The 6 Most Popular Jewish Celebs

The menorah, yamaka and Star of David are some of the most recognizable signs of Judaism. While those signs are easy to spot in any setting, not everyone who's part of the Jewish faith realizes that one of their favorite celebs is as well. 

To give you an idea of some of the big names that share your faith, here are six of the most popular Jewish celebs: 

Natalie Portman 

In the 2005 book Stars of David, Natalie Portman was one of several dozen notable public personalities who openly discussed her thoughts on Judaism and the role it's played throughout her life. While her husband has not converted to Judaism, she has stated on multiple occasions that she plans to raise her kids within the Jewish faith. 

Adam Sandler 

Recently, Sandler has had a few stumbles at the box office. But with the upcoming release of Grown Ups 2, it looks like he will be returning to the top. And even though a few of his latest movies haven't fared well at the box office, the fact that he has a lifetime box office gross of over $2 billion means he will continue to receive plenty of support from studios for his movies. In addition to his box office power, one of the reasons he's on this list is thanks to his classic The Chanukah Song, complete with a reference to putting on a yamaka.

Daniel Radcliffe 

Many people are actually surprised to learn that Radcliffe is Jewish. Not only are many people surprised by that fact, but it can also be hard to believe that a 23 year old who's parents were a literary and casting agent already has a reported net worth of $80 million. 

Dustin Hoffman 

Since he used to be discreet about his faith, you probably won't find a picture online of Dustin Hoffman wearing a yamaka. Fortunately, thanks to the continued success he's enjoyed, he's now comfortable talking about his faith in public interviews. 

Woody Allen 

Since the beginning of his career all the way back in 1950, Judaism has played a role in Allen's comedy. With over forty films under his belt, Allen has enjoyed a career that most actors, directors and writers could only dream of. What's truly impressive is at the age of 75, he got to enjoy the best box office performance of his career thanks to Midnight in Paris. 

James Franco 

Of every celeb on this list, James Franco may be the most polarizing. The reason is while some people love his easygoing sense of humor and the fact that he always seems to be juggling a dozen different projects a time, other people can't stand anything about his brand of humor. Even though he's probably aware of the large number of detractors he has, judging by his performance in This is the End, it doesn't appear that he's ever going to let their negativity get under his skin. 

If you were worried that the Jewish faith was underrepresented in the celebrity world, now you know that there are plenty of very successful celebs who identify with Judaism.

Don Schlossberg is an orthodox jewish rabbi, avid writer and published poet. In his spare time he can be found spending time in the great outdoors with his family and living a kosher lifestyle.

Image Credit: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.

Celebrities Studying At University

Celebrities are often associated with an exotic lifestyle of partying, photoshoots, and running into other famous people. However, there are many celebrities out there who decide to further their education when they have time. Here is a list of some famous people who are attending college in the United States. These celebrities range from actors to singers to Olympic medalists. 

- Alex Linz 

Alex Linz, the kid who was a part of the cast for Home Alone 3, will be attending college at UC Berkeley in Berkeley, California. 

- Nathan Adrian 

Nathan Adrian is famous for being an Olympic gold medalist in 2008, where he won for his exceptional swimming performances. Adrian will be joining Linz at UC Berkeley, after competing at the Olympics in 2012. 

- Miranda Cosgrove 

Miranda Cosgrove is famous for being on Nickelodeon's hit tv show, iCarly. She is also in the Guinness Book of World Records as being the highest earning teen TV star in the world. She will be attending the University of Southern California as she takes a break from acting. 

- James Franco 

This Hollywood heartthrob will be attending Yale University as he expands his intellectual horizons. Franco is somewhat of a college nomad, having taken classes at UCLA, Warren Wilson College, Columbia University, and Brooklyn College. Franco even taught a class at New York University for a few months in 2011. Franco is famous for starring in movies such as Milk, the Spider-Man series, Spring Breakers, and Oz: The Great and Powerful. 

- Dakota Fanning 

Dakota Fanning is an actress best known for her roles in Charlotte's Web, Coraline, the Twilight series, and War of the Worlds. She has had roles in more than 30 movies in her career, despite being just 19 years of age. She began attending New York University in 2011, where she takes classes every fall and spring. She plans on graduating from NYU in 2015. 

- Emma Watson 

This young Harry Potter star has had plenty of free time on her hands lately. The last Harry Potter movie finished filming in 2010. Since then, Emma Watson began attending Brown College in Rhode Island. She spent a year there before doing a "study abroad" program at Oxford. She returned to Brown in 2012 and saw out her junior year. She is currently on sabbatical in order to film more projects, but is due to finish her junior and senior years in the next few years. 

- Patrick Schwarzenegger 

He is most famous for being the son of Arnold Schwarzenegger and he is currently studying at the University of Southern California. 

- Justin Combs 

The son of Sean "Puff Daddy/P.Diddy" Combs is studying at the University of California: Los Angeles. He began studying there in 2012 and is set to complete his studies by 2016. He is an All American athlete who is on the UCLA football team. 

Life at college is not easy for celebrities as many complain of being constantly followed around by fans and others who want attention. However, it is exciting to see celebrities taking their education seriously and looking to expand their horizons.

Sally writes for Richmond, a University based in London who offer courses from their BA history through to a BA in psychology, learn more about their offering at Richmond.ac.uk.

Image Credit: 1, 2, 3, 4.