My Take
Miriam Adelson is one of those figures who quietly became one of the most consequential people in American public life — and yet most people couldn't pick her out of a lineup. Born in Tel Aviv, trained as a physician at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, she built a career that moved from medicine to media to mega-philanthropy, all while becoming one of the largest political donors in modern U.S. history alongside her late husband Sheldon Adelson. When Trump awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2018, it crystallized just how central she'd become to conservative power networks. After Sheldon's death in 2021, she didn't step back — she stepped up, taking the helm of Las Vegas Sands and even acquiring the Dallas Mavericks. I find her genuinely fascinating: a physician-turned-publisher-turned-billionaire power broker who has operated largely behind the scenes while shaping elections and institutions. You don't end up with $34 billion and a freedom medal by accident.
Overview
Miriam Adelson (née Farbstein; born October 10, 1945) is an Israeli-American physician, businesswoman, philanthropist, and conservative political donor. She was married to Sheldon Adelson until his death in 2021. As of October 2025, estimates placed her wealth at $34.6 billion, making her the 48th richest person in the world. Notable holdings include the Las Vegas Sands and the Dallas Mavericks.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Miriam Adelson
- Name (Japanese)
- ミリアム・アデルソン
- Reading
- みりあむ・あでるそん
- Born
- October 10, 1945 (age 80)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Libra / Rooster
- Origin
- Tel Aviv, Israel
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- publisher / physician
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Awards & achievements
- 2010 Distinguished Nevadan
- 2008 Woodrow Wilson Awards
- 2013 Ometz Award
- 2018 Presidential Medal of Freedom
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.