Ben Bernanke

Birth Name: Ben Shalom Bernanke

Place of Birth: Augusta, Georgia, U.S.

Date of Birth: December 13, 1953

Ethnicity: Ashkenazi Jewish

Ben Bernanke is an American economist. He has served as Chair of the Federal Reserve, from February 1, 2006 to January 31, 2014, as well as, as a Member of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, from July 31, 2002 to June 21, 2005, and again, from February 1, 2006 to January 31, 2014, and as Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers, from June 21, 2005 to January 31, 2006. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences in 2022.

Ben was born in Augusta, Georgia, the son of Edna and Philip Bernanke, and grew up in Dillon, South Carolina. He was raised attending the Ohav Shalom synagogue in Dillon. He is married to Anna Friedmann, with whom he has two children.

His paternal grandparents moved to the U.S. on June 30, 1921.

Ben’s paternal grandfather was Jonas Bernanke (the son of Samuel Israel Bernanke and Friede Fromer). Jonas was born in Boryslav, Austria-Hungary, now Ukraine.

Ben’s paternal grandmother was named Pauline Heiden (the daughter of Bernard Heiden).

Ben’s maternal grandfather was named Harold Friedman. Harold was a professional hazzan/service leader, shochet, and teacher of Hebrew.

Source: Genealogy of Ben Bernanke – https://www.geni.com