Larry Ellison tops list with $36 b.; Idan Ofer is the richest Israeli, with $6.2 b.; 14 Israeli billionaires amassed $42.7 b.
By GLOBESLarry Ellison 370(photo credit: REUTERS/K.C. Alfred)
Oracle Corporation 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. 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. Michael Dell, with $16.5 billion; Microsoft Corporation 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 and Shikun u'Binui Holdings Ltd. 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. co-founder, chairman and CEO Gil Shwed and Delek Group Ltd. controlling shareholder Yitzhak Tshuva, with $1.9 billion each; and diamond merchant and Africa-Israel Investments Ltd. chairman Lev Leviev, with $1.7 billion.Check Point co-founder Marius Nacht, insurance man Shlomo Eliahu, Playtech Cyprus Ltd. 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.
