It scarcely needs to be said — although it is often forgotten — but there are few ethnic or religious minorities in North America that have had quite the same impact on life in North America as the Jewish community has.

The impact of the Jewish community can be noted far and wide, with prominent Jewish North Americans achieving prominence in virtually all facets of life, society and culture. Everything from the entertainment industry, the business world, politics and even the judiciary bears the mark of Jewish success. These figures’ achievements serve as a testament to the resilience of the Jewish immigrants who endured so much.

With that said, let’s take a look at a somewhat unconventional rundown of some of North America’s most influential Jewish figures.

Sheldon Adelson – Casino magnate

Although he remained a controversial figure for much of his life, there is no denying the wider impact Sheldon Adelson had on North American life.

Sheldon Gary Adelson was an American businessman, investor, political donor and philanthropist who made his vast fortune in the casino world. He was the founder and CEO of the Las Vegas Sands Corporation. 

Adelson headed up a vast casino empire, which included casinos in Las Vegas, Singapore and Macao — even having links to a Canadian casino. Despite not getting into the casino game until relatively late in his career, Adelson amassed a vast fortune worth an estimated $29.8bn according to the latest estimates before his recent death.

In more recent years, Adelson was known for his committed advocacy for Jewish causes and, in particular, his support of Israel. This involved him in American political circles where his influence was felt.

Mel Blanc – North America’s most recognizable voice

Although you might not be able to recall his name, you will definitely recognize his voice. Mel Blanc, also known as the ‘Man of 1000 Voices’, is widely considered one of the most prolific voice actors of all time.

Born in San Francisco to Jewish parents, Blanc got his start travelling the Pacific Northwest and performing in a vaudeville troupe before eventually transitioning to radio. It was on the airwaves of Los Angeles that his career really started to take off. Following some early gigs in Looney Tunes cartoons — where he coined the classic catchphrase “Th-th-th-that’s all folks!” — Blanc’s career became increasingly successful. Some of North America’s most famous cartoons have been voiced by Mel, including: Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Tweety Bird, Sylvester the Cat, Yosemite Sam and quite literally hundreds more! 

Bob Dylan – The voice of a generation

It scarcely needs to be said that there are few musicians who have had quite the same impact, or achieved quite the same level of success, as Bob Dylan has. Widely regarded as one of the greatest singers and lyricists of all time, Dylan’s songs provided the voice to a lost generation coming of age in the 1960s. His profound words have continued to echo throughout time.

Born Robert Allen Zimmerman in 1941 to Jewish parents, Dylan had a stable upbringing in a small Jewish community — with his father and mother serving as President of B’nai Brith and President of the local Hadassah chapter, respectively. Dylan attended religious school as a youth, taking his Bar Mitzvah at 13. Dylan remained close to his Jewish background, even travelling to Israel for his son’s Bar Mitzvah.

Although embracing Christianity later in life, a strong sense of Jewish identity has remained present in Dylan’s work throughout his career. With his lyrics often powerfully evoking Abrahamic imagery.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg – The jurist of a generation

Although holders of judicial office are not often looked to as inspirational figures, Ruth Bader Ginsburg — or RBG as she has been more commonly known — is the exception that proves this rule.

RBG was a US Supreme Court Justice who earned a reputation as one of the most influential advocates for women’s rights that the American judiciary has ever produced.

Getting her start as an academic and then later as a civil rights lawyer, RBG had the unique honor of arguing a series of influential gender equality cases before the Supreme Court. This is a particularly unique honor as RBG would, while serving as a US Supreme Court Justice, rely on the judicial precedence of cases she had argued before the court she was serving on.

Beyond her domineering jurisprudential intellect, however, RBG would gain a cultural significance few, if any, Supreme Court judges have achieved. RBG had the unique experience of being the subject of both a major documentary film and a dramatic re-enactment of her life shortly before her death in September 2020. 

With all that said, there are few figures in North American life who stand for resilience, intellect and a strong sense of social justice as Ruth Bader Ginsburg does.