Jewish American Heritage Month

Jewish American Heritage Month. Jewish-Americans are influential in a wide range of sectors -- from entertainment to the sciences. In honor of Jewish American Heritage Month, here are a few notables singled out by the Jewish-American Hall of Fame.

William Safire

The author  Pulitzer Prize-winning conservative columnist and presidential speechwriter influenced public opinion for decades until his death in 2009. He was a leading critic of this presidential administration.

Gloria Steinem

 The face of the feminist movement, Gloria Steinem been a force in shaping gender politics since the 1970s. 

Barbara Walters

The legendary broadcast journalist is known for conducting interviews with A-list celebrities, including a pop queen, a presidential couple and a screen icon. Whom did she choose for her annual "Most Fascinating People" list for 2010?

Albert Einstein

The German-born physicist who gave the world a groundbreaking theory is widely thought to be the greatest scientist of all time. He became an American citizen in 1940 and spent many years at a prestigious Ivy League university.

Alan Greenspan

Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan  has taken heat for factors leading to the current economic downturn since retiring in 2008. Get his memoir.

Sandy Koufax

One of the greatest left-handed pitchers of all time played for the same team his entire 12-year career. The baseball icon was the youngest former player to receive a top baseball honor.

Woody Allen

Best known as a filmmaker who dwells on the drama of relationships within a comedic framework, Woody Allen has a large body of work that includes plays, music and stand-up comedy.

Al Franken

Al Franken's career has evolved from a long-running sketch comedy showto being elected a senator and authoring books.

Elizabeth Taylor

A film star in the truest sense of the word, the late screen star dazzled on and off camera for decades and became renowned for her many marriages, her extensive jewelry collection and for bringing AIDS research into the spotlight.

Henry Kissinger

The former national security adviser and secretary of state under Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1973.

Mark Zuckerberg

The founder of social networking innovator Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg was named Time magazine's Person of the Year in 2010 at the age of 26. His massive net worth? A movie came out last year based on the creation of Facebook.

Philip Roth

Roth's book "Goodbye, Columbus," published in 1959, won the National Book Award and was made into a movie, and his works depicting Jewish-American life have gone on to earn many other honors, including the Pulitzer Prize for literature.

Annie Leibovitz

The legendary photographer has trained her camera lens on celebrities ranging from a music legend  to royalty  creating iconic images.

Natalie Portman

Portman's Oscar-winning performance in "Black Swan" is the latest honor for the young actress, who retains dual American and Israeli  citizenship. She's recently engaged and expecting.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg

The second woman to sit as a Supreme Court justice was appointed during former President Bill Clinton's term in office. She has been an advocate for this constitutional principle.

Ben Bernanke

An American economist and former professor  Ben Bernanke became chairman of the Federal Reserve Board in 2006. He was criticized for his work behind the bailout of an insurance giant.

Artie Shaw

One of the primary architects of the Swing Era, big band leader and clarinetist Artie Shaw  is known for reworking standards like Cole Porter's "Begin the Beguine"  into jazzy, memorable arrangements.

Ralph Lauren

Fashion designer Ralph Lauren is known for his classic American style and has put his brand on everything from bedding to fragrances and home décor.

Albert Abraham Michelson

A Nobel prize-winning physicist known for his work on a physical constant, Albert Michelson was born in Strzelno but immigrated to the U.S. in the late 1800s as a child. He was the first to receive the Nobel Prize in this category.