The month of May is American Jewish History Month, so for this entire month I will continue share the stories of important Jewish figures in American finance. Today, I will share the story of Jason Zweig who is an financial journalist, author, and the long-time personal finance columnist for the Wall Street Journal.
Zweig was born in 1959 and earned his B.A. from Columbia University and later studied Middle Eastern history and culture at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. His career in journalism began when he worked for The Africa Report, followed by roles at Time magazine, Forbes, and Money magazine, where he became a senior writer.
Since 2008, he has been a personal finance columnist for The Wall Street Journal, where he writes the widely followed "The Intelligent Investor" column. He is known for insightful, practical, and sometimes skeptical approach to investing. With the Wall Street Journal’s approximately 4.3 million paid subscribers, Zweig is certainly one of the most widely read financial writers in the country and his ideas have undoubtedly had an impact on many given his broad reach.
One of my favorite quotes from Zweig is: "Good advice rarely changes, while markets change constantly. The temptation to pander is almost irresistible. And while people need good advice, what they want is advice that sounds good."
Zweig is best known for his work in behavioral finance, exploring how psychology influences investment decisions. His book, Your Money and Your Brain, delves into the neuroscience behind financial decision-making. He also authored The Devil’s Financial Dictionary, a satirical take on Wall Street jargon. Additionally, he edited the revised edition of Benjamin Graham’s classic book, The Intelligent Investor, which Warren Buffett has praised as the best book on investing ever written.
Throughout his career, Zweig has been recognized for his contributions to financial journalism. He won the Gerald Loeb Award for Personal Finance in 2013 and received the Elliot V. Bell Award in 2020 for his long-term impact on financial writing. He has also served as a trustee of the Museum of American Finance.