Israel

Natalie Portman

Actor

Natalie Portman is an actress with dual American and Israeli citizenship. Her first role was as an orphan taken in by a hitman in the 1994 action film Léon: The Professional, but mainstream success came when she was cast as Padmé Amidala in the Star Wars prequel trilogy. In 1999, she enrolled at Harvard University to study psychology while still working as an actress. She completed her bachelor's degree in 2003. In 2001, Portman opened in New York City's Public Theater production of Anton Chekhov's The Seagull. In 2005, Portman won a Golden Globe Award and received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in the drama Closer. She won a Constellation Award for Best Female Performance and a Saturn Award for Best Actress for her starring role in V for Vendetta. She played leading roles in the historical dramas Goya's Ghosts and The Other Boleyn Girl. In May 2008, she served as the youngest member of the 61st Annual Cannes Film Festival jury. Portman's directorial debut, Eve, opened the 65th Venice International Film Festival's shorts competition in 2008. Portman directed a segment of the collective film New York, I Love You. Portman is also known for her portrayal as Jane Foster, the love interest of Marvel superhero Thor, in the film adaptation Thor, and its sequel, Thor: The Dark World.

Solomon

Monarch

Solomon, also called Jedidiah, was, according to the Book of Kings, the Book of Chronicles, Hidden Words and the Qur'an a king of Israel and the son of David. The conventional dates of Solomon's reign are circa 970 to 931 BC. He is described as the third king of the United Monarchy, and the final king before the northern Kingdom of Israel and the southern Kingdom of Judah split. Following the split, his patrilineal descendants ruled over Judah alone. According to the Talmud, Solomon is one of the 48 prophets. In the Qur'an, he is considered a major prophet, and Muslims generally refer to him by the Arabic variant Sulayman, son of David. The Hebrew Bible credits Solomon as the builder of the First Temple in Jerusalem and portrays him as great in wisdom, wealth, and power, but ultimately as a king whose sin, including idolatry and turning away from Yahweh, leads to the kingdom's being torn in two during the reign of his son Rehoboam. Solomon is the subject of many other later references and legends, most notably in the 1st-century apocryphal work known as the Testament of Solomon. In later years, Solomon also came to be known as a magician and an exorcist, with numerous amulets and medallion seals dating from the Hellenistic period invoking his name.

Mary Magdalene

Deceased Person

Mary Magdalene, or Mary of Magdala and sometimes The Magdalene, is a religious figure in Christianity. She has been called the second-most important woman in the New Testament after Mary the mother of Jesus. Mary Magdalene traveled with Jesus as one of his followers. She was present at Jesus' two most important moments: the crucifixion and the resurrection. Within the four Gospels, the oldest historical record mentioning her name, she is named at least 12 times, more than most of the apostles. The Gospel references describe her as courageous, brave enough to stand by Jesus in his hours of suffering, death and beyond. In the New Testament, Jesus cleansed her of "seven demons", sometimes interpreted as referring to complex illnesses. Mary was most prominent during Jesus' last days. When Jesus was crucified by the Romans, Mary Magdalene was there supporting him in his final moments and mourning his death. She stayed with him at the cross after the male disciples had fled. She was at his burial, and she is the only person to be listed in all four Gospels as first to realize that Jesus had risen and to testify to that central teaching of faith. John 20 and Mark 16:9 specifically name her as the first person to see Jesus after his Resurrection. She was there at the "beginning of a movement that was going to transform the West". She was the "Apostle to the Apostles", an honorific that fourth-century orthodox theologian Augustine gave her and that others earlier had possibly conferred on her.

Ariel Sharon

Military Commander

Ariel Sharon is an Israeli statesman and retired general, who served as Israel’s 11th Prime Minister. He has been in a permanent vegetative state since suffering a stroke on 4 January 2006. In 2013, tests showed "robust activity" in his brain in response to pictures of his family and recordings of his son's voice. Sharon was a commander in the Israeli Army from its inception in 1948. As a paratrooper and then an officer, he participated prominently in the 1948 War of Independence, becoming a platoon commander in the Alexandroni Brigade and taking part in many battles, including Operation Ben Nun Alef. He was an instrumental figure in the creation of Unit 101, the Retribution operations, the 1956 Suez War, the Six-Day War of 1967, the War of Attrition and the Yom-Kippur War of 1973. As Minister of Defense, he directed the 1982 Lebanon War. During his military career, he was considered the greatest field commander in Israel's history, and one of the country's greatest ever military strategists. After his assault of the Sinai in the Six-Day War and his encirclement of the Egyptian Third Army in the Yom Kippur War, the Israeli public nicknamed him "The King of Israel" and "The Lion of God".

Gene Simmons

Heavy metal Artist

Gene Simmons is an Israeli-born American rock bass guitarist, singer-songwriter, record producer, entrepreneur, and actor. Known by his stage persona The Demon, he is the bass guitarist/co-lead vocalist of Kiss, a hard rock band he co-founded in the early 1970s. With Kiss, Simmons has sold more than 100 million albums worldwide.

Josephus

Historian

Titus Flavius Josephus, also called Joseph ben Matityahu, was a first-century Romano-Jewish scholar, historian and hagiographer, who was born in Jerusalem—then part of Roman Judea—to a father of priestly descent and a mother who claimed royal ancestry. He initially fought against the Romans during the First Jewish–Roman War as head of Jewish forces in Galilee, until surrendering in 67 to Roman forces led by Vespasian after the six-week siege of Jotapata. Josephus claims the Jewish Messianic prophecies that initiated the First Roman-Jewish War made reference to Vespasian becoming Emperor of Rome. In response Vespasian decided to keep Josephus as a hostage and interpreter. After Vespasian did become Emperor in 69, he granted Josephus his freedom, at which time Josephus assumed the emperor's family name of Flavius. Flavius Josephus fully defected to the Roman side and was granted Roman citizenship. He became an advisor and friend of Vespasian's son Titus, serving as his translator when Titus led the Siege of Jerusalem, which resulted—when the Jewish revolt did not surrender—in the city's destruction and the looting and destruction of Herod's Temple.

Itzhak Perlman

Classical Artist

Itzhak Perlman is an Israeli-American violinist, conductor, and pedagogue.

Thomas the Apostle

Deceased Person

Saint Thomas the Apostle, also called Doubting Thomas or Didymus which means "The Twin", was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ, according to the New Testament. He is best known for questioning Jesus' resurrection after death when first told of it, followed by his confession of faith as both "My Lord and my God" on seeing and touching Jesus' tangible and physical wounded body in Gospel of Saint John 20:28. Traditionally he is said to have traveled outside the Roman Empire to preach the Gospel, traveling as far as India. According to tradition, the Apostle reached Muziris, India in 52 AD and baptized several people who are today known as Saint Thomas Christians or Nasranis. After his murder and death by spear in India, the remaining reputed relics of Saint Thomas the Apostle were enshrined as far as Mesopotamia in the 3rd century, and later moved to various places. In 1258 some of the reputed relics were brought to Abruzzo, in Ortona, Italy, where they have been held in the Church of Saint Thomas the Apostle. He is often regarded as the Patron Saint of India, and the name Thomas remains quite popular among Saint Thomas Christians of India.

Jude the Apostle

Person Or Being In Fiction

Jude was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus. He is generally identified with Thaddeus, and is also variously called Jude of James, Jude Thaddaeus, Judas Thaddaeus or Lebbaeus. He is sometimes identified with Jude, "brother of Jesus", but is clearly distinguished from Judas Iscariot, another apostle, the betrayer of Jesus. The Armenian Apostolic Church honors Thaddeus along with Saint Bartholomew as its patron saints. In the Roman Catholic Church he is the patron saint of desperate cases and lost causes. Saint Jude's attribute is a club. He is also often shown in icons with a flame around his head. This represents his presence at Pentecost, when he received the Holy Spirit with the other apostles. Another common attribute is Jude holding an image of Jesus Christ, in the image of Edessa. In some instances he may be shown with a scroll or a book or holding a carpenter's rule.

Bar Refaeli

Supermodel

Bar Refaeli is an Israeli fashion model. She was the cover model of the 2009 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue and was voted #1 on Maxim magazine's Hot 100 list of 2012.

Yitzhak Rabin

Military Commander

Yitzhak Rabin was an Israeli politician, statesman and general. He was the fifth Prime Minister of Israel, serving two terms in office, 1974–77 and 1992 until his assassination in 1995. In 1994, Rabin won the Nobel Peace Prize together with Shimon Peres and Yasser Arafat. He was assassinated by right-wing Israeli radical Yigal Amir, who was opposed to Rabin's signing of the Oslo Accords. Rabin was the first native-born prime minister of Israel, the only prime minister to be assassinated and the second to die in office after Levi Eshkol. He was voted number one in a 2005 Ynet poll of greatest Israelis.

Uri Geller

Psychic

Uri Geller is an illusionist, well known internationally as a magician, television personality, and self-proclaimed psychic. He is known for his trademark television performances of spoon bending and other supposed psychic effects. Throughout the years, Geller has used simple conjuring tricks to simulate the effects of psychokinesis and telepathy. Geller's career as an entertainer has spanned almost four decades, with television shows and appearances in many countries. Geller used to call his abilities "psychic" but now prefers to refer to himself as a "mystifier" and entertainer.

Matthew the Apostle

Deceased Person

Matthew the Apostle was, according to the Bible, one of the twelve Apostles of Jesus and according to Christian tradition, one of the four Evangelists.

John the Apostle

Deceased Person

John the Apostle was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus according to The Bible. He was the son of Zebedee and Salome and brother of James, son of Zebedee, another of the Twelve Apostles. Christian tradition holds that he outlived the remaining apostles—all of whom suffered martyrdom. The Church Fathers consider him the same person as John the Evangelist, John of Patmos, and the Beloved Disciple. The Church Fathers generally identify him as the author of five books in the New Testament: the Gospel of John, three Epistles of John, and the Book of Revelation. The Gospel according to John differs considerably from the synoptic gospels, likely written decades earlier than John's Gospel. The bishops of Asia Minor supposedly requested him to write his gospel to deal with the heresy of the Ebionites, who asserted that Christ did not exist before Mary. John probably knew and undoubtedly approved of the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, but these gospels spoke of Jesus primarily in the year following the imprisonment and death of John the Baptist. Around 600, however, Sophronius of Jerusalem noted that "two epistles bearing his name ... are considered by some to be the work of a certain John the Elder" and, while stating that Revelation was written by John on Patmos, it was "later translated by Justin Martyr and Irenaeus", presumably in an attempt to reconcile tradition with the obvious differences in Greek style.

Ezekiel

Religious Leader

Ezekiel, meaning 'May God strengthen him' Arabic also Zul-Kifl and :حزقيال Hazqiyal, in Arabic meaning 'God will strengthen' is the central protagonist of the Book of Ezekiel in the Hebrew Bible. In Judaism, Christianity, Islam and the Baha'i Faith, Ezekiel is acknowledged as a Hebrew prophet. In Judaism and Christianity, he is also viewed as the author of the Book of Ezekiel that reveals prophecies regarding the destruction of Jerusalem, the restoration to the land of Israel and the Millennial Temple visions, or the Third Temple.

Daniel

Prophet

Daniel is the protagonist in the Book of Daniel of the Hebrew Bible. In the narrative, when Daniel was a young man, he was taken into Babylonian captivity where he was educated in Chaldean thought. However, he never converted to Neo-Babylonian ways. Through divine wisdom from his God, Yahweh, he interpreted dreams and visions of kings, thus becoming a prominent figure in the court of Babylon. Eventually, he had apocalyptic visions of his own that have been interpreted as the Four monarchies. Some of the most famous accounts of Daniel are: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, The writing on the wall and Daniel in the lions' den.

Edward Said

Professor

Edward Wadie Said was a professor of English and Comparative Literature at Columbia University, a literary theorist, and a public intellectual who was a founding figure of the critical-theory field of Post-colonialism. Born a Palestinian Arab in the city of Jerusalem in Mandatory Palestine, he was an American citizen through his father. Said was an advocate for the political and the human rights of the Palestinian people and has been described by the journalist Robert Fisk as their most powerful voice. As a cultural critic, academic, and writer, Said is best known for the book Orientalism, an analysis of the cultural representations that are the bases of Orientalism, a term he redefined to mean the Western study of Eastern cultures and, in general, the framework of how The West perceives and represents The East. He contended that Orientalist scholarship was, and remains, inextricably tied to the imperialist societies that produced it, which makes much of the work inherently political, servile to power, and therefore intellectually suspect. Orientalism is based upon Said's knowledge of colonial literature, literary theory, and post-structuralist theory. Orientalism, and his other thematically related works, proved influential in the fields of the humanities, especially in literary theory and in literary criticism. Orientalism proved especially influential upon the field of Middle Eastern studies, wherein it transformed the academic discourse of the field's practitioners, of how they examine, describe, and define the cultures of the Middle East. As a critic, he vigorously discussed and debated the cultural subjects comprised by Orientalism, especially as applied to and in the fields of history and area studies; nonetheless, some mainstream academics disagreed with Said's Orientalism thesis, most notably the Anglo–American Orientalist Bernard Lewis.

Moshe Dayan

Military Commander

Moshe Dayan was an Israeli military leader and politician. He was the second child born on the first kibbutz. As the fourth Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces, he became a fighting symbol to the world of the new state of Israel. He went on to become Defense Minister and later Foreign Minister of Israel.

Benny Hinn

Televangelist

Toufik Benedictus "Benny" Hinn is a televangelist, best known for his regular "Miracle Crusades"—revival meeting or faith healing summits that are usually held in stadiums in major cities, which are later broadcast worldwide on his television program, This Is Your Day.

Yossi Benayoun

Soccer

Yosef Shai "Yossi" Benayoun is an Israeli international footballer, who is currently a free agent after being released by Chelsea. He has previously played for Hapoel Be'er Sheva, Maccabi Haifa, Racing de Santander in Spain, two spells with West Ham United, Liverpool and Arsenal. Benayoun plays as an attacking midfielder, often occupying the space just behind the striker. In Israel, he is sometimes nicknamed "The Diamond from Dimona". He is also the captain of the Israeli national team. Benayoun is of Moroccan Sephardic origin, which allowed him to acquire Spanish citizenship during his time there.

Mahmoud Abbas

Military Commander

Mahmoud Abbas, also known by the kunya Abu Mazen, is a Palestinian statesman. He has been the Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization since 11 November 2004 and became President of the Palestinian National Authority on 15 January 2005 on the Fatah ticket. Mahmoud Abbas was elected to serve until 9 January 2009, due to Palestinian Internal conflict he unilaterally extended his term for another year and continues in office even after that second deadline expired. As a result of this, Fatah's main rival, Hamas announced that it would not recognise the extension or view Abbas as rightful president. Abbas was chosen as the President of the State of Palestine by the Palestine Liberation Organization's Central Council on 23 November 2008, a job he had held unofficially since 8 May 2005. Abbas served as the first Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority from March to October 2003 when he resigned citing lack of support from Israel and the United States as well as "internal incitement" against his government. Before being named prime minister, Abbas led the PLO's Negotiations Affairs Department.

Asaf Avidan

Folk rock Artist

Asaf Avidan is an Israeli singer-songwriter and musician. He is also the creative force and front-man of Asaf Avidan & the Mojos, an Israeli folk rock band that he established in 2006 in Jerusalem. The band released three albums, The Reckoning in 2008, Poor Boy / Lucky Man in 2009 and Through the Gale in 2010. Asaf Avidan also had an international hit with "One Day / Reckoning Song". Starting in 2012, the Mojos band project was shelved so that Avidan would concentrate on a solo career. In 2012, he released Avidan in a Box, an acoustic live album which covers older songs by him, digital copies only. He also launched his solo studio album Different Pulses in Israel, to be made available internationally in 2013.

John the Evangelist

Deceased Person

John the Evangelist was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus. Traditionally, he is identified as the author of the Gospel of John and other Johannine works in the New Testament — the three Epistles of John and the Book of Revelation. He is also known as John of Patmos, John the Apostle and the Beloved Disciple Some of these latter connections have been debated since about 200. The Gospel of John refers to an unnamed "Beloved Disciple" of Jesus who bore witness to the gospel's message. The composer of the Gospel of John seemed interested in maintaining the internal anonymity of the author's identity. The apostle John was an historical figure, one of the "pillars" of the Jerusalem church after Jesus' death. Some scholars believe that John was martyred along with his brother, but many scholars doubt this. Harris believes that the tradition that John lived to old age in Ephesus developed in the late 2nd century. However, the tradition does appear in the last chapter of the gospel though it assumes that John the Evangelist, John the Apostle, the Beloved Disciple mentioned in John 21 and sometimes also John the Presbyter are the same person. By the late 2nd century, the tradition was held by most Christians.

Daniel Kahneman

Psychologist

Daniel Kahneman is an Israeli-American psychologist and winner of the 2002 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences. He is notable for his work on the psychology of judgment and decision-making, behavioral economics and hedonic psychology. With Amos Tversky and others, Kahneman established a cognitive basis for common human errors which arise from heuristics and biases, and developed prospect theory. He was awarded the 2002 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics for his work in prospect theory. In 2011, he was named by Foreign Policy magazine to its list of top global thinkers. In the same year, his book Thinking, Fast and Slow, which summarizes much of his research, was published and became a best seller. Currently, he is professor emeritus of psychology and public affairs at Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School. Kahneman is a founding partner of The Greatest Good, a business and philanthropy consulting company. He is married to Royal Society Fellow Anne Treisman.

Gal Gadot

Actor

Gal Gadot is an Israeli actress and model. She won the Miss Israel title in 2004 and went on to represent Israel at the 2004 Miss Universe beauty pageant. Gadot is known for her role as Gisele Yashar in The Fast and the Furious film series.

Mahmoud Darwish

Poet

Mahmoud Darwish was a Palestinian poet and author who won numerous awards for his literary output and was regarded as the Palestinian national poet. In his work, Palestine became a metaphor for the loss of Eden, birth and resurrection, and the anguish of dispossession and exile. He has been described as incarnating and reflecting "the tradition of the political poet in Islam, the man of action whose action is poetry".

Tzipi Livni

Politician

Tziporah Malkah "Tzipi" Livni is an Israeli politician who currently serves as Minister of Justice of Israel. She previously served as a minister in the Israeli cabinet from 2001 to 2009, most notably serving as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2006 to 2009. Following her failure to form a government after the 2009 Israeli elections, she served as Israeli Opposition Leader from 2009 to 2012 and leader of Kadima, the largest party in the Knesset. Raised an ardent nationalist, Livni has become one of her nation's leading voices for the two-state solution. In Israel she has earned a reputation as an honest politician who sticks to her principles. In 2011 Livni was named one of "150 Women Who Shake the World" by Newsweek and The Daily Beast. Since 18 March 2013 she has served as the Israeli Minister of Justice under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as leader of the liberal Hatnuah party, which won 6 mandates in the January 2013 Israeli elections. She is also charged with overseeing the country's diplomatic initiatives and peace talks with the Palestinians.

Ehud Barak

Politician

Ehud Barak is an Israeli politician who served as Prime Minister from 1999 to 2001. He was leader of the Labour Party until January 2011. He previously held the posts of Minister of Defense and Deputy Prime Minister in Binyamin Netanyahu's second government from 2009 to 2013. He is a graduate in physics, mathematics, and economics from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Stanford University. He served as an officer in the Israel Defense Forces. Following a highly decorated career, he was appointed Chief of General Staff in 1991, serving until 1995. On 26 November 2012 he announced that he would retire from politics after the next election in January 2013.

Ralph Bakshi

Animator

Ralph Bakshi is an American director of animated and live-action films. In the 1970s, he established an alternative to mainstream animation through independent and adult-oriented productions. Between 1972 and 1992, he directed nine theatrically released feature films, five of which he wrote. He has been involved in numerous television projects as director, writer, producer and animator. Beginning his career at the Terrytoons television cartoon studio as a cel polisher, Bakshi was eventually promoted to director. He moved to the animation division of Paramount Pictures in 1967 and started his own studio, Bakshi Productions, in 1968. Through producer Steve Krantz, Bakshi made his debut feature film, Fritz the Cat, released in 1972. It was the first animated film to receive an X rating from the Motion Picture Association of America, and the most successful independent animated feature of all time. Over the next eleven years, Bakshi directed seven additional animated features. He is well known for such films as Wizards, The Lord of the Rings, American Pop and Fire and Ice. In 1987, Bakshi returned to television work, producing the series Mighty Mouse: The New Adventures, which ran for two years before it was canceled due to complaints from a conservative political group over perceived drug references. After a nine-year hiatus from feature films, he directed Cool World, which was largely rewritten during production and received poor reviews. Bakshi returned to television with the live-action film Cool and the Crazy and the anthology series Spicy City.

Saint George

Soldier

Tal

Pop Artist

Tal, de son nom complet Tal Benyerzi1, chanteuse franco-israelienne née le 27 novembre 1989 en Israël de parents musiciens. Elle est actuellement sous contrat avec Warner Music France.

Amos Oz

Novelist

Amos Oz is an Israeli writer, novelist, and journalist. He is also a professor of literature at Ben-Gurion University in Beersheba. Since 1967, he has been a prominent advocate and major cultural voice of a two-state solution to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. Oz's work has been published in some 41 languages, including Arabic, in 35 countries. He has received many honours and awards, among them the Legion of Honour of France, the Goethe Prize, the Prince of Asturias Award in Literature, the Heinrich Heine Prize and the Israel Prize. In 2007, a selection from the Chinese translation of A Tale of Love and Darkness was the first work of modern Hebrew literature to appear in an official Chinese textbook.

Dudi Sela

Tennis Player

David "Dudi" Sela is an Israeli professional tennis player. Sela reached a career-high singles ranking of World No. 29 in July 2009. He is currently Israel's top men's singles player, ahead of Amir Weintraub. Representing Israel in the Davis Cup, his highlight has been an upset win in 2007 over World No. 7 Fernando González. In 2008 he beat World No. 5 David Ferrer in straight sets, and in 2010, he beat World No. 7 Andy Roddick in straight sets.

Dana International

Pop Artist

Sharon Cohen, professionally known as Dana International; born Yaron Cohen ירון כהן; February 2, 1972 is an Israeli pop singer of Yemenite Jewish ancestry. She has released eight albums and three additional compilation albums, positioning herself as one of Israel's most successful musical acts ever. She is most famous for having won the Eurovision Song Contest 1998 in Birmingham with the song "Diva". Assigned male at birth, she discovered that she was transgender at an early age, and came out as a trans woman when she was 13. Undergoing sex reassignment surgery in 1993, it was that year that she released her first album, Danna International, upon which she based her stage name. Consolidating her initial commercial success with the albums Umpatampa and Maganuna, in 1998 she was selected to represent Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest with her song "Diva"; subsequently winning the international competition, Dana came to public attention throughout Europe. Following this up with the albums Free, Yoter VeYoter, HaHalom HaEfshari and Hakol Ze Letova, in 2011 she once more represented Israel in Eurovision, this time with the song "Ding Dong", although failed to make it into the final. That same year she also became a judge on the Israeli television music talent contest Kokhav Nolad.

Alona Tal

Actor

Alona Tal is an Israeli American singer and actress.

Josiah

Monarch

Josiah or Yoshiyahu was a king of Judah, according to the Hebrew Bible, who instituted major reforms. Josiah is credited by most historians with having established or compiled important Hebrew Scriptures during the Deuteronomic reform that occurred during his rule. Josiah became king of Judah at the age of eight, after the assassination of his father, King Amon, and reigned for thirty-one years, from 641/640 to 610/609 BC. He is also one of the kings mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew.

Gilad Shalit

Soldier

Gilad Shalit is a sports columnist and a former Israeli MIA soldier. As an Israeli citizen, he served as a soldier of the Israel Defense Forces and was abducted inside Israel by Hamas militants in a cross-border raid via underground tunnels near the Israeli border with Gaza on 25 June 2006. The Hamas militants held him for over five years, until his release on 18 October 2011 as part of a prisoner exchange deal. During his captivity, Hamas turned down requests from the International Committee of the Red Cross to be allowed to visit Shalit claiming that any such visit could betray Shalit's location. However, multiple human rights organizations criticize this stance, claiming that the conditions of Shalit's confinement were contrary to international humanitarian law. The Red Cross insisted, "The Shalit family have the right under international humanitarian law to be in contact with their son". The United Nations Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict called for Shalit's release in its September 2009 report. In its 27 May 2011 Deauville Declaration, the G8 demanded Shalit's release. Shalit's capture has been deemed a kidnapping and abduction by many sources. He was not granted any visits from the Red Cross and was not allowed to communicate with family members, and a ransom, even if not of a monetary nature, was demanded for his return. The only contact between Shalit and the outside world after his capture and before his release were three letters, an audio tape, and a DVD that Israel received in return for releasing 20 female Palestinian prisoners.

Oded Fehr

Actor

Oded Fehr is an Israeli film and television actor now based in the United States. He is known for his appearance as Ardeth Bay in the 1999 remake of The Mummy and its sequel The Mummy Returns, as well as Carlos Oliveira in Resident Evil: Apocalypse, Resident Evil: Extinction and Resident Evil: Retribution, Faris al-Farik in Sleeper Cell, the demon Zankou in the TV series Charmed and Eli Cohn on the TV series V. He recently portrayed Eyal Lavin, a Mossad agent, on the TV series Covert Affairs, as well as Beau Bronn on the TV series Jane by Design and Mossad Deputy Director Ilan Bodnar on NCIS.

Sirhan Sirhan

Person or entity appearing in film

Sirhan Bishara Sirhan is a Palestinian with Jordanian citizenship who was convicted for the assassination of United States Senator Robert F. Kennedy. He is serving a life sentence at Pleasant Valley State Prison in Coalinga, California. Sirhan is an Arab Christian who was born in Jerusalem and who strongly opposed Israel. In 1989, he told David Frost, "My only connection with Robert Kennedy was his sole support of Israel and his deliberate attempt to send those 50 bombers to Israel to obviously do harm to the Palestinians." Some scholars believe that the assassination was the first major incident of political violence in the United States stemming from the Arab–Israeli conflict in the Middle East. In 2011, his defense attorneys filed motions for a new trial, arguing Sirhan "should be freed from prison or granted a new trial based on 'formidable evidence', asserting his innocence and 'horrendous violations' of his rights".

Hezekiah

Monarch

Hezekiah was the son of Ahaz and the 13th king of Judah. Edwin Thiele has concluded that his reign was between c. 715 and 686 BC. He is also one of the most prominent kings of Judah mentioned in the Hebrew Bible and is one of the kings mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew. According to the Hebrew Bible, Hezekiah witnessed the destruction of the northern Kingdom of Israel by Sargon's Assyrians in c. 720 BC and was king of Judah during the invasion and siege of Jerusalem by Sennacherib in 701 BC. Hezekiah enacted sweeping religious reforms, during which he removed the worship of foreign deities from the Temple in Jerusalem, and restored the worship of Yahweh, God of Israel, in accordance with the Torah. Isaiah and Micah prophesied during his reign.

Eyal Golan

Mizrahi Artist

Eyal Golan, is a popular Israeli singer of Yemeni and Moroccan Jewish origins who sings in the Mizrahi style and considered one of the most successful singers of the genre in Israel.

Herod Antipas

Monarch

Herod Antipater, known by the nickname Antipas, was a 1st-century ruler of Galilee and Perea, who bore the title of tetrarch. He is best known today for accounts in the New Testament of his role in events that led to the executions of John the Baptist and Jesus of Nazareth. After being named to the throne by Caesar Augustus upon the death of his father, Herod the Great, in 4 BC, and subsequent Ethnarch rule by his brother, Herod Archaleus, Antipas ruled them as a client state of the Roman Empire. He was responsible for building projects at Sepphoris and Betharamphtha, and more important for the construction of his capital Tiberias on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. Named in honor of his patron, the emperor Tiberius, the city later became a center of rabbinic learning. Antipas divorced his first wife Phasaelis, the daughter of King Aretas IV of Nabatea, in favour of Herodias, who had formerly been married to his brother Herod Philip I. According to the New Testament Gospels, it was John the Baptist's condemnation of this arrangement that led Antipas to have him arrested; John was subsequently put to death. Besides provoking his conflict with the Baptizer, the tetrarch's divorce added a personal grievance to previous disputes with Aretas over territory on the border of Perea and Nabatea. The result was a war that proved disastrous for Antipas; a Roman counter-offensive was ordered by Tiberius, but abandoned upon that emperor's death in 37 AD. In 39 AD Antipas was accused by his nephew Agrippa I of conspiracy against the new Roman emperor Caligula, who sent him into exile in Gaul. Accompanied there by Herodias, he died at an unknown date.

Borgore

Dubstep Artist

Asaf Borger, known professionally as Borgore, is an Israeli Electronic Dance Music producer and disc jockey. He is the founder of Buygore Records and former drummer of Israeli death metal band Shabira. He is also part of the dubstep duo Alphamale Primates, which consists of him and Tomba. Self-described as "Gorestep", his music incorporates triplet drum patterns with heavy metal influences. Some songs have been compared to horror movies, farm animals, and sex. He has released tracks under Spinnin' Records and Sumerian Records. In 2012 he released the single "Decisions", with back-up vocals provided by Miley Cyrus. His label Buygore records has brought to fame artists such as Document One, Marco Del Horno, and Rusko. Current producers on Buygore Records include: Dead Audio, Ookay, Kennedy Jones and Bare, Shift Key, At Dawn We Rage, as well as many others.

Ahmed Yassin

Politician

Sheikh Ahmed Ismail Hassan Yassin was a founder of Hamas, an Islamist Palestinian paramilitary organization and political party. Yassin also served as the spiritual leader of the organization. Hamas gained popularity in Palestinian society by establishing hospitals, education systems, libraries and other services, but it has also claimed responsibility for a number of suicide attacks targeting Israeli civilians, leading to its being characterized by the European Union, Israel, Japan, Canada, and the United States as a terrorist organization. Yassin, a quadriplegic who was nearly blind, had used a wheelchair since a sporting accident at the age of 12. He was assassinated when an Israeli helicopter gunship fired a missile at him as he was being wheeled from early morning prayers. His killing, in an attack that claimed the lives of both his bodyguards and nine bystanders, precipitated both criticism and praise of Israel, and many observers suggested that the act would negatively impact the peace process. 200,000 Palestinians attended his funeral procession.

Ricky Ullman

Actor

Raviv Ullman, also known by his stage name Ricky Ullman, is an Israeli-American actor and musician. He is best known for playing Phil Diffy, the main character in the Disney Channel series Phil of the Future. His latest acting job was playing the role of Kip on the Lifetime sitcom Rita Rocks.

Procopius

Barrister

Procopius of Caesarea was a prominent late antique scholar from Palaestina Prima. Accompanying the Roman general Belisarius in the wars of the Emperor Justinian, he became the principal historian of the 6th century, writing the Wars of Justinian, the Buildings of Justinian and the celebrated Secret History. He is commonly held to be the last major historian of the ancient world.

Adir Miller

Comedian

Adir Miller is an Israeli actor, Screenwriter and comedian. Miller is married and has two daughters.

Benny Shanon

Professor

Benny Shanon is a professor of psychology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and holds the Mandel Chair in cognitive psychology and education. Born in Tel Aviv, Shanon studied philosophy and linguistics at Tel Aviv University and received his doctorate in experimental psychology from Stanford University. He is author of the 2002 book Antipodes of the Mind: Charting the Phenomenology of the Ayahuasca Experience published by Oxford University Press. In this work, Shannon provides a rough cartography of the visions and non-visual effects ayahuasca can induce. He writes that he had consumed ayahuasca himself several hundred times and gathered a corpus of empirical data from published literature, structured and unstructured interviews he conducted and his personal experience. In total the corpus comprises some 2,500 ayahuasca experiences.

Haim Moshe

Man

Haim Moshe, born 20 September 1955 is an Israeli singer whose musical style has crossed over from Yemenite and Mediterranean "ethnic" music to include mainstream Israeli and western pop elements. He has helped Mizrahi music achieve wide popularity both in Israel and in Arab countries.

Ayelet Zurer

Actor

Ayelet Zurer is an Israeli actress. She was nominated for awards at the Jerusalem Film Festival, the Israeli Academy Awards and the Israeli Television Academy Awards. She won Best Actress awards for her roles in the Israeli film Nina’s Tragedies and Betipul.

Haj Amin al-Husseini

Religious Leader

Haj Mohammed Effendi Amin el-Husseini was a Palestinian Arab nationalist and Muslim leader in Mandatory Palestine. Al-Husseini was the scion of a family of Jerusalemite notables. After receiving an education in Islamic, Ottoman and Catholic schools, he went on to serve in the Ottoman army in World War I. At war's end, he positioned himself in Damascus as a supporter of the Arab Kingdom of Syria. Following the fiasco of the Franco-Syrian War and the collapse of the Arab Hashemite rule in Damascus, his early position on pan-Arabism shifted to a form of local nationalism for Palestinian Arabs and he moved back to Jerusalem. From as early as 1920, in order to secure the independence of Palestine as an Arab state he actively opposed Zionism, and was implicated as a leader of a violent riot that broke out over the establishment of a national home for the Jewish people in Palestine. Al-Husseini was sentenced to ten years imprisonment, but was pardoned by the British. From 1921 to 1937 al-Husseini was the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, using the position to promote Islam and rally a non-confessional Arab nationalism against Zionism.

Avishai Cohen

Jazz Artist

Avishai Cohen is an Israeli jazz bassist, composer, singer and arranger.

Pinchas Zukerman

Violinist

Pinchas Zukerman is a violinist, violist, and conductor of Israeli birth.

Tal Ben Haim

Soccer

Tal Ben Haim is an Israeli footballer who currently plays for Standard Liège. He can play at either centre back or right back. He has also played for Maccabi Tel Aviv, Bolton Wanderers, Chelsea, Manchester City, Sunderland, Portsmouth, West Ham United and Queens Park Rangers. He is also a member of the Israeli national squad. He made his debut for Israel on 13 February 2002 in a friendly match against Germany.

Saint Dismas

Highwayman

DISMAS is one of the two thieves that were crucified at the same time than Jesus. The name of DISMAS for this person, unnamed in the canonical Gospel itself, appears first in the12th century in the Gospel of Nicodemus. The name of the other thief is Gestas. According to a legend, when DISMAS was a teenager he sheltered and helped the Holy Family to escape to Egypt. Mary told him that he was going to meet them in another and more tragical circumstances and that he and his son Jesus were going to be crucified together in Jerusalem some years later. But DISMAS did not pay attention to this prophecy. Although DISMAS was by birth a Gentile and the eldest son of a rich Jewish merchant and could have a pleasant and confortable life, he was corrupted by his cousin Gestas and became an outlaw. He left his town and his home when he was 15 years old. After some years of crimes and robbery, DISMAS and Gestas were captured. We don't know about the circumstances of his arrest, but DISMAS was then about 45 years old. The accusation which had been proved against them was that of having assassinated a Jewish woman who, with her children, was travelling from Jerusalem to Joppa. On being arrested, he confessed everything. They were imprisoned for a long time before being brought to trial. Finally Pilate gave order that they should be taken to Jerusalem to be judged. Pilate sentenced both to death by crucifixion. His mother Eve, still alive, tried to get the mercy of Pilate and implored in vain for a less painful and humiliating punishment. But DISMAS and Gestas were hand and feet cuffed, and thrown in a horrible prison in Jerusalem. We don't know how long was DISMAS left in prison. They were going to be flagellated and crucified, serving as an example to the dangerous thieves in the surroundings. Just before his execution, DISMAS was cruely flagellated. On the road to Calvary, DISMAS could have been witness of the miracle of the Veronica and that could have marvelled him. On arriving to Calvary, the two thieves got in panic on seeing the crosses lying on the ground. DISMAS began to cry and ask for mercy. Just before being fixed to the cross an executioner offered him a drink. "Take it all! This is going to appease your sufferings. It is myrrh and vinegar". He drank the potion with repulsion. He was trembling. DISMAS was crucified like Jesus Christ. Both feet and hands were fixed in the cross with nails. The executioners placed DISMAS on the cross to measure him for the nail holes in the side beams and the carvings they would make in the main beam. They marked also the holes to be drilled for nails in his wrists. DISMAS screamed out in pain and probably fainted, because he barely could remember the other hand being nailed in the same way. Once both wirsts nailed, DISMAS was lifted so that the people could enjoy with the sight of his torture. The cross, in falling into the hole prepared for it, gave him a terrible shock. They used two other spikes to nail both his feet. The pain was terrible -not so bad at first-, but slowly, like a cramp that worsens the pain began to burn his shoulders and arms DISMAS could not resist the excruciating pain of the nails that pierced his wirsts and feet and cried like a child. Each drop of blood that dripped from him made him weaker. The torture of the cross made him sweat. The nerves were contracted in violent spasms. To all these turments must be added that of a devastating thrist. Standing by the cross of DISMAS was his old mother Eve who came to witness the crucifixion of his son too. DISMAS looked to the left of him and heared the man in the middle cry out, "Father, forgive them for they don't know what they do!" Crucified next to Jesus, DISMAS soon realized the calmness and sweetness of Jesus. DISMAS observed the patience of Jesus and it moved him. DISMAS also turned his attention to Mary. He felt great sorrow for her that she would have to be a witness of his torture. Heroic was the faith and trust...

Saint Matthias

Deceased Person

Saint Matthias, according to the Acts of the Apostles, was the apostle chosen by the remaining eleven apostles to replace Judas Iscariot following Judas' betrayal of Jesus and suicide. His calling as an apostle is unique in that his appointment was not made personally by Jesus, who had already ascended to heaven, and, it was made before the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the early Church.

Abd al-Rahman I

Monarch

Abd al-Rahman I, or, his full name by patronymic record, Abd al-Rahman ibn Mu'awiya ibn Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan was the founder of a Muslim dynasty that ruled the greater part of Iberia for nearly three centuries. The Muslims called the regions of Iberia under their dominion al-Andalus. Abd al-Rahman's establishment of a government in al-Andalus represented a branching from the rest of the Islamic Empire, which had been brought under the Abbasid following the overthrow of the Umayyads from Damascus in 750. He was also known by appellations al-Dakhil, Saqr Quraish and the "Falcon of Andalus". Variations of the spelling of his name include Abd ar-Rahman I, Abdul Rahman I and Abderraman I.

Yvan Attal

Actor

Yvan Attal is an Israeli-born French actor and director.

Hillel Slovak

Funk-rock Artist

Hillel Slovak ‏ was an Israeli-American musician best known as the original guitarist and founding member of the Los Angeles rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers. Prior to his death of a heroin overdose in 1988, Slovak recorded two albums with the band, Freaky Styley and The Uplift Mofo Party Plan. His guitar work was primarily rooted in funk and hard rock, although he often experimented with other genres including reggae and speed metal. He is considered to have been a major influence on the Red Hot Chili Peppers' early sound. Born in Haifa, Israel, Slovak immigrated with his family to the United States when he was five years old. Slovak met future band mates Anthony Kiedis, Flea, and Jack Irons while attending school in Los Angeles. He joined the group Anthym along with Irons while attending Fairfax High School; Flea would later join the group. Slovak, Flea, Kiedis, and Irons started Red Hot Chili Peppers in 1983, which became popular in the Los Angeles area, playing various shows around the city. However, Slovak quit the band to focus on his band What is This?, which had gotten a record deal, leaving the Red Hot Chili Peppers to record their debut album without him. He rejoined the Red Hot Chili Peppers in 1985, and recorded the albums Freaky Styley and The Uplift Mofo Party Plan with the band.

David Grossman

Peace activist

David Grossman is an Israeli author. His books have been translated into more than 30 languages, and have won numerous prizes. He is also a noted activist and critic of Israeli policy toward Palestinians. The Yellow Wind, his non-fiction study of the life of Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip met with acclaim abroad but sparked controversy at home. Alongside Amos Oz, he has been one of the most prominent cultural advocates of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He addressed the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in his latest novel, To the End of the Land. Since that book's publication he has written a children's book, an opera for children and several poems.

Barabbas

Person Or Being In Fiction

Barabbas or Jesus Barabbas is a figure in the account of the Passion of Christ, in which he is the insurrectionary whom Pontius Pilate freed at the Passover feast in Jerusalem, instead of Jesus Christ. The penalty for Barabbas' crime was death by crucifixion, but according to the four canonical gospels and the non-canonical Gospel of Peter there was a prevailing Passover custom in Jerusalem that allowed or required Pilate, the praefectus or governor of Judaea, to commute one prisoner's death sentence by popular acclaim, and the "crowd" — which has become "the Jews" and "the multitude" in some sources — were offered a choice of whether to have either Barabbas or Jesus Christ released from Roman custody. According to the synoptic gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, and the accounts in John and the Gospel of Peter, the crowd chose Barabbas to be released and Jesus of Nazareth to be crucified. A passage found only in the Gospel of Matthew has the crowd saying, "Let his blood be upon us and upon our children". The story of Barabbas has special social significances, because it has historically been used to lay the blame for the crucifixion of Jesus on the Jews, and to justify anti-Semitism—an interpretation, known as Jewish deicide, dismissed by Pope Benedict XVI in his 2011 book Jesus of Nazareth, in which he corrects the the modern translation of "ochlos" in Matthew to mean the Jewish people.

Omri Casspi

Basketball Small forward

Omri Moshe Casspi is an Israeli professional basketball player who currently plays for the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association. He is 6 ft 9 in tall, and plays the small forward position. He was drafted 23rd overall in the 2009 NBA Draft by the Sacramento Kings, making him the first Israeli to be selected in the first round of the draft. With his debut with the Kings in 2009, Casspi became the first Israeli to play in an NBA game. The Cleveland Cavaliers traded for him in June 2011. He signed with the Houston Rockets in July 2013.

Shlomo Artzi

Folk rock Artist

Shlomo Artzi is an Israeli folk rock singer-songwriter. He was born on November 26, 1949, in Moshav Alonei Abba. In the course of his career, he has sold over 1.5 million albums, making him one of Israel's most successful male singers.

Chaim Topol

Actor

Chaim Topol, often billed simply as Topol, is an Israeli theatrical and film performer, actor, writer and producer. He has been nominated for an Oscar and a Tony Award, and has won two Golden Globes.

Zechariah

Person Or Being In Fiction

Zechariah is a figure in the Bible and the Quran. In the Bible, he is the father of John the Baptist, a priest of the sons of Aaron, a prophet in Luke 1:67–79, and the husband of Elisabeth who is the cousin of Mary the mother of Jesus. In the Qur'an, Zechariah plays a similar role as the father of John the Baptist and ranks him as a prophet alongside John and Jesus and his role as one of the men of God is frequently referenced in verses of the Qur'an.

Noa

Blues Artist

Achinoam Nini, known outside of Israel as Noa, is an Israeli singer.

Arik Einstein

Singer

Arik Einstein is an Israeli singer, songwriter and actor, widely considered to be the greatest singer in Israeli history. His collaboration with Shalom Hanoch and the Churchills led to the first Israeli rock albums. Einstein was also vocalist for the bands Batzal Yarok, Shleeshiyat Gesher Hayarkon and Hahalonot Hagvohim. Einstein wrote the lyrics of many of his own songs, among them "Ani Veata", "Sa Le'at", "Yoshev Al HaGader", "Ima Sheli", and "Uf Gozal".

Aviv Geffen

Pop rock Artist

אביב גפן (נולד ב-10 במאי 1973) הוא זמר-יוצר, מוזיקאי, מלחין, פזמונאי ומפיק מוזיקלי ישראלי. גפן הוא שותפו של סטיבן וילסון לצמד "בלאקפילד". גפן ידוע בתור הזמר שסחף את הנוער הישראלי בשנות ה-90, שאותו כינה "ילדי אור הירח", ומזוהה עם הזרם השמאלי בפוליטיקה הישראלית. שיריו של גפן עוסקים במחאה, בנושאי יום-יום כמו אהבה, שלום, מוות, דת, צבא ומנגד הוא נוגע בנושאים שנויים במחלוקת כמו התאבדות, סמים וסרבנות.

Miri Ben-Ari

Hip hop Artist

Miri Ben-Ari is an Israeli-born American violinist. She currently resides in the United States. Ben-Ari grew up playing classical music; she started training at age 5 and at age 12, she was presented with a violin by Isaac Stern. During her mandatory Israeli military service, she was chosen to play for the Israeli Army String Quartet. During her stint in the Israeli military, she heard an album by Charlie Parker and immediately fell in love with jazz; she later said "My soul was sold." Following her service, she moved from Israel to New York in hopes of using her classical training on stage and attended the Jazz department at The New School, but was expelled after two semesters due to poor attendance caused by Ben-Ari playing gigs to pay the rent. She released her first solo CD Sahara in 1999. Her persistence earned her an appearance on BET's 106 & Park; the viewer response netted her a return visit a few weeks later. Her performances caught the eye of Jay-Z, who invited her to play as one of the headliners of New York radio station Hot 97's annual Summer Jam concert in 2001, where she netted a standing ovation. Around the same time, a mutual friend introduced Ben-Ari to Wyclef Jean, who invited her to perform with him at his Carnegie Hall show, the first by a hip-hop artist at the venue.

Micky Arison

Organization leader

Micky Arison is an Israeli-born American businessman. From 1979 until 2013, he was Chief Executive Officer of Carnival Corporation, the world's largest cruise operator, and owner of the NBA's Miami Heat. On June 25, 2013, Carnival Corporation announced Arison was being replaced as CEO by Arnold W. Donald, who had served on the company's board for 12 years. Arison continues to serve as chairman of the board.

Daphne Rosen

Pornographic actor

Yair Lapid

Politician

Yair Lapid is the Israeli Minister of Finance and chairman of the Yesh Atid Party. Prior to his entry into politics in 2012, he was a journalist, author, TV presenter and news anchor. The Yesh Atid Party, which he founded, became the second largest party in the Knesset after the first election it participated in. The surprising results of the 2013 election solidified his reputation as a leading moderate. In March 2013, following his coalition agreement with Likud, he became the Israeli Minister of Finance. In May 2013, Lapid ranked first on the list of the "Most Influential Jews in the World" by The Jerusalem Post. In September 2013, the Israeli edition of Forbes magazine estimated Lapid's net worth at 22 million shekels, and number 1 on the "The World's 50 Most Influential Jews" list conducted by the Jerusalem Post.

Isaac Luria

Rabbi

Isaac Luria Ashkenazi, commonly known as "Ha'ARI", "Ha'ARI Hakadosh" [the holy ARI] or "ARIZaL" [the ARI, Of Blessed Memory ], was a foremost rabbi and Jewish mystic in the community of Safed in the Galilee region of Ottoman Palestine. He is considered the father of contemporary Kabbalah, his teachings being referred to as Lurianic Kabbalah. While his direct literary contribution to the Kabbalistic school of Safed was extremely minute, his spiritual fame led to their veneration and the acceptance of his authority. The works of his disciples compiled his oral teachings into writing. Every custom of the Ari was scrutinized, and many were accepted, even against previous practice. Luria died at Safed, Ottoman Empire-controlled Land of Israel, July 25, 1572. He was buried in the Old Cemetery of Safed.

Vince Offer

Comedian

Offer "Vince" Shlomi, also known as Vince Offer, or the "ShamWow!" Guy, is an infomercial pitchman, writer, director, and comedian. Offer's first major work was the 1999 comedy film The Underground Comedy Movie. In the late 2000s, Offer began appearing on television commercials for the products "ShamWow!", a super-absorbent towel; the "Slap Chop", a kitchen utensil; and a lint roller called the "Schticky".

Daliah Lavi

Singer

Daliah Lavi is an Israeli actress, singer, and model.

Abu Nidal

Man

Abu Nidal, born Sabri Khalil al-Banna, was the founder of Fatah – The Revolutionary Council, a militant Palestinian splinter group also known as the Abu Nidal Organization. At the height of his power in the 1970s and 1980s, Abu Nidal, or "father of [the] struggle", was widely regarded as the most ruthless of the Palestinian political leaders. He told Der Spiegel in a rare interview in 1985: "I am the evil spirit which moves around only at night causing ... nightmares." Part of the socialist Palestinian rejectionist front, so called because they reject proposals for a peaceful settlement with Israel, the ANO was formed after a split in 1974 between Abu Nidal and Yasser Arafat's Fatah faction within the Palestine Liberation Organization. Setting himself up as a freelance contractor, Abu Nidal is believed by the United States Department of State to have ordered attacks in 20 countries, killing or injuring over 900 people. The group's most notorious attacks were on the El Al ticket counters at Rome and Vienna airports in December 1985, when Arab gunmen opened fire on passengers in simultaneous shootings, killing 18 and wounding 120. Patrick Seale, Abu Nidal's biographer, wrote of the attacks that their "random cruelty marked them as typical Abu Nidal operations".

Ghassan Kanafani

Novelist

Ghassan Kanafani was a Palestinian writer and a leading member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. He was assassinated by car bomb in Beirut, allegedly by the Mossad.

Rehoboam

Monarch

Rehoboam was initially king of the United Monarchy of Israel but after the ten northern tribes of Israel rebelled in 932/931 BC to form the independent Kingdom of Israel he was king of the Kingdom of Judah, or southern kingdom. He was a son of Solomon and a grandson of David. His mother was Naamah the Ammonite.

Moshe Safdie

Architect

Moshe Safdie, CC, FAIA is an Israeli/Canadian architect, urban designer, educator, theorist, and author. He is most identified with Habitat 67, which paved the way for his international career.

Sasha Roiz

Actor

Sasha Roiz is an Israeli-Canadian actor. He is best known for his portrayals of Sam Adama in the science fiction television series Caprica, and Captain Sean Renard in the American dark fantasy television series Grimm.

Etgar Keret

Author

Etgar Keret is an Israeli writer known for his short stories, graphic novels, and scriptwriting for film and television.

Avi Arad

Film Producer

Avi Arad is an Israeli-American businessman. He became the CEO of the company Toy Biz in the 1990s, and soon afterward became the chief creative officer of Marvel Entertainment, a Marvel director, chairman, CEO and the founder of Marvel Studios.

Gilad Atzmon

Saxophonist

Gilad Atzmon is an Israeli-born British jazz saxophonist, novelist, political activist and writer. Atzmon's album Exile was BBC jazz album of the year in 2003. Playing over 100 dates a year, he has been called "surely the hardest-gigging man in British jazz." His albums, of which he has recorded thirteen to date, often explore the music of the Middle East and political themes. He has described himself as a "devoted political artist." His criticisms of Zionism, Jewish identity, and Judaism, as well as his controversial views on Holocaust denial and Jewish history, have led to allegations of antisemitism and racism from both Zionists and leading anti-Zionists.

Ben Sahar

Soccer

Ben Sahar is an Israeli football striker who currently plays for Hertha BSC. At just 16, Sahar was already the equivalent of a second-year apprentice at Chelsea. He first caught Chelsea's eye in an Under-16 fixture against Ireland in 2004 and has since played for the Israeli Under-21 national team and the Israeli national team. Before transferring to Chelsea, Sahar was on the Hapoel Tel Aviv books, and while he was promoted to the first team by the manager Itzhak Shum, Sahar did not feature in any matches due to his transfer being completed before the start of the 2006–07 season. Before coming to Chelsea, he got Polish citizenship, which grants him an automatic right to play in the UK, as Poland is an EU member state.

Ilan Ramon

Astronaut

Ilan Ramon was an Israeli fighter pilot in the Israeli Air Force, and later the first Israeli astronaut. Ramon was the space shuttle payload specialist of STS-107, the fatal mission of Columbia, in which he and six other crew members were killed in the re-entry accident. At 48, he was the oldest member of the crew. Ramon is the only foreign recipient of the United States Congressional Space Medal of Honor.

Ismail Haniyeh

Military Commander

Ismail Abdel Salam Ahmed Haniyeh is a senior political leader of Hamas and one of two disputed Prime Ministers of the Palestinian National Authority, the matter being under political and legal dispute. He became Prime Minister after the legislative elections of 2006 which Hamas won. President Mahmoud Abbas dismissed Haniyeh from office on 14 June 2007 at the height of the Fatah–Hamas conflict, but Haniyeh did not acknowledge the decree and continues to exercise prime ministerial authority in the Gaza Strip. The Palestinian Legislative Council also continues to recognise his authority.

Inon Zur

Orchestra Artist

Inon Zur is an Israeli American music composer who has won several awards for his work. Originally writing for movies and television, he later moved into composing for video games. He has been described as being "internationally recognized as one of the A-list orchestral composers in the video games industry". During his career to date, Zur has composed the music to over 40 video games, 15 television shows, and 10 movies, as well as many movie trailers. He has been nominated for numerous awards, and has won three—a Telly Award in 1997 for Best Score on Power Rangers: Turbo, a Game Audio Network Guild award in 2004 for Best Original Instrumental track for Men of Valor, and a Hollywood Music in Media Award in 2009 for Best Original Song – Video Game for Dragon Age: Origins. He currently lives in Encino, California, in the United States, and is composing the scores for several unreleased games.

Gal Mekel

Basketball Player

Gal Mekel is an Israeli professional basketball player who currently plays for the Dallas Mavericks of the NBA. He played college basketball for two years at Wichita State. He then played in the Israeli Basketball Super League for Maccabi Tel Aviv, Hapoel Gilboa Galil, and Maccabi Haifa, and in the Italian Serie A League for Benetton Treviso. He was a two-time Israeli Super League MVP in 2011 and 2013. In 2013, he signed a three-year minimum fully guaranteed contract with the Dallas Mavericks, becoming the second Israeli to join the NBA.

Keren Ann

Musical Artist

Keren Ann Zeidel is a singer-songwriter-composer-producer and engineer based largely in Paris, Tel Aviv, and New York City. She plays guitar, piano and clarinet, engineers and writes choir and musical arrangements.

Benny Morris

Historian

Benny Morris is an Israeli professor of History in the Middle East Studies department of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in the city of Be'er Sheva, Israel. He is a key member of the group of Israeli historians known as the "New Historians," a term Morris coined to describe himself and historians Avi Shlaim and Ilan Pappe. Morris's work on the Arab-Israeli conflict and especially the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has won praise and criticism from both sides of the political divide. He is accused by some academics in Israel of only using Israeli and never Arab sources, creating an "unbalanced picture". Regarding himself as a Zionist, he writes, "I embarked upon the research not out of ideological commitment or political interest. I simply wanted to know what happened."

Gai Assulin

Soccer Midfielder

Gai Yigaal Assulin is an Israeli professional footballer who plays for Hércules CF in the Segunda División, on loan from Granada CF, as a winger or an attacking midfielder. Assulin has been capped 19 times by the Israel national under-21 football team and once by the Israel national football team where he currently holds the record as the youngest player to ever represent Israel in an international match at senior level.

Yoram Globus

TV Producer

Yoram Globus, is an Israeli film producer who is most famous for his association with Cannon Films Inc., a company he ran with his cousin Menahem Golan. The cousins bought The Cannon Group production company in 1979 and managed it throughout the 1980s. Because of their fast, low-budget style of filmmaking, they earned the nickname "the Go-Go Boys". However, quite a few of the films produced by the Cannon Group have become quite renowned, including Runaway Train and Godfrey Reggio's second film of the "Qatsi" trilogy, Powaqqatsi. The Cannon Group's library of films is now part of MGM.

Ami James

Tattoo Artist

Ami James, is an Israeli-born tattoo artist. His father, an American, converted to Judaism three years prior to moving to Israel, where he joined the Israeli army and met James' mother. James lived in both Israel and Egypt as a child, and spent much of his childhood without his father who left the family when James was four years old. Suffering from severe ADD, James explains that he was drawn into art and tattooing from a young age as his father had tattoos and was also a painter. James moved to the United States aged 11 or 12, living with his father's parents before moving to Miami at the age of 12. He moved back to Israel in his teens and completed his military service in the Israel Defense Forces as a sniper. At the age of 15 he got his first tattoo, an experience which made him determined to become a tattoo artist himself. In 1992, he started his apprenticeship with tattoo artist Lou at Tattoos By Lou. He is the co-owner of the Miami Beach, Florida tattoo parlor Love Hate Tattoos, the subject of the TLC reality television program, Miami Ink. James also co-owns the DeVille clothing company with Núñez and Jesse Fleet, and the Miami nightclub Love Hate Lounge, with Núñez and two other close friends. He has also created designs for Motorola's RAZR V3 mobile phones. His wife, Jordan, gave birth to their first child, Shayli Haylen James on August 3, 2008. Their second child, a daughter, was born May 8, 2012.

Omri Ben Harush

Soccer Defender

Omri Ben Harush is an Israeli professional footballer who plays as a central defender for Maccabi Tel Aviv and for the Israeli national team.

Levy Gerzberg

Organization leader

Dr. Levy Gerzberg is the chief executive officer of the Zoran Corporation.

Philippe Lellouche

Actor

Philippe Lellouche is an actor and film director.