Famous and Noteworthy American Jewish Women

By Bennett Muraskin

Jewish women have been in the forefront to many fields in American life, to a greater extent than other comparable immigrant groups. I could not find a handy source to document their accomplishments, so I decided to create my own.

CONTEMPORARY (alive)
Ruth Bader Ginsberg (Supreme Court)
Elana Kagan (Supreme Court)
Janet Yellen (Federal Reserve)
Diane Feinstein (US Senator)
Barbara Boxer (former US Senator)
Barbara Walters (broadcast journalist)
Barbara Streisand (singer, actor, producer, director)
Idina Menzel (singer)
Bette Midler (singer, actor)
Carole King (singer, songwriter)
Roseanne Barr (comedian)
Sarah Silverman (comedian)
Amy Schumer (comedian)
Natalie Portman (actor)
Scarlett Johansson (actor)
(Judge) Judy Sheindlin (TV personality)
Dr. Ruth Westheimer (sex therapist)
Randi Weingarten (labor leader)
Ruth Messenger (social activist)
Gloria Steinem (feminist)
Dara Torres (Olympic athlete)
Aly Raisman (Olympic athlete)
Cynthia Ozick (novelist)
Judy Blume (children/young adult novelist)

 

HISTORICAL (deceased)
Revolutionary
Emma Goldman
Abolitionist/Women's Rights Crusader
Ernestine Rose
Labor Leader
Rose Schneiderman
Socialist
Rose Pastor Stokes
Social Reformer
Lillian Wald
Zionist/Founder of Hadassah
Henrietta Szold
Political Leaders
Bella Abzug
Elizabeth Holtzman
Feminist
Betty Friedan
Political Philosopher
Hannah Arendt
Rabbi
Sally Priesand
Attorney/Judge
Justine Wise Polier
Spy or Martyr?
Ethel Rosenberg
Educators
Rebecca Gratz
Julia Richman
Advice Columnists
Abigail Van Buren
Ann Landers
Psychologist
Joyce Brothers
Actors/Entertainers
Madeline Kahn
Lauren Bacall
Hedy Lamarr
Fanny Brice
Sophie Tucker
Celia Adler
Molly Picon
Zsa Zsa Gabor
Comedians
Joan Rivers
Gilda Radner
Children's Entertainer
Shari Lewis
TV Producer/Director/Actor
Gertrude Berg
Singers
Dinah Shore
Eydie Gorme
Opera Singer
Beverly Sills
Klezmer Singer
Adrienne Cooper
Artist
Judy Chicago
Art Collector
Peggy Guggenheim
Playwrights
Lillian Hellman
Wendy Wasserstein
Writers
Grace Paley
Nora Ephron
Ayn Rand
Laura Z. Hobson
Edna Ferber
Journalist/Music Critic
Ellen Willis
Journalist/Publisher
Trude Weiss-Rosmarin
Film Critic
Pauline Kael
Poets
Emma Lazarus
Adrienne Rich
Historians
Gerda Lerner
Barbara Tuchman
Lucy Dawidowicz
Hotel Industry
Jenny Grossinger
Cosmetics Industry
Estee Lauder
Helena Rubinstein
Bra Designer/Manufacturer
Ida Rosenthal
Miss America
Bess Myerson
Scientists
Gertrude Elion (Nobel Prize winner)
Vera Rubin
Converts
Marilyn Monroe
Elizabeth Taylor