List of influential Jews includes athletes, activists, Top Chef judge

By Michelle Boorstein

Who are the most influential Jews in America today?

How you answer that depends on how you define "influence" -- what really matters to you.

The Forward, the country's preeminent Jewish newspaper, is taking their annual crack at this question. Yesterday they released their annual list of Jews "who have made a significant impact on the Jewish story" in the past year.

The list includes names from big politics (Rahm Emanuel), big entertainment (Jon Stewart), the Big Apple (Michael Bloomberg).

It's easy to see why the latest Supreme Court justice (Elena Kagan, of course) would be on the list, but what about the host of a food show (Gail Simmons)? A food activist (Shamu Sadeh)? The guy who organized a show of avant-garde Jewish sculpture in Manhattan (Joshua Foer)?

We could debate this list forever, who belongs on, off, what constitutes influence? What constitutes Jewishness? We can't do it forever, but if you have your own ideas about this list, please post!