USA
How Jewish is Larry Ellison?
Oracle founder Larry Ellison became the richest man in the world for a day on Wednesday
September 11, 2025 15:15
Oracle founder Larry Ellison became the richest man in the world for a day on Wednesday
September 11, 2025 15:15Larry Ellison, the Jewish founder of software giant Oracle, became the richest man in the world this week – for a day.
Stocks in his company surged after markets picked up on a series of artificial intelligence and cloud infrastructure deals it had made, catapulting his net worth to £290 billion and briefly lifting him above Elon Musk as the world's richest person. Share values then fell, dropping him down the list.
Ellison was born to Florence Spellman, who was Jewish, but was adopted at the age of nine months by his aunt and uncle, Lillian Spellman Ellison and Louis Ellison, who gave him a Reform upbringing in Chicago. Larry reportedly did not meet his biological mother again until he was 48.
Ellison has never been religious and once told reporters: “While I think I am religious in one sense, the particular dogmas of Judaism are not dogmas I subscribe to. I don’t believe that they are real.
"They’re interesting stories. They’re interesting mythology, and I certainly respect people who believe these are literally true, but I don’t. I see no evidence for this stuff.”
Elison, who became a billionaire in the 1990s, is a major donor to Israel.
In 2017, he gave over £10 million to Friends of the Israel Defence Forces (FIDF) to help construct wellbeing facilities. According to business database LittleSis, at the time, it was the biggest single gift the group had ever received.
At the FIDF gala that year, he said: “For 2,000 years, we were a stateless people, but now, we have a country we can call our own… In my mind, there is no greater honour than supporting some of the bravest people in the world."
Ellison has also given tens of millions of pounds to groups supporting Israeli soldiers and Israeli start-ups.
In 2007 he made a smaller donation – but one with great local significance – of £370,000 to a community centre in Sderot. Being close to the Gaza border, the constant threat of attacks had led to psychological trauma among residents, particularly children, according to the Jerusalem Post. The money was donated to help reinforce the centre against rocket attacks.
Ellison's involvement with Israel is not limited to his personal life - Oracle also has a presence there. Offering its tech services in the country, it has software centres and reportedly employs over 500 people.
After the October 7 massacre, Oracle offered financial support to employees whose families were affected.
To get more news, click here to sign up for our free daily newsletter.