Jews have played a major part in inventing, creating, and running companies. Here are three early industry game-changers.

Levi Strauss: Jeans from Jewish Genes

Bavarian immigrant to the U.S. Levi Loeb Strauss (1829-1902), in partnership with Latvian-born inventor, Jacob W. Davis (1831–1908), and Levi's brother in-law, David Stern (1820-1875), also from Bavaria founded Levi Strauss & Co following the "creation" of the ubiquitous jeans by Strauss and Davis.

Levi Strauss arrived on American soil in 1847, became a peddler and was lured West by the Gold Rush, sailing to San Francisco in 18...