Last Updated: August 12, 2026
Josh Kushner, the low-key yet highly successful founder of Thrive Capital and co-founder of Oscar Health, often draws curiosity about his background. As the younger brother of Jared Kushner and husband to supermodel-turned-entrepreneur Karlie Kloss, he maintains a quieter public profile than some family members. Still, questions about Josh Kushner ethnicity surface regularly. The clear answer is that he is Ashkenazi Jewish, raised in an Orthodox Jewish household with deep roots tied to Holocaust survivors.
Born on June 12, 1985, in Livingston, New Jersey, Josh grew up in a family that built its American success story from immigrant resilience. His ethnicity is not a side note—it forms a core part of his identity, family history, and values.
Table of Contents
Early Life in a Jewish Household
Josh is the youngest of four children born to Charles Kushner and Seryl (née Stadtmauer) Kushner. The family lived in Livingston, an affluent New Jersey town, and emphasized Jewish education and tradition. He attended Jewish schools and later spent a gap year at Yeshivat Reishit, a Modern Orthodox yeshiva in Israel, before heading to Harvard.
This upbringing was Orthodox in practice. The Kushner home observed Jewish rules and traditions, and the children were immersed in the community. Josh later earned a bachelor’s degree from Harvard College in 2008 and an MBA from Harvard Business School in 2011. While his older brother Jared focused more on the family real estate business, Josh carved his own path in tech and venture capital—yet the cultural foundation remained the same.
Ashkenazi Jewish Ancestry and Holocaust Legacy
Josh Kushner’s ethnicity is specifically Ashkenazi Jewish. Both sides of his family trace back to Eastern European Jewish communities.
His paternal grandparents, Joseph (born Joseph Berkowitz) and Rae (Reichel) Kushner, were Holocaust survivors from the area of Novogrudok (Nowogródek), then in Poland and now in Belarus. Joseph survived the camps and later took his wife’s surname. Rae also endured the war. They immigrated to the United States in 1949 and built a real estate portfolio that became the foundation of the family’s wealth. Joseph developed thousands of apartments in New Jersey.
On his mother’s side, the Stadtmauer family also came from Polish Jewish roots, with grandparents born in the United States to parents from regions that are now part of Ukraine and Poland.
This history of survival and rebuilding is frequently noted in profiles of the family. The Joseph Kushner Hebrew Academy in Livingston is named in honor of Josh’s grandfather, reflecting the lasting impact of that generation.
Here is a quick overview of key details related to Josh Kushner’s background:
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Joshua Kushner |
| Date of Birth | June 12, 1985 |
| Place of Birth | Livingston, New Jersey, USA |
| Ethnicity | Ashkenazi Jewish |
| Religion | Jewish (raised Orthodox) |
| Parents | Charles Kushner and Seryl Stadtmauer Kushner |
| Notable Ancestry | Grandparents were Holocaust survivors from Belarus/Poland region |
| Spouse | Karlie Kloss (converted to Judaism before marriage) |
| Children | Three (two sons and one daughter as of 2025) |
| Education | Harvard College (BA), Harvard Business School (MBA) |
Faith, Marriage, and Family Continuity
Josh’s Jewish identity has remained consistent into adulthood. He and Karlie Kloss married in a Jewish ceremony in October 2018 after she converted to Judaism. Reports from earlier years noted some family hesitation because Kloss was not Jewish at the start of their relationship, but the conversion resolved that. The couple has three children and has continued aspects of Jewish life, including time spent connected to Israel.
The broader Kushner family has long supported Jewish causes, schools, and institutions in the United States and Israel. This includes donations to medical centers, educational organizations, and other community efforts. Josh himself has been linked to groups discussing support for Israel in the years following the October 7, 2023 attacks.
Career Success Alongside Cultural Identity
While ethnicity does not define a person’s professional life, Josh’s story shows how cultural background can coexist with modern ambition. He founded Thrive Capital in 2010 and co-founded Oscar Health. As of late 2025, Forbes estimated his net worth at around $5.2 billion, largely from his stake in Thrive. He has also held minority ownership stakes in NBA teams, including the Miami Heat.
In 2026 he has remained in the news for high-profile business moves, yet he continues to keep a relatively private personal life focused on family. Observers often note that he took a different political and professional route from his brother while still sharing the same family heritage.
Key points that summarize Josh Kushner ethnicity:
- Fully Ashkenazi Jewish on both paternal and maternal sides
- Grandson of Holocaust survivors who immigrated after World War II
- Raised in an Orthodox Jewish home with formal Jewish education
- Married to a convert to Judaism and raising children within the tradition
- Family history closely tied to real estate success built by immigrant grandparents
Conclusion
Josh Kushner ethnicity is straightforward: he is an American of Ashkenazi Jewish descent whose family history includes both profound loss during the Holocaust and remarkable achievement in the United States. From the Orthodox household in Livingston to his current role as a leading venture capitalist, that heritage has remained a steady thread. Understanding his background offers a clearer picture of the values, resilience, and community ties that shaped one of tech’s quieter billionaires. As of August 2026, the facts remain consistent across reliable biographical sources.