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Look, Rich Jews!

JTA gloats over the Forbes 400

by
Sara Ivry
October 06, 2009

While Bernard Madoff’s colossal fraud leached vast sums from the country’s wealthiest Jews in the past year, not every one of them is destitute. Quite the opposite, if the Jewish Telegraphic Agency’s assessment of Forbes’ list of the 400 richest Americans is to be trusted. According to their annotation—a questionable pursuit on account of the whiffs of both distasteful triumphalism and ostentation—at least 139 of the Richie-Riches may belong to a synagogue near you (well, if you’ve got enough spinach to pay the dues at some of the country’s more affluent houses of worship). There are few surprises in the list which includes Mayor Michael Bloomberg, (net worth of $17.5 billion), and Google founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page (net worth $15.3 billion each). Though the estimated wealth of all three fell in the past year, that hit didn’t stop Hizzoner from holding steady at number 8 on the general list (he’s number two among Jewish entrants) or keep the Google boys from rising in the ranking.

Sara Ivry is the host of Vox Tablet, Tablet Magazine’s weekly podcast. Follow her on Twitter@saraivry.