Oracle founder Larry Ellison is top-ranked among Jewish individuals on Forbes magazine’s annual list of the world’s billionaires, coming in at sixth with $36 billion.
Ellison held the same ranking last year, but with $28 billion.
Other Silicon Valley notables on the list include Google co-founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page, tied for 24th with $18.7 billion each; and Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zukerberg, in 35th place with $15.5 billion.
Casino and hotel magnate Sheldon Adelson, with $24.9 billion, moved up to No. 14 from 78. Adelson and his family have donated at least $20 million to a super PAC supporting GOP presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich. Adelson also is a major donor to Birthright Israel.
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg was the next Jewish person on the list, in 20th place with $22 billion — like Ellison, $8 billion richer than last year — followed by George Soros at 22nd, up from 35th with $20 billion.
Other Jews to make the top 100 include Brazilian banking and investment mogul Joseph Safra at 52nd with $13.8 billion; Russian steel magnate Roman Abram-ovich at 68th with $12.1 billion; and U.S. businessman Ronald Perelman at 69th with $12 billion.
Thirteen Israelis made the list, down from 16 last year. Eyal and Idan Ofer became the two newest Israelis on the list, inheriting their fortunes from their father, shipping magnate Sammy Ofer, Israel’s richest man when he died in June. Idan Ofer entered the list at No. 161 with $6.2 billion and Eyal Ofer was No. 173 with $5.8 billion.
Carnival Cruise CEO Micky Arison dropped from 62nd to 223rd with $4.7 billion, just months after one of his cruise ships ran aground off the Italian coast. — jta