List of converts to Judaism

This article lists nations, groups or tribes, as well as notable individuals, who have converted to Judaism. This article does not differentiate between the different branches of Judaism. See also Who is a Jew? on issues related to the acceptance of conversions throughout the Jewish community.

Note that a number of prominent celebrities, such as Madonna, Demi Moore, and Ariana Grande have recently become followers of a "new age" version of Kabbalah, derived from the body of Jewish mystical teaching also called Kabbalah, but do not consider themselves – and are not considered – Jewish.[1] Black Hebrew Israelites consider themselves to be a type of Jew, but this is not accepted by mainstream Judaism.

Converted nations, groups or tribes

Converted nations, groups or tribes from Christianity

Other converted nations, groups or tribes

Converted individuals

Former Christian clergy/theologians

Other Christians who converted to Judaism

Sammy Davis Jr., entertainer who converted while recovering from an automobile accident

From atheism and/or agnosticism

From Black Hebrew Israelitism

From Islam

From Druzism

From other Middle Eastern religions

  • Avtalyon, Sage and Vice-President of the Sanhedrin, apparently from a Mideastern religion[89]
  • Sh'maya, Sage and President of the Sanhedrin, apparently from a Mideastern religion[90]

From Greco-Roman religion

From Samaritanism

  • Sofi Tsedaka, Israeli actress, singer, television presenter and politician

From Shinto

  • Setzuso Kotsuji, son of a Shinto priest, and a professor in Japan (converted from Shinto to Christianity and then from Christianity to Judaism)

From Hinduism

  • Bhagirath Mohandas Prasad, doctor who converted to Judaism.
  • Sarah Avraham, women's world Thai-boxing champion

From Buddhism

  • Angela Warnick Buchdahl, converted to Reform Judaism at age 21. She was not raised within the Buddhist faith, however; her mother is Buddhist, so by Orthodox Jewish law she was not considered Jewish, but she was raised Jewish.

List of conversions named in the Bible

Undetermined former religion

Converts who later left the faith

See also

References

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Bibliography

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