Jewish entrepreneurs have also built major global companies.
For example,
Hyatt Hotels Corporation
Hyatt Hotels Corporation was developed into a global hotel empire by the Pritzker family, a prominent Jewish-American family.
The company expanded rapidly under Jay Pritzker and Donald Pritzker, who were brothers from the Pritzker family.
Their family originally came from Jewish immigrant roots from Ukraine in Eastern Europe.
Founding History
The first Hyatt hotel was purchased in 1957 by Jay Pritzker.
The hotel was located near Los Angeles International Airport and was named Hyatt House.
From that single hotel, the Pritzker family built one of the largest hotel chains in the world.
Global Presence
Today Hyatt Hotels Corporation operates:
- More than 1,200 hotels worldwide
- Hotels in 70+ countries
- Many luxury brands including
- Hyatt Regency
- Grand Hyatt
- Park Hyatt
Contribution to Global Hospitality
Hyatt helped introduce modern innovations in hospitality such as:
- Large airport hotels
- Modern luxury hospitality design
- International hotel management standards
Today the company is considered one of the most influential hospitality brands in the world.
Jan Koum co-founded WhatsApp in 2009 together with Brian Acton.
Jewish Link
Jan Koum was born in Kyiv, Ukraine (then part of the Soviet Union) into a Jewish family.
- His family faced anti-Semitism in the Soviet Union.
- In 1992, his mother moved with him to the United States seeking better opportunities and freedom.
- They settled in California, where Koum later studied computer science.
His background as a Jewish immigrant from Eastern Europe shaped much of his story of perseverance and innovation.
Mother Tongue
Jan Koum’s mother tongue was Russian (commonly spoken in Ukraine at the time).
He later became fluent in:
- English
- Russian
Major Contribution
Jan Koum helped create WhatsApp, which became one of the most widely used communication platforms in the world.
Key features included:
- Free instant messaging
- End-to-end encrypted communication
- Voice and video calls
- Global connectivity across smartphones
Today WhatsApp is used by more than 2 billion people worldwide.
Major Milestone
In 2014, Facebook (now Meta Platforms) acquired WhatsApp for about $19 billion, making it one of the largest tech acquisitions in history.
Oracle Corporation
Founder
Larry Ellison co-founded Oracle in 1977 along with Bob Miner and Ed Oates.
Jewish Link
Larry Ellison was born in New York City to a Jewish mother.
- His biological mother was Florence Spellman, a Jewish woman.
- Ellison was later adopted and raised by his Jewish aunt and uncle in Chicago.
- He grew up in a Jewish household, though he later described himself as not strictly religious.
Mother Tongue
Larry Ellison’s mother tongue is English, as he was born and raised in the United States.
Major Contribution
Enterprise Database Technology
Larry Ellison built Oracle into one of the world’s largest enterprise software companies.
Oracle became famous for its relational database management systems (RDBMS).
These databases allow organizations to:
- Store massive amounts of data
- Manage business information
- Run complex enterprise applications
Today Oracle databases power many systems used by:
- banks
- governments
- airlines
- global corporations
Global Impact
Oracle is now one of the largest technology companies in the world, providing:
- Cloud computing services
- Enterprise software
- Database technology
- Artificial intelligence infrastructure
Oracle’s database technology became a foundation of modern business IT systems.
Bloomberg L.P.
Founder
Michael Bloomberg founded Bloomberg L.P. in 1981.
Before starting the company, he worked at the investment bank Salomon Brothers, where he gained deep experience in financial markets.
Jewish Link
Michael Bloomberg was born in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, to a Jewish family.
- His father, William Henry Bloomberg, was the son of Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe.
- His mother, Charlotte Bloomberg, also came from a Jewish background.
Bloomberg grew up in a Jewish-American household, and his family valued education, discipline, and public service.
Mother Tongue
Michael Bloomberg’s mother tongue is English.
Major Contribution
Financial Information Technology
Bloomberg created the Bloomberg Terminal, one of the most important tools in global finance.
The Bloomberg Terminal allows financial professionals to:
- Access real-time market data
- Analyze financial markets
- Track stocks, bonds, and commodities
- Communicate with traders and investors worldwide
Global Impact
Today Bloomberg L.P. is one of the most powerful financial information companies in the world.
It provides:
- Financial data and analytics
- Global news services
- Market trading platforms
Banks, hedge funds, and governments around the world depend on Bloomberg data to make financial decisions.
Michael Bloomberg later became the 108th mayor of New York City and remains one of the most influential figures in global finance and media.
Google Founders
Larry Page co-founded Google in 1998 with Sergey Brin while they were PhD students at Stanford University.
Larry Page
Jewish Link
Larry Page was born in Michigan, USA.
- His mother, Gloria Page, is Jewish.
- Because Jewish identity traditionally follows the maternal line, Larry Page is considered Jewish by heritage.
Sergey Brin
Jewish Link
Sergey Brin was born in Moscow, Soviet Union (now Russia) into a Jewish family.
- His father, Michael Brin, was a Jewish mathematician.
- His family faced anti-Semitism in the Soviet Union.
In 1979, his family emigrated to the United States to escape discrimination.
Sergey Brin co-developed the Google search engine together with Larry Page.
Google later expanded into many major technologies such as:
- Android operating system
- YouTube platform
- Google Maps
- Artificial intelligence research
Today Google is one of the most powerful technology companies in the world and part of Alphabet Inc..
Mark Zuckerberg – Founder of Facebook (now Meta Platforms)
4
Jewish Link
Mark Zuckerberg was born in New York, United States into a Jewish family.
- His father, Edward Zuckerberg, and mother, Karen Kempner, are both from Jewish backgrounds.
- Zuckerberg had a Jewish upbringing and even celebrated his Bar Mitzvah, a traditional Jewish coming-of-age ceremony.
Although he later described himself as not strongly religious, his family heritage is Jewish.
Major Contribution
Facebook / Social Media Revolution
Mark Zuckerberg founded Facebook in 2004 while studying at Harvard University.
The platform quickly grew into the largest social networking site in the world.
Later, the parent company was renamed Meta Platforms in 2021.
Meta now owns several major platforms:
- Messenger
Global Impact
Facebook and Meta changed the way people:
- Communicate
- Share information
- Build online communities
- Conduct digital advertising and business
Today Meta’s platforms connect billions of people worldwide, making Zuckerberg one of the most influential technology entrepreneurs of the 21st century.