Oracle Corporation (Nasdaq: ORCL) co-founder and CEO Larry Ellison is the world's wealthiest Jew, with a fortune of $36 billion in 2012, according to "Forbes Israel". He is followed by casino operator Sheldon Adelson, with $24.9 billion (14th place overall); New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, with $22 billion (20th place overall); George Soros, with $20 billion; and Google Inc. (Nasdaq: GOOG) co-founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page, with $18.7 billion each (24th place overall).
In 6th to 10th place are Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, with $17.5 billion, Dell Inc. (Nasdaq: DELL) Michael Dell, with $16.5 billion; Microsoft Corporation (Nasdaq: MSFT) CEO Steve Ballmer, with $15.7 billion; investor Carl Icahn, with $14 billion; and Brazilian banker Joseph Safra at 52 with $13.8 billion (52nd place overall).
Idan Ofer is the richest Israeli, with a fortune of $6.2 billion, and his brother, Eyal Ofer has a fortune of $5.8 billion, which they inherited from their father, Sammy Ofer who died in June 2011. Sammy Ofer was ranked 79th in the 2011 Billionaires list, with $10.3 billion; Idan Ofer is ranked 161st and Eyal Ofer is ranked 173rd overall in this year's list.
Beny Steinmitz is the second richest Israeli, with $5.9 billion, followed by industrialist Steff Wertheimer, with $4.2 billion; Bank Hapoalim (TASE: POLI) and Shikun u'Binui Holdings Ltd. (TASE: SKBN) controlling shareholder Shari Arison, with $3.9 billion; Arnon Milchen, with $3.8 billion; Alexander Machkevich, with $2.8 billion; Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. (Nasdaq: CHKP) co-founder, chairman and CEO Gil Shwed and Delek Group Ltd. (TASE: DLEKG) controlling shareholder Yitzhak Tshuva, with $1.9 billion each; and diamond merchant and Africa-Israel Investments Ltd. (TASE:AFIL) chairman Lev Leviev, with $1.7 billion.
Check Point co-founder Marius Nacht, insurance man Shlomo Eliahu, Playtech Cyprus Ltd. (AIM:PTEC) controlling shareholder Teddy Sagui, and Morris Kahn close the Israeli billionaires, with $1.2 billion each, and tied for 1,015 place in the global rankings.
The aggregate fortune of the 14 Israeli billionaires is $42.7 billion.
Other Jews on the list include Roman Abramovich, with $12.1 billion; Lev Blavatnikm with $11.9 billion; Ralph Lauren, with $7.5 billion; Ron Lauder, with $3.4 billion, and David Azrieli and Haim Saban with $2.9 billion each.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on April 5, 2012
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