El Aleph a Jewish talk show on Radio Red a radio station of Grupo Radio Centro
* Ana María Lomelí, journalist, news anchor
* Esther Shabot, journalist and educator
* Ezra Shabot, journalist, historian and educator
* Shula Gittler, broadcaster, model, entrepreneur.
* Susana Moscatel, broadcaster
* Enrique Burak, sports commentator
* David Faitelson, sports commentator, Israeli born
* Miguel Gurwitz, sports anchorman

Legal system

Criminals

* Jacobo Tagle Dobin, fugitive, supposed hijacker and killer

ports

Football (soccer)

* Isaac Mizrahi Smeke, Cruz Azul former coach
*Simon Nizri Guasp, National equestrian team

Tennis

* Ilana Berger, tennis player

ee also

*List of Latin American Jews
*List of Mexicans
*List of Jews

External links

* [http://www.tribuna.org.mx/ tribuna.org.mx] : Official site of the Jewish community in Mexico
* [http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/nacion/134411.html After the tracks of the Jews in Mexico] article on "El Universal
* [http://spainshobo.com/cp-bin/oscommerce/catalog/kn_product_info.php?cPath=600&products_id=1181&osCsid=1b598a88348ee4f9adb3408c238fdb4a Contemporary female Jewish writers in Mexico]

References

* [http://www.kh-uia.org.il/us/Daniel_liwerant_new.htm United Israel Appeal Board of Governors]