List of converts to Judaism

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Template:Judaism This article lists nations, groups or tribes, as well as notable individuals, who have converted to Judaism. This article does not differentiate between the different branches of Judaism. See also Who is a Jew? on issues related to the acceptance of conversions throughout the Jewish community.

Converts are called gerei tzedek (Template:Langx).<ref>Template:Cite Talmud</ref>

A number of prominent celebrities, such as Madonna, Demi Moore, and Ariana Grande, have become followers of a "new age" version of Kabbalah (see Kabbalah Centre), derived from the body of Jewish mystical teaching also called Kabbalah, but do not consider themselves—and are not considered—Jewish.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Converted nations, groups or tribes

Converted nations, groups or tribes from non-Abrahamic religions

|CitationClass=web }}</ref> (actual numbers and extent of proselytization disputed<ref name="docs.google.com">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Goodman, M. (1992). Jewish proselytizing in the first century. The Jews among pagans and Christians in the Roman Empire, 53-78.</ref>) See the article on proselyte: a term which initially referred to Hellenistic converts to Judaism.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name="Stroup 2020 p. 93">Template:Cite book</ref>

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    • Izates bar Monobaz, king of Adiabene, from a Persian or Mideastern religion<ref name="jewishencyclopedia.com" />
    • Symacho, wife of Izates bar Monobaz, from a Persian or Mideastern religion<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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    • Monobaz II, king of Adiabene, from a Persian or Mideastern religion<ref name="jewishencyclopedia.com" />
  • Khazars (disputed<ref>

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    • Bulan, king of the Khazars, from a traditional Khazar religion<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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Converted nations, groups or tribes from Christianity

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Converted individuals

From Christianity

Former Christian clergy or theologians

Other Christians who converted to Judaism

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  • Reuben Greenberg, police chief of Charleston, South Carolina<ref name="The movie Shalom y'all">The movie Shalom y'all</ref>
  • Lars Gustafsson, Swedish professor of philosophy at the University of Texas<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • Thomas Jones (lapsed Roman Catholic)
  • Y-Love a/k/a Yitz Jordan, musician<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • Jon Juaristi, Spanish writer<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • Cate Shortland, Australian director
  • Shyne, Belizean–American rapper<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • Karol Sidon, Czech Orthodox rabbi, writer and playwright
  • Daniel Silva, American author of thriller and espionage novels<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • Chris Smith, American-Israeli basketball player<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • Joseph Abraham Steblicki (lapsed Roman Catholic)
  • Margo Stilley, American film actress<ref>Stilley – [3]Template:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore "...the former model, raised a Christian in Conway, S.C., recently announced that she is converting to Judaism. Even her rabbi is befuddled.... "The first thing that attracted me to Judaism was the undeniable family strength that has held Jewish people and culture together for 3,000 years. . . Jews, whether religious or not, know where they have come from and what they would wish for their future, and this certainty is based on fact, not faith.... "I will not be a perfect Jew, nor will Judaism make me perfect. But I know that Judaism will give me faith, support, knowledge, and history. I am not Jewish because I choose to be. I am Jewish because there is no other choice for me.""</ref>
  • Annette Taddeo, businesswoman and politician
  • Elizabeth Taylor, actress (ex-Christian Scientist)<ref>In her book Elizabeth Takes Off, Taylor writes, "[Conversion to Judaism] had absolutely nothing to do with my past marriage to Mike [Todd] or my upcoming marriage to Eddie Fisher, both of whom were Jewish. It was something I had wanted to do for a long time." Template:Usurped</ref>
  • Karen Tintori, American author of fiction and nonfiction (lapsed Roman Catholic)
  • Andre Bernard Tippett, American Hall of Fame former football linebacker for the New England Patriots (ex-Baptist)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • Jacob Tirado (c. 1540–1620), co-founder of the Sephardic community of Amsterdam
  • Ivanka Trump, businesswoman, raised Presbyterian<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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Not from Christianity

From atheism and/or agnosticism

  • Christian B. Anfinsen – Nobel prize-winning chemist (Orthodox Judaism)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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From Black Hebrew Israelitism

From Islam

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From other Middle Eastern religions

  • Avtalyon, Sage and vice-president of the Sanhedrin, apparently from a Mideastern religion<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • Sh'maya, Sage and President of the Sanhedrin, apparently from a Mideastern religion<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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From Greco-Roman religion

  • Aquila of Sinope (Acylas), from traditional Greek religion<ref>Jewish Encyclopedia "He was by birth a Gentile from Pontus, and is said by Epiphanius to have been a connection by marriage of the emperor Hadrian and to have been appointed by him about the year 128 to an office concerned with the rebuilding of Jerusalem as "Ælia Capitolina." At some unknown age he joined the Christians, but afterward left them and became a proselyte to Judaism."</ref>
  • Paulina Beturia, from traditional Roman religion
  • Flavia Domitilla, from traditional ancient Roman religion (possibly to Jewish Christianity, as she is also a Christian saint)
  • Titus Flavius Clemens, consul, great-nephew of the Roman Emperor Vespasian, from traditional Roman religion (possibly to Jewish Christianity, as he is also a Christian saint)
  • Fulvia, wife of Emperor Tiberius' close friend, Saturninus, from traditional Roman religion
  • Onkelos, Hebrew scholar and translator, from ancient Roman religion<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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From Samaritanism

  • Sofi Tsedaka, Israeli actress, singer, television presenter and politician

From Shinto

  • Setsuzo Kotsuji, son of a Shinto priest, and a professor in Japan (converted from Shinto to Christianity and then from Christianity to Judaism)

From Hinduism

  • Sarah Avraham, women's world Thai-boxing champion

From Buddhism

  • Angela Warnick Buchdahl, American Reform Jewish Rabbi, converted to Orthodox Judaism at age 21. She was not raised within the Buddhist faith; however, her mother is Buddhist so by Orthodox Jewish law she was not considered Jewish, but she was raised Jewish and so by Reform Jewish law she has always been Jewish.

List of conversions named in the Bible

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  • Makeda, queen of Sheba, from a Mideastern or Ethiopian religion<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • Osenath, from the ancient Egyptian religion (her name relates to Anat)
  • Ruth, great-grandmother of King David, from a Near Eastern religion<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • Yael, from Canaanite or another Near Eastern religion
  • Zipporah, from a Mideastern or northern African religion

Undetermined former religion

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Converts who later left the faith

  • Cristian Castro, Grammy Award-nominated Mexican pop singer<ref name="EsMas.com"/> (reverted to Roman Catholicism after divorcing his Jewish wife) <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • Bob Denard, French soldier and mercenary. Converted from Catholicism to Judaism, then from Judaism to Islam, then from Islam to Catholicism<ref>["Robert Young Pelton's The World's Most Dangerous Places: 5th Edition", Robert Young Pelton, Collins Reference, 2003, p.270: "Denard has seven wives and has at various times converted to Judaism (in Morocco) and Islam (in the Comoros) and then back to Catholicism."]</ref>
  • Polemon II, king of Cilicia, converted to marry the Jewish princess Berenice; later relapsed<ref>(Josephus, Jewish Antiquities xx. 7, § 3</ref>

See also

References

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Bibliography

Template:Lists of converts

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