Founders, Pioneers & Luminaries

• Theodore Herzl בנימין זאב הרצל
• Menachem Begin מנחם בגין
• David Ben-Gurion דוד בן-גוריון
• Hayim Nahman Bialik חיים נחמן ביאליק
• Meir Dizengoff מאיר דיזנגוף
• A. D. Gordon א.ד. גורדון
• Zeev Jabotinsky זאב ז׳בוטינסקי
• Berl Katznelson ברל כצנלסון
• Avraham Stern - Yair אברהם שטרן - יאיר
• Shaul Tchernichovsky שאול טשרניחובסקי
• Chaim Weizmann חיים ויצמן
• HaRav Yitzhak HaCohen Kook הרב יצחק הכהן קוק
• [Arthur Ruppin]
• Rachel "The Poetess" (Bluwstein) רחל המשוררת
• Rabbi Yehuda Leib Ashlag הרב יהודה אשלג
• Adin Steinsaltz - Even Yisrael עדין שטיינזלץ - אבן ישראל

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Ynet 2005 Poll

In 2005, the Israeli news website Ynet conducted a vote to determine whom the general public considers the 200 Greatest Israelis of all time.

Due to the nature of the poll used to select and rank the Israelis, the results do not pretend to be an objective assessment.

• 1. יצחק רבין Yitzhak Rabin (1922–1995), Prime Minister and Chief of Staff of the Israel Defence Forces, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate.
• 2. דוד בן-גוריון David Ben-Gurion (1886–1973), the first Prime Minister of State of Israel
• 3. אהוד מנור Ehud Manor (1941–2005), songwriter and translator
• 4. מנחם בגין Menachem Begin (1913–1992), Prime Minister and Nobel Peace Prize laureate
• 5. אילן רמון Ilan Ramon (1954–2003), combat pilot in the Israeli Air Force and the first Israeli astronaut
• 6. נעמי שמר Naomi Shemer (1930–2004), songwriter and the "First Lady of Israeli Song"
• 7. רחבעם זאבי Rehavam Ze'evi (1926–2001), General, historian and extreme right wing politician
• 8. אריאל שרון Ariel Sharon (1928–), politician and Prime Minister
• 9. עזר ויצמן Ezer Weizman (1924–2005), politician and President of Israel
• 10. נינט טייב Ninet Tayeb (1983–), pop rock singer and actress
• 11. שמעון פרס Shimon Peres (1923-), President and Prime Minister of Israel, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate.
• 12. רון ארד Ron Arad (1958–), Israeli Air Force weapon systems officer
• 13. יוני נתניהו Yonatan Netanyahu (1946–1976), member of the Israel Defense Forces elite Sayeret Matkal unit
• 14. זאב רווח Ze'ev Revach (1940–), actor and comedian
• 15. מאיר הר-ציון Meir Har-Zion (1934–2014), military commando fighter
• 16. אלי יצפאן Eli Yatzpan (1965–), television host and Comedian
• 17. שלמה ארצי Shlomo Artzi (1949–), singer-songwriter and a composer
• 18. בנימין נתניהו Benjamin Netanyahu (1949–), politician and Prime Minister
• 19. ש"י עגנון Shmuel Yosef Agnon (1888–1970), Hebrew nobel prize laureate writer
• 20. ישעיהו לייבוביץ Yeshayahu Leibowitz (1903–1994), philosopher and scientist
• 21. אפרים קישון Ephraim Kishon (1924–2005), writer, satirist, dramatist, screenwriter, and film director
• 22. אריק איינשטיין Arik Einstein (1939–2013), singer, actor and songwriter
• 23. מרן עובדיה יוסף Ovadia Yosef (1920–2013), Haredi rabbi, Talmudic scholar, a recognized authority in Halakha
• 24. רפול-רפאל איתן Rafael Eitan (1929–2004), Chief of Staff of the Israel Defence Forces and politician
• 25. גל פרידמן Gal Fridman (1975–), windsurfer and first Israeli to win an Olympic gold medal
• 26. אלי כהן Eli Cohen (1924–1965), Israeli spy in Syria
• 27. יהורם גאון Yehoram Gaon (1939–), singer and actor
• 28. אהוד בנאי Ehud Banai (1953–), singer and songwriter
• 29. Yitzhak Shamir (1915–2012), politician and Prime Minister
• 30. טל פרידמן Tal Friedman (1963–)], actor and comedian
• 31. אברהם הרשקו Avram Hershko (1937–), biologists and Nobel Prize in Chemistry laureates
• 32. עפרה חזה Ofra Haza (1957–2000), singer, actress and international recording artist
• 33. שייקה אופיר Shaike Ophir (1929–1987), film actor, mime and comedian
• 34. מאיר אריאל Meir Ariel (1942–1999), singer-songwriter
• 35. מיקי ברקוביץ Miki Berkovich (1954–), basketball player
• 36. יאיר לפיד Yair Lapid (1963–), journalist, author, TV presenter and politician, Finance Minister, MK
• 37. צביקה הדר Zvika Hadar (1966–), actor, comedian and television host
• 38. סטף ורטהיימר Stef Wertheimer (1926–), entrepreneur and industrialist
• 39. אהרן ברק Aharon Barak (1936–), President of the Supreme Court of Israel
• 40. אלי אוחנה Eli Ohana (1964–), football player and manager
• 41. עמוס עוז Amos Oz (1939–), writer, novelist and journalist
• 42. מאיר שלו Meir Shalev (1948–), writer
• 43. נתן אלתרמן Nathan Alterman (1910–1970), poet, journalist, and translator
• 44. אייבי נתן Abie Nathan (1927–2008), humanist and peace activist
• 45. חיים ויצמן Chaim Weizmann (1874–1952), chemist, Zionist leader, President of the World Zionist Organization and the first President of the State of Israel
• 46. קרן-אור לייבוביץ Keren Or Leybovitch (1973–), swimmer
• 47. דנה אינטרנשיונל Dana International (1972–), transsexual singer, who won the 1998 Eurovision Song Contest
• 48. אורי זוהר Uri Zohar (1935–), film director and actor
• 49. שלום חנוך Shalom Hanoch (1946–), singer, lyricist and composer
• 50. אריאל זאבי Ariel Ze'evi (1977–), judoka
• 51. יוסי בנאי Yossi Banai (1932–2008), performer, singer and dramatist
• 52. אבא אבן Abba Eban (1915–2002), diplomat and politician
• 53. שלמה גורן Shlomo Goren (1917–1994), Orthodox Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel
• 54. ישראל מאיר לאו Yisrael Meir Lau (1937–), Orthodox Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel
• 55. Dudu Topaz (1946–2009), actor and television host
• 56. Shari Arison (1957–), businesswoman
• 57. Shulamit Aloni (1928–2014), politician and left-wing activist
• 58. אריה מחלוף דרעי Aryeh Deri (1959–), leader of Israel's Shas Party
• 59. אביב גפן Aviv Geffen (1973–), rock musician, singer, songwriter, producer, keyboardist and guitarist
• 60. זוהר ארגוב Zohar Argov (1955–1987), singer and a distinctive voice in the Mizrahi music scene
• 61. אהוד ברק Ehud Barak (1942–), Chief of Staff, politician and Prime Minister
• 62. חנוך לוין Hanoch Levin (1943–1999), dramatist
• 63. Tal Brody (1943–), basketball player
• 64. גאולה כהן Geula Cohen (1925–2019), politician and journalist
• 65. יגאל אלון Yigal Allon (1918–1980), politician, acting Prime Minister and commander of the Palmach
• 66. Moni Moshonov (1951–), actor and comedian
• 67. Ralph Klein (1931–2008), basketball player and coach
• 68. Oded Kattash (1974–), basketball player and coach
• 69. Gil Shwed (1952–), programmer and entrepreneur
• 70. אלעזר שך Elazar Shach (1898–2001), the rosh yeshiva of the Ponevezh yeshiva and founded the Degel HaTorah political party
• 71. נחום סטלמך Nahum Stelmach (1936–1999), football player and manager
• 72. יונתן גפן Yonatan Geffen (1947–), poet, playwright, writer, lyricist, journalist and translator
• 73. משה דיין Moshe Dayan (1915–1981) military leader and politician
• 74. אריה-לובה אליאב Arie-Lova Eliav (1921–2010), politician
• 75. גולדה מאיר Golda Meir (1898–1978), politician and the Israel's first female Prime Minister
• 76. Yaron London (1940–), journalist, lyricist and TV presenter
• 77. A. B. Yehoshua (1936–), novelist, essayist and playwright
• 78. שושנה דמארי Shoshana Damari (1923–2006), singer and actress
• 79. Haim Yavin (1932–), television anchor
• 80. Uri Malmilian (1957–), football player and manager
• 81. Pnina Rosenblum (1954–), politician, model and businesswoman
• 82. יהודה עמיחי Yehuda Amichai (1924–2000), poet
• 83. Tzvika Pick (1951–), composer and singer
• 84. אברהם אבן שושן Avraham Even-Shoshan (1906–1984), Hebrew linguist and lexicographer
• 85. Eli Hurvitz (1932–), industrialist
• 86. לוי אשכול Levi Eshkol (1895–1969), politician and Prime Minister
• 87. לאה גולדברנ Leah Goldberg (1911–1970), poet and writer
• 88. טדי קולק Teddy Kollek (1911–2007), mayor of Jerusalem
• 89. Linor Abargil (1980–), model and Miss World
• 90. Chaim Topol (1935–), theatrical and film performers
• 91. Matti Caspi (1949–), composer, musician, singer and lyricist
• 92. Haim Revivo (1972–), football player and businessman
• 93. Chava Alberstein (1947–), singer, lyricist, composer, musical arranger and actress
• 94. Eyal Berkovic (1972–), football player
• 95. Yehuda Poliker (1950–), singer-songwriter
• 96. Netiva Ben-Yehuda (1928–), writer and lexicographer
• 97. David Grossman (1954–), writer and essay
• 98. Hanna Meron (1923–), actress
• 99. Meir Shamgar (1925–), President of the Israeli Supreme Court
• 100. Moti Kirschenbaum (1939–), journalist, announcer and TV presenter
• 101. Daniel Kahneman (1934–), psychologist and Nobel laureate
• 102. Gila Almagor (1939–), actress
• 103. Yael Arad (1967–), judoka and the first Israeli to win an Olympic medal
• 104. Natan Yonatan (1923–2004), poet
• 105. Mordechai Spiegler (1944–), football player and manager
• 106. אילנה דיין Ilana Dayan (1964–), journalist, announcer and TV presenter
• 107. David Elazar, (1925–1976), Chief of Staff of the Israel Defence Forces
• 108. Yitzhak Navon (1921–), President of Israel, playwright and author
• 109. Dvora Omer (1932–), author
• 110. נחום כולדמן Nachum Gutman (1898–1980), painter, sculptor and author
• 111. Daniel Barenboim (1942–), pianist and conductor
• 112. Moshe Ivgy (1953–), actor
• 113. Rifaat Turk (1957–), football player and the first Arab to ever play for the Israel national football team
• 114. Ze'ev (1923–2002), caricaturist
• 115. Chaim Herzog (1918–1997), politician and President of Israel
• 116. Chaim Chefer (1925–), lyricist
• 117. זובין מטה Zubin Mehta (1936-), conductor of Western classical music
• 118. Erez Tal (1961–), announcer and TV presenter
• 119. Galila Ron-Feder Amit (1949–), author
• 120. Ida Nodel (1931–), refusenik
• 121. Yitzhak Sadeh (1890–1952), the commander of the Palmach and one of the founders of the Israel Defense Forces
• 122. Mordechai Gur (1930–1995), Chief of Staff of the Israel Defence Forces
• 123. Avihu Medina (1948–), singer-songwriter
• 124. Zahi Armeli (1957–), football player
• 125. Yaakov Peri (1944–), head of the General Security Service and businessman
• 126. מרטין בובר Martin Buber (1878–1965), philosopher, translator and educator
• 127. Esther Roth Shahamorov (1952–), athlete
• 128. Uri Avnery (1923–), journalist, left-wing peace activist and Knesset member
• 129. אסי דיין Assi Dayan (1945–2014), actor and film director
• 130. Yitzhak Ben-Aharon (1906–2006), politician
• 131. Sami Michael (1926–), author and the president of The Association for Civil Rights in Israel
• 132. Asa Kasher (1940–), philosopher and linguist
• 133. Yuval Ne'eman (1925–2006), soldier, physicist and politician
• 134. Tanhum Cohen-Mintz (1939–), basketball player
• 135. Itzhak Perlman (1945–), violinist, conductor, and pedagogue
• 136. Sasha Argov (1914–2005), composer
• 137. Ohad Naharin (1952–), dancer and choreographer
• 138. Yona Wallach (1944–1985), poet
• 139. Zalman Shazar (1889–1974), President of Israel and author
• 140. Dan Ben-Amotz (1924–1989), writer, journalist, screenwriter and actor
• 141. Dan Shilon (1940–), journalist, announcer and TV presenter
• 142. Haim Bar-Lev (1924–1994), Chief of Staff of the Israel Defence Forces and politician
• 143. Emile Habibi (1922–1996), writer and politician
• 144. Oded Machnes (1956–), football player
• 145. Miriam Yalan-Shteklis (1900–1984), writer and poet
• 146. Ya'akov Hodorov (1927–2006), football goalkeeper
• 147. Haim Gouri (1923–), poet, novelist, journalist and documentary filmmaker
• 148. Efi Arazi (1937–), industrialist and businessman, founder of Scitex Corporation
• 149. Azriel Carlebach (1909–1956), journalist and editorial writer
• 150. משה שרת Moshe Sharett (1894–1965), politician and 2nd Prime Minister of Israel
• 151. Orna Porat (1924–), actress
• 152. Leah Rabin (1928–2000), the wife of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin
• 153. Yafa Yarkoni (1925–), singer
• 154. Dahlia Ravikovitch (1936–2005), poet and peace activist
• 155. Miriam Ben-Porat (1918–), judge and state comptroller
• 156. Rivka Michaeli (1938–), actress, announcer and TV presenter
• 157. Aharon Appelfeld (1932–), novelist
• 158. Alon Abutbul (1965–), actor, announcer and film producer
• 159. Yair Rosenblum (1944–1996), composer
• 160. Yigal Mossinsohn (1917–1994), writer and playwright
• 161. Yigal Tumarkin (1933–), painter and sculptor
• 162. Hanna Rovina (1892–1980), actress and the original "First Lady of Hebrew Theatre"
• 163. Eli Amir (1937–), writer
• 164. S. Yizhar (1916–2006), writer and politician
• 165. Yigael Yadin (1917–1984), Chief of Staff of the Israel Defence Forces, politician and archeologist
• 166. Yossi Vardi (1943–), tech entrepreneur and businessman
• 167. Lea Gottlieb (1918–), fashion designer
• 168. Sara Levi-Tanai (1911–2005), choreographer
• 169. Pinchas Sapir (1906–1975), politician
• 170. Yevgeny Aryeh (1947–), theatre director
• 171. Alexander Penn (1906–1972), poet
• 172. Giora Spiegel (1947–), football player and manager
• 173. Yaakov Shabtai (1934–1981), novelist, playwright and translator
• 174. Yemima Avidar-Tchernovitz (1909–1998), writer
• 175. Avraham Shlonsky (1900–1973), poet and editor
• 176. Menashe Kadishman (1932–), sculptor and painter
• 177. Aharon Katzir (1914–1972), pioneer
• 178. Amos Mansdorf (1965–), tennis player
• 179. Rina Mor (1956–), model and Miss Universe
• 180. David Avidan (1934–1995), poet, painter, filmmaker, publicist and playwright
• 181. יצחק בן-צבי Yitzhak Ben-Zvi (1884–1963), 2nd President of Israel and historian
• 182. Pinchas Sadeh (1929–1994), writer, poet and translator
• 183. Neomi Polani (1927–), singer, producer and theatre director
• 184. Marcel Janco (1895–1984), painter and architect
• 185. Yehoshua Sobol (1939–), playwright, writer and director
• 186. Avigdor Stematsky (1908–1989), painter
• 187. Moshe Vilenski (1910–1997), composer
• 188. Nathan Zach (1930–), poet
• 189. Hanna Zemer (1925–2003), journalist
• 190. Anna Ticho (1894–1980), painter
• 191. ניסים אלוני Nisim Aloni (1926–1998), playwright and translator
• 192. Ram Karmi (1931–), architect
• 193. Yitzhak Danziger (1916–1977), sculptor
• 194. Yehezkel Streichman (1906–1993), painter
• 195. Yaacov Agam (1928–), sculptor
• 196. Yosef Zaritsky (1891–1985), painter
• 197. Siona Shimshi (1939–), painter and sculptor
• 198. Rina Sheinfeld (1938–), dancer and choreographer
• 199. Noah Mozes (1912–1985), the first editor of Yedioth Ahronoth
• 200. ברוך אגדתי Baruch Agadati (1895–1976), painter, dancer and film director

External links ▪ 200 Greatest Israelis in Ynet