List of converts to 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.

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Note that a number of prominent celebrities, such as Madonna, Demi Moore, and Ariana Grande have recently become followers of a "new age" version of Kabbalah, derived from the body of Jewish mystical teaching also called Kabbalah, but do not consider themselves – and are not considered – Jewish.[1]

Converted nations, groups or tribes

Converted nations, groups or tribes from Christianity

Other converted nations, groups or tribes

Converted individuals

From Christianity

Former Christian clergy/theologians

Other Christians who converted to Judaism
Sammy Davis Jr., entertainer who converted while recovering from an automobile accident
Marilyn Monroe
Elizabeth Taylor
Andre Tippett
Ivanka Trump
Nikki Ziering

Not from Christianity

From atheism and/or agnosticism

From Black Hebrew Israelitism

From Islam
  • Nissim Baruch Black (born Damian Jamohl Black), American rapper and music producer, raised Muslim but converted to Christianity before converting to Judaism
  • Avraham Sinai, Lebanese member of Hezbollah who had an Orthodox conversion and lives as a Haredi Jew in Tsfat[87]

From Druzism

From other Middle Eastern religions
  • Avtalyon, Sage and Vice-President of the Sanhedrin, apparently from a Mideastern religion[88]
  • Sh'maya, Sage and President of the Sanhedrin, apparently from a Mideastern religion[89]

From Greco-Roman religion
  • Aquila of Sinope (Acylas), from traditional Greek religion[90]
  • 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[91]

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

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

From Hinduism
  • Bhagirath Mohandas Prasad, doctor who converted to Judaism.
  • Sarah Avraham, women's world Thai-boxing champion

From Buddhism

List of conversions named in the Bible

Undetermined former religion

Converts who later left the faith
  • Cristian Castro, Grammy Award-nominated Mexican pop singer[99] (reverted to Roman Catholicism after divorcing his Jewish wife)
  • Uriel da Costa, philosopher shunned for heresy[100]
  • Bob Denard, French soldier and mercenary. Converted from Catholicism to Judaism, then from Judaism to Islam, then from Islam to Catholicism[101]
  • Polemon II, king of Cilicia, converted to marry the Jewish princess Berenice; later relapsed[102]

See also

References
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  4. Kulanu: Bene Ephraim of Andhra Pradesh, South India Archived 2007-11-12 at the Wayback Machine
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  7. Kulanu: Claim Mexico playing host to a Lost Tribe Archived 2007-11-12 at the Wayback Machine
  8. Jewish Encyclopedia "Obadiah was a proselyte of Edomite origin."
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  13. Jewish Encyclopedia "If the contradictory and sometimes legendary accounts of the personality of Dhu Nuwas given by the Arabian writers can be trusted, he was not a Jew by birth, but embraced Judaism after ascending the throne, taking the name of "Joseph."
  14. Shanks, Hershel, ed. (April 2007). "Losing Faith: Who Did and Who Didn't - How Scholarship Affects Scholars". Biblical Archaeology Review. Biblical Archaeology Society. 33 (2). Retrieved 24 September 2019.
  15. Barr, Robert (12 May 2013). "Geza Vermes, renowned Jesus scholar, dies at 88". Times of Israel. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
  16. Ivry, Benjamin (15 May 2013). "Geza Vermes, Hungarian Bible Scholar Who Returned to Jewish Roots, Dies at 88". The Forward. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
  17. Hausman, Tamar (24 August 2001). "Crazy' Ole Becomes an Oleh". Haaretz. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
  18. De La Fuente, Susan (1 March 2013). "Under His Wings". Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
  19. Jenny Hazan, review of "Strangers No More". Jerusalem Post, 19 November 2005. Quoted by Gefen Publishing House, Strangers No More Book Details
  20. Scalamonti, John David (1992). Ordained to be a Jew: a Catholic priest's Conversion to Judaism. Brooklyn: KTAV Publishing House. ISBN 978-0-88125-412-9.
  21. "Ex-Christian ministers now active Orthodox Jews". Jweekly. 15 May 1998. Retrieved 20 December 2018.
  22. Carmel, Abraham (1993). So Strange My Path: A Spiritual Pilgrimage (Rev. ed.). New York: Bloch Pub. Co. ISBN 978-0-8197-0040-7.
  23. Bernstein, Fred. "Onetime Catholic Priest Abraham Carmel Celebrates His 25th Year as An Orthodox Jew". People.com. Retrieved 4 August 2016.
  24. Sanders, Gavriel Aryeh. "A Minister's Journey to Judaism".; "About Gavriel". 10 July 2008. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
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  26. "Tom Arnold".
  27. "Jewish Actress Elizabeth Banks Discusses Her Conversion With Marc Maron – Jewcy". 17 January 2013.
  28. "Episode 352 – Elizabeth Banks".
  29. Le Figaro Magazine which states "as though his conversion to Judaism in 2002 had paradoxically made him closer to his Pas-de-Calais roots".
  30. Arc Poetry review of "Jacob's Dream" which states "Brewster is fascinated with her newly adopted faith of Judaism—poems about Jewish holy days and heritage are sprinkled throughout"
  31. "May Britt Joins Jewish Faith", The New York Times, October 18, 1960, p. 46
  32. New York Times
  33. https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/is-baseballs-rod-carew-jewish
  34. Chicago Sun Times via "Find Articles." Archived 2015-10-19 at the Wayback Machine: Said of her conversion "I needed to know where God was, and I went back to the basics."
  35. Interview with Croce's Cousin http://www.netporch.com/sa/
  36. Jewish Virtual Library
  37. A Publishers Weekly review of Jacqueline Du Pre: A Biography by Carol Easton Archived 2015-07-21 at the Wayback Machine states she was "the daughter of anti-Semitic parents who herself converted to Judaism and at age 21 married Jewish pianist-conductor Daniel Barenboim."
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  39. Gensler, Howard (November 27, 2006). "'Borat' to wed Aussie actress Isla Fisher". Retrieved November 29, 2006.
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  69. User, Super. "Bärbel Schäfer: Knallharte Diskussionen mit Michel Friedmann". Archived from the original on 2015-07-22. Retrieved 2012-07-12.
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  76. from biography "Female Brando: The Legend of Kim Stanley" by Jon Krampner, 2006
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  78. Stilley – "...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.""
  79. 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."
  80. "Profile at Jewishsports.com". Archived from the original on 2008-10-14. Retrieved 2007-02-25.
  81. Jewish Bulletin of Northern California:On being asked about Christmas, because of the Santa Claus related The Polar Express, he stated "We have a Jewish household. I converted when I married Lisa."
  82. Pfefferman, Naomi (24 June 2004). "Journey to Judaism". Retrieved 18 July 2018. After Winningham observed her first Yom Kippur that year, she knew she had to convert, and did so March 3, 2003, accompanied by an entourage of friends and relatives.
  83. Entertainment Weekly
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  85. Broderick, Damien (1 January 2000). Transrealist Fiction: Writing in the Slipstream of Science. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 978-0-313-31121-5.
  86. Cohen, Mike. TV’s Lost Girl converts to Judaism, Jewish Tribune, August 23, 2011. Accessed October 18, 2011.
  87. "A Martyr from Lebanon: Life in the Shadow of Danger"
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  89. "SHEMAIAH (SAMAIAS, SAMEAS) – JewishEncyclopedia.com".
  90. 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."
  91. "ONḲELOS – JewishEncyclopedia.com".
  92. Seow 2003, p. 85-86.
  93. Book of Daniel 6:25-28
  94. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2007-10-08. Retrieved 2007-02-26.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
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  96. "BBC – Religions – Judaism: Converting to Judaism".
  97. Q&A with Sarah Brown "Judaism, for me, is more a spiritual thing than a religion, but I feel that I have a Jewish soul. I didn't convert because of my marriage; I just always felt like there was a Jewish soul inside of me just dying to get out."
  98. The Nation
  99. EsMas.com Archived 2012-03-29 at the Wayback Machine
  100. "Bartleby.com: Great Books Online -- Quotes, Poems, Novels, Classics and hundreds more". Archived from the original on 2007-08-13.
  101. ["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."]
  102. (Josephus, Jewish Antiquities xx. 7, § 3

Bibliography
  • Hill, Andrew E. (2009). "Daniel-Malachi". In Longman, Tremper; Garland, David E. (eds.). The Expositor's Bible Commentary. 8. Zondervan. ISBN 9780310590545.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Seow, C.L. (2003). Daniel. Westminster John Knox Press. ISBN 9780664256753.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
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