Profile Text
Josh Safdie (left) and Benny Safdie – 70th Annual Cannes Film Festival – “Good Time” Photocall – Palais des Festivals – Cannes, France, 2017 – False – Photo Credit: Laurent Koffel / PRPhotos.com
Birth Name: *Joshua E. Safdie *Benjamin A. Safdie
Place of Birth: New York City, New York, U.S.
Date of Birth: *April 3, 1984 (Josh) *February 24, 1986 (Benny)
Ethnicity: Syrian Sephardi Jewish, Ashkenazi Jewish
Josh Safdie and Benny/Ben Safdie, the Safdie brothers, are American independent filmmakers, writer, directors, and actors. The two co-directed the films Daddy Longlegs (2009), Heaven Knows What , Good Time , and Uncut Gems , and co-directed the documentary Lenny Cooke . The two co-wrote Daddy Longlegs and Uncut Gems , and Josh co-wrote Heaven Knows What and Good Time . Josh solo-directed the films The Pleasure of Being Robbed and Marty Supreme , both of which he co-wrote; and the comedy special Adam Sandler: Love You . Benny solo-directed and wrote the film The Smashing Machine . The two have often worked with Ronald Bronstein.
Josh and Benny are the children of Amy and Alberto Safdie. Their father, who was raised in France and Italy, is of Syrian Jewish descent. Their mother is Ashkenazi, with Russian Jewish and Austrian Jewish ancestry. They are related to Israeli-Canadian-American architect, urban planner, educator, theorist, and author Moshe Safdie, and to Moshe’s son, Canadian-American-Israeli playwright and screenwriter Oren Safdie. The two were raised between Queens and Manhattan, NYC.
Josh is married to Sara Rossein, with whom he has two children. Benny is married to Ava Rawski, with whom he has two children.
Josh and Benny likely descend from Moses Safdieh/Safdie and Simbol Hamaoui/Hamwee. Moses and Simbol were born in Aleppo, Syria. Simbol was the daughter of Abraham Joseph Hamaoui/Hamwee and Reina Renee Dwek.
Josh and Benny’s maternal grandfather was named Richard Neimeth (the son of Edward Neimeth and Catherine). Richard was born in New York. Edward was born in New York, to Russian Jewish parents, Louis Neimeth and Fannie/Fanny/Sophia Kaiser.
Josh and Benny’s maternal grandmother is Margaret “Peggy” Sprung (the daughter of Murray Sprung and Mary Norkin). Margaret was born in New York. Murray was a war crimes prosecutor, and was the son of Austrian Jewish parents, Hyman Spring and Rose Baisen.
Sources: https://aish.com
Josh and Benny’s maternal grandfather, Richard Neimeth, on the 1940 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Obituary of Josh and Benny’s maternal grandfather, Richard Neimeth – http://www.legacy.com
Josh and Benny’s maternal great-grandfather, Edward Neimeth, on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Death record of Josh and Benny’s maternal great-great-grandfather, Louis Neimeth – https://www.familysearch.org
Obituary of Josh and Benny’s maternal great-grandfather, Murray Sprung – http://www.nytimes.com