Eighteen Israelis rank on 'Forbes' 2014 billionaires list

Oracle CEO Larry Ellison, Jewish-American casino mogul Sheldon Adelson place in top 10 of business magazine's annual round-up of world's richest.

By JTA, REUTERS
Larry Ellison 370 (photo credit: REUTERS/K.C. Alfred)
Larry Ellison 370
(photo credit: REUTERS/K.C. Alfred)
NEW YORK — Oracle CEO Larry Ellison remains the world’s wealthiest Jew, placing fifth on Forbes magazine’s annual world billionaires list for 2014.
Meanwhile, Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg (ranked at No. 21) was the “biggest dollar gainer” on the list, with his fortune jumping $15.2 billion, to $28.5 billion.
Ellison (with a net worth of $48 billion) and Jewish-American casino mogul Sheldon Adelson (No. 8, with $38 billion) were the only Jews in the top 10 on the list released Monday.
Eighteen Israelis (up from 17 last year) were among the 1,645 billionaires, a number that is 219 more than in 2013.
In addition, several of the list’s 268 newcomers — including Sheryl Sandberg of Facebook, Jan Koum of WhatsApp (which was just sold to Facebook) and sisters Aerin and Jane Lauder, heirs to the Estee Lauder cosmetics firm and daughters of World Jewish Congress President Ronald Lauder — are Jewish.
Microsoft’s Bill Gates topped this year’s list, with a fortune of $76 billion.
Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who left office two months ago, was 16th at $33 billion, built mainly through his eponymous media company.
A record 1,645 billionaires with a total net worth of $6.4 trillion made Forbes' list, up from 1,426 last year.
Just over 10 percent were female, with 172 women compared with 138 a year earlier.