# Jewish Heads of State? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 2, 2001, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-heads-of-state/84890 "2001-10-02T02:47:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2001, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-heads-of-state/84890/1 "2001-10-02T02:47:47Z")
Aside from Israel, how many heads of state are Jewish? ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2001, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-heads-of-state/84890/2 "2001-10-02T03:07:26Z")
There are no Jewish heads of state in any country that I know of, except in Israel. There have been precious few in the history of the world. One of the very few was Benjamin Disraeli, former British Prime Minister… but Disraeli’s family had converted to the Anglican Church before his birth. ---
**Author:** ![evilhanz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba8739/32.png) [@evilhanz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/evilhanz)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2001, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-heads-of-state/84890/3 "2001-10-02T03:21:21Z")
Since apparently none exist in the world at present, I’ll throw in a few former heads of state other than Disraeli: New Zealand: Julius Vogel, Prime Minister France: Leon Blum, Prime Minister Austria: Bruno Kreisky, Prime Minister ---
**Author:** ![saudade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c0e974/32.png) [@saudade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saudade)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2001, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-heads-of-state/84890/4 "2001-10-02T03:42:44Z")
Switzerland now has a Jewish President, Mrs. Ruth Dreyfus. I’m not sure how much power the presidency has in Switzerland though - but she is a head of state. http:www.jewhoo.com/ once had a good list, but apparently they have deleted it. Aside from Blum, Kreisky, Vogel, and Disraeli, there were a couple of others, both from places you wouldn’t expect to find a Jewish chief of state. Maybe if you write to that site, they may provide an answer. ---
**Author:** ![labradorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3ec8ea/32.png) [@labradorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/labradorian)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2001, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-heads-of-state/84890/5 "2001-10-02T03:47:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by evilhanz \* > \*\*Since apparently none exist in the world at present, I’ll throw in a few former heads of state other than Disraeli: > > New Zealand: Julius Vogel, Prime Minister > France: Leon Blum, Prime Minister > Austria: Bruno Kreisky, Prime Minister \*\* Nitpick: Prime Ministers are heads of government, not heads of state. Leon Blum was Prime Minister in France in the 1930s, and later imprisoned during the Vichy regime. Bruno Kreisky was Chancellor of Austria… = P.M. ---
**Author:** ![dqa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dqa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dqa)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2001, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-heads-of-state/84890/6 "2001-10-02T04:08:48Z")
Damn you, **Labradorian**! Here’s my post anyway. Nitpick: Disraeli and Vogel were both heads of government, the head of state in both cases was Victoria. Kreisky as head of government was technically a chancellor rather than PM, not that there’s a difference. He served under three different [presidents](http://www.terra.es/personal2/monolith/austria.htm), who were heads of state. Blum served as premiere during the Third Republic, when there was also a president of France, but I couldn’t find who. ---
**Author:** ![hawthorne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@hawthorne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawthorne)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2001, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-heads-of-state/84890/7 "2001-10-02T04:14:33Z")
Australia: Sir Isaac Isaacs, Sir Zelman Cowan. I’m counting the Governor General as the head of state for Australia rather than the Queen. ---
**Author:** ![evilhanz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba8739/32.png) [@evilhanz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/evilhanz)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2001, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-heads-of-state/84890/8 "2001-10-02T04:16:30Z")
Damn you both! I thought I could slip that one by without attracting the nitpickers among us. 🙂 I assumed that the OPer was making no distinction between head of state and head of government. In common usage, for example when a prime minister travels to the US, it is a state visit, and the leader is referred to as a ‘head of state’. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2001, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-heads-of-state/84890/9 "2001-10-02T05:50:33Z")
Yeah, for the purposes of the OP I wasn’t differentiating between “head of state” and “head of government.” Mostly because I forgot there was a difference. I roll my eyes at my self: :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![altor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@altor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/altor)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2001, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-heads-of-state/84890/10 "2001-10-02T15:23:10Z")
Janet Rosenberg Jagan was president of Guyana 1997-99. ---
**Author:** ![labradorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3ec8ea/32.png) [@labradorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/labradorian)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2001, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-heads-of-state/84890/11 "2001-10-02T18:25:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by evilhanz \* > \*\*Damn you both! I thought I could slip that one by without attracting the nitpickers among us. 🙂 I assumed that the OPer was making no distinction between head of state and head of government. In common usage, for example when a prime minister travels to the US, it is a state visit, and the leader is referred to as a ‘head of state’. \*\* Maybe in the popular media. I think the protocol officers are pretty tight on this one, though. I know in Canada a clear distinction is generally made, even in the popular media. And a head of government certainly can make a state visit… it’s just not being done as his or her country’s head of state. It’s just one of those things, like Speakers who don’t speak, and Governors General who don’t govern. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2001, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-heads-of-state/84890/12 "2001-10-03T03:57:41Z")
> [@](#): > > like Speakers who don’t speak I find that checking the jacks and cable usually finds the problem. In serious cases, a new woofer may be needed. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2001, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-heads-of-state/84890/13 "2001-10-03T04:01:23Z")
We might also ask, aside from African nations, how many countries have leaders (note how I neatly sidestep “head of state” vs "head of government) who were black? ---
**Author:** ![Trucido](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ea5d25/32.png) [@Trucido](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trucido)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2001, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-heads-of-state/84890/14 "2001-10-03T05:21:44Z")
Martin Luther King and Malcolm X were both black leaders in the United States… ( And **C K Dexter Haven** sidesteps right off a cliff :D) ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2001, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-heads-of-state/84890/15 "2001-10-03T06:37:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by C K Dexter Haven \* > \*\*We might also ask, aside from African nations, how many countries have leaders (note how I neatly sidestep “head of state” vs "head of government) who were black? \*\* A bunch in the Carribean. Haiti and also most (all?) of the Lesser Antilles. ---
**Author:** ![Popup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/94ad74/32.png) [@Popup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Popup)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2001, 9:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-heads-of-state/84890/16 "2001-10-03T09:48:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by saudade \* > \*\*Switzerland now has a Jewish President, Mrs. Ruth Dreyfus. > \*\* Are you sure about that? I **thought** she was last year. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by saudade \* > \*\*I’m not sure how much power the presidency has in Switzerland though - but she is a head of state. > \*\* They don’t have much power, and keep a pretty low profile. I live in Switzerland, but have **no idea** who is the president. (I don’t read much newspapers, and never watch TV, which might explain it.) There is a **federal council** with seven members, who take their turns to act as a president. quoting from [http://www.schweiz-in-sicht.ch/en/4\_fod/4\_fs.html](http://www.schweiz-in-sicht.ch/en/4_fod/4_fs.html) > [@](#): > > The Federal Council, Switzerland’s government, has 7 members. Each year, a different member becomes Federal President. The post confers no special powers or privileges, and the president continues to administer his or her own department. ---
**Author:** ![MHand](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e5b9ba/32.png) [@MHand](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MHand)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-heads-of-state/84890/17 "2001-10-04T22:15:36Z")
Since we’re digging into the past: Biblical Joseph was second in command of Egypt. Esther’s son Darius was a Jewish King of Persia during the Babalonian Exile. In 960, King Joseph of Khazaria converted to Judaism. Any more? ---
**Author:** ![Saltire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saltire/32/553_2.png) [@Saltire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saltire)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-heads-of-state/84890/18 "2001-10-04T22:34:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by evilhanz \* > \*\*Damn you both! I thought I could slip that one by without attracting the nitpickers among us. 🙂 I assumed that the OPer was making no distinction between head of state and head of government. In common usage, for example when a prime minister travels to the US, it is a state visit, and the leader is referred to as a ‘head of state’. \*\* I’m going to continue the tangent. Sorry, but I can’t help myself. I remember in the days of the Camp David Accords, ceremonies in the U.S. honoring the leaders from Egypt and Israel would involve a 21-gun salute for Sadat as a head of state, but Begin only got a 19-gun salute, since he was only head of government. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2001, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-heads-of-state/84890/19 "2001-10-05T02:49:29Z")
So, that’s it? Switzerland? That’s at once mildly depressing and hardly surprising. Thanks to everyone for the answers. ---
**Author:** ![Popup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/94ad74/32.png) [@Popup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Popup)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2001, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-heads-of-state/84890/20 "2001-10-05T07:06:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Miller \* > \*\*So, that’s it? Switzerland? That’s at once mildly depressing and hardly surprising. Thanks to everyone for the answers. \*\* Well, read my reply above. It has been a few years since [Mme Dreifuss](http://www.admin.ch/ch/f/cf/br/105.html) was president (pres. 1999, vice-pres. 1998). I also said that nobody knows/cares who is the Swiss president,but I just found this from [CIAs factbook](http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/sz.html): > [@](#): > > chief of state: President Moritz LEUENBERGER (since 1 January 2001); Vice President Kaspar VILLIGER (since 1 January 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government I have no idea if he’s jewish or not… (You could mail him at moritz.leuenberger@gs-uvek.admin.ch and ask:) )