Forbes ranking: The world’s richest Jews

Which names are at the top of the list, and just how low has Mark Zuckerberg fallen?

Mark Zuckerberg at eG8 311 (photo credit: REUTERS)
Mark Zuckerberg at eG8 311
(photo credit: REUTERS)
Of the 1,426 billionaires around the globe, 165 of them are Jews, and their joint wealth reaches the incredible amount of $812 billion, according to Forbes Israel magazine’s 2013 world’s billionaires list.

Compared with last year, the joint wealth of the 165 Jewish billionaires has grown substantially. According to Forbes Israel, the growth was due mainly to a rise in shares. For example, Oracle CEO Larry Ellison’s net worth grew $7 billion to $43b. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s net worth rose $5b., and the net worth of both Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin rose $4.3b. to $23b. The net worth of Len Blavatnik, who recently acquired Clal Industries, jumped $4.1b. to $16b.According to the Forbes Israel ranking, the richest Jew in the world is Ellison, whose net worth is estimated at $45b., $7b. more than he was worth last year. As of February 2013, Ellison’s Oracle shares were worth 20 percent more than last year. Ellison, the third-richest man in the US, made a number of lucrative real-estate purchases this past year. In June, he acquired ownership of 98% of the Hawaiian island of Lanai from David Murdock.This $500 million purchase of almost the entire 141-squaremile (365-square-kilometer) island includes two resorts.And recently a rumor has been making the rounds that Ellison, a long-time NBA fan, is considering bidding for ownership of the Sacramento Kings to prevent them from moving to Seattle.Bloomberg ranks number two on the list. He net worth is estimated at $27b. Bloomberg is $5b. richer than he was last year thanks to Bloomberg LP, the financial data company he founded in 1982. Bloomberg also owns more than 10 homes in Manhattan, Westchester County, Bermuda, Vail and the Hamptons.In third place is billionaire Sheldon Adelson, who has made his money through casino ownership. Adelson, owner of the Israel Hayom newspaper, has an estimated net worth of $26.5b., significantly more than last year following the 20% rise in Las Vegas Sands Casino shares since last summer.Facebook cofounder Mark Zuckerberg’s worth has dwindled over the past year due to Facebook’s unsuccessful stock issue on Wall Street. However, Zuckerberg, who is ranked the 16th richest Jew in the world, is still worth $13.3b. Surprisingly, he is not the youngest Jewish billionaire: Dustin Moskovitz, Zuckerberg’s former roommate and Facebook cofounder, is eight days younger. Moskovitz, a signee of Bill Gates’s and Warren Buffett’s Giving Pledge, has an estimated wealth of $3.8b.The richest Israeli in the world is Idan Ofer, who places at No. 29 on the Forbes Israel list of the world’s richest Jews. Ofer, who recently announced plans to leave Israel for London, has a net worth of $6.5b.Ofer is not the only Israeli who has gotten richer over the past year. Shari Arison’s wealth grew $4.2b. this year, and the net worth of Eyal Ofer, Idan’s brother, increased by $200m.Translated by Hannah Hochner.