All modern superhero comics can be traced to the debut of Superman in Action Comics #1. His creators, artist Joe Shuster and writer Jerry Siegel, were both Jewish, and the story of baby Kal-El escaping Krypton in a rocket was inspired by the Biblical tale of Moses traveling down the Nile in a basket. So from the very beginning of superhero comics, Jewish values have been instilled into the medium.
In fact, Jewish values such as "tikkun olam" (repairing the world) are at the core of the superhero tradition, and were infused into the characters created by other Jewish comic character creators such as Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Bob Kane, and Chris Claremont (to name just a few). These DC and Marvel heroes represent some of the most heroic characters from each superhero universe.
10 Kitty Pryde
While she is going by the name "Kate" these days, Kitty Pryde of the X-Men is one of the longest-running and most popular mutants around. She has the power to phase through solid matter, and she has always been one of the smartest, most determined, and most independent of all the X-Men.
She has always proudly demonstrated her Jewish heritage from the very beginning, and the importance of her faith to her is one of the core themes in writer Chris Claremont and artist Brian Anderson's classic X-Men story "God Loves, Man Kills."
9 Batwoman
Kate Kane is now the star of her own TV series, but to fans of the comics, she was a star from the moment she debuted in the DC Universe. Her early appearances in the DC event 52 and the amazing story Batwoman: Elegy both involved religion as part of her story in one way or another.
In fact, Kate celebrates Hanukkah with her father and her girlfriend Renee Montoya in different stories, showing how meaningful her spirituality is to her personal relationships with loved ones.
8 The Thing
The Fantastic Four are called Marvel's First Family. It was the creation of this team that led to the rise of the Marvel superhero tradition. Before Spider-Man or the Avengers, there were the Fantastic Four. And the strongest member of the team by far is the ever-loving blue-eyed Thing, also known as Ben Grimm.
Grimm has a lovable rough-around-the-edges forthrightness that is tender, stoic, and protective. He won't take guff from anyone and he is always ready to fight those who need to be stopped, but he really is a big softie, even if he is made of stone. While he does not talk about his faith much, he is a practicing Jew as has been confirmed on occasion.
7 Harley Quinn
These days, it seems like everyone's favorite antihero is Harley Quinn. The one-time lover of the Joker has since reformed and joined the side of the do-gooders. She is in a relationship with Poison Ivy (who has not yet given up supervillainy).
Interestingly, Harley is dual-faith, and while she is not particularly devout, she seems to practice elements of both Judaism and Christianity, the result of being raised in an interfaith household. She also frequently speaks in Yiddish and makes references to Jewish cultural traditions.
6 Moon Knight
Marc Spector is the Moon Knight, a guardian who protects the wayward travelers of the night, and who exacts brutal vengeance against evil men. He is given his powers by the god Khonshu and is not someone to be taken lightly.
There is some debate among comics fans about whether he should be included on lists of Jewish superheroes, as he is not practicing. His parents were Jewish and his father was a Rabbi, but he is granted powers by an Egyptian deity. While questions about Jewish identity predate the destruction of the Second Temple, the general consensus is that one is Jewish if they have matrilineal Jewish ancestry, which Marc does.
5 Hal Jordan
Hal Jordan is the first human ever to become a part of the Green Lantern Corps. He uses the power ring given to him by the Guardians of the Universe to create hardlight constructs and keep his sector of space safe from threats.
Hal was raised in a dual-faith household with a Jewish mother and Catholic father. In fact, as a child, he contemplated the role of his faith as it related to each parent when grieving his father. While he is not particularly religious, it is not hard to imagine him shining Green Lantern's light to celebrate the Festival of Lights.
4 Magneto
While he is best known in the mainstream culture as a supervillain due to his appearances in the original live-action X-Men films and X-Men: the Animated Series, Magneto has acted as a hero for most of the past few decades.
These days, he helps Professor Xavier run the mutant island nation of Krakoa. He has always stood against oppression, and is willing to do whatever is necessary to keep his people safe. Magneto's Jewish heritage and the trauma that comes with surviving the Holocaust were explored in the profoundly personal story "The Trial of Magneto" by Chris Claremont, John Romita Sr., and Barry Windsor-Smith. His iron will, magnetic powers, and equally magnetic personality have always served him well, and having seen bigotry at its worst, he will always oppose it.
3 Scarlet Witch & Quicksilver
Magneto's children, Wanda and Pietro Maximoff, have a long history that has been retconned numerous times. Better known by their superhero names, Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver, these two have served on multiple Avengers teams. Scarlet Witch is one of the most powerful mutants in the world, easily capable of altering reality with a thought, while her twin brother is insanely quick on his feet.
Unfortunately, some of the early stories featuring these twins involved several unfortunate stereotypes about both Romani and Eastern European Jews, and their religious identity has not been explored as much in recent decades, but they remain some of the most visible Jewish characters Marvel has.
2 Doctor Manhattan
In the '80s, comics began to explore complex philosophical themes and tell increasingly darker stories. No comic better illustrates this than the 1987 classic The Watchmen by legendary writer Alan Moore and artist Dave Gibbons.
Doctor Manhattan— also known as John Osterman— was born into a Jewish German-American family. The recent TV show on HBO expanded on his background by showing how he and his father left their home to flee antisemitism. A freak accident turned him into the superhuman Doctor Manhattan, an individual who can perceive events on a subatomic level but who no longer connects with his humanity.
1 Gertrude Yorkes
Gertrude Yorkes, sometimes referred to as Arsenic, is a member of the Runaways and the daughter of two time-traveling supervillains. Like her fellow Runaways, she fled from her parents and decided to fight crime instead of becoming a criminal.
She also has a pet dinosaur, which is objectively cooler than having a pony or kitten (even if it is not as comfortable to snuggle with). Gertrude regularly delivers some of the sharpest banter of anyone on her team, and is a smart, socially conscious character who adds emotional and intellectual depth to any story she is in.