List of Jews from Sub-Saharan Africa

There are a number of Black African groups that practice Judaism, the most prominent of which are the Beta Israel of Ethiopia. However, the vast majority of Jews in Sub-Saharan Africa live in South Africa, and are of Ashkenazi (largely Lithuanian) origin. Small post-colonial communities exist elsewhere. Here is a list of some prominent Sub-Saharan African Jews, arranged by country of origin.

Cameroon

• Yaphet Kotto, actor (Cameroonian father)

DR Congo

• Olivier Strelli, fashion designer

Ethiopia

• Ephraim Isaac, Phd Princeton Scholar
• Adisu Massala, politician
• Esti Mamo, Ethiopian-Israeli model
• Meskie Shibru-Sivan, actress and singer

Mozambique

• Albie Sachs, ANC activist (lived in Mozambique during exile from South Africa)
• Ruth First, ANC activist (lived in Mozambique during exile from South Africa)

South Africa

Politicians and activists

• Hilda Bernstein, anti-apartheid activist
• Lionel Bernstein, anti-apartheid activist
• Harry Bloom, anti-apartheid activist
• Jules Browde, barrister, jusrist and anti-apartheid activist. Law school classmate of Nelson Mandela.
• Selma Browde, physician, anti-apartheid activist, former Councilwoman - Johanessburg City Council, AIDS activist.
• Arthur Chaskalson, chief justice
• Abba Eban, Israeli diplomat (South African-born)
• Bernard Friedman, anti-apartheid MP
• Richard Goldstone, judge and international war crimes prosecutor
• Joel Joffe, human rights activist
• Ronnie Kasrils, current South African......
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