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Jew

Jews are followers of Judaism Judaism

Judaism is the religion [i] of the Jew [i]ish people. ... 

 or, more generally, members of the Jewish people , an ethno-religious Religion

Religion is a system of social coherence based on a common group of belief [i]s or attitudes concerning ... 

 group descended from the ancient Israelite Israelite

An Israelite is a member of the Twelve Tribes of Israel, descended from the twelve sons of the Bib... 

s and from converts who joined their religion. The term also includes those who have undergone an officially recognized formal process of religious conversion to Judaism. The current Jewish population is over 14.5 million, the majority of whom live in the United States United States

The United States of America, also known as the United States, the U.S., the U.S.A., a... 

 and Israel Israel

Israel , officially the State of Israel, is a country in Western Asia [i] on the so ... 

.

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Timeline

537 BC   Jews transported to Babylon Babylon

Babylon was an ancient city in Mesopotamia, the ruins of which can be found in present-day Babil Province [i] ... 

 are allowed to return to Jerusalem Jerusalem

Jerusalem is Israel [i]'s capital [i] and largest city, with a population of 724,000 contained in 123 ... 

, bringing to a close the Babylonian captivity; They had been exiled 70 years before hand, according to the prophecy of the Biblical Prophet Jeremiah Jeremiah

Jeremiah, was one of the "greater prophets" of the Old Testament [i], and the son of Hilkiah [i], a prie ... 

 (Jeremiah 25: 8-12)

38   Apion heads a deputation to Caligula Caligula

Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus , most commonly known as Caligula, was the third Roman Emperor [i] ... 

 to complain about the Jews in Alexandria Alexandria

Alexandria , , is the second-largest city in Egypt [i], and its largest seaport. ... 

.

72   First Jewish-Roman War First Jewish-Roman War

The first Jewish-Roman War [i], sometimes called The Great Revolt, was the first ... 

 - The Roman Roman Empire

The Roman Empire was a phase of the ancient Roman [i] civilization characterized by an autocratic [i] ... 

s lay siege to Masada Masada

Masada is the name for a site of ancient palace [i]s and fortification [i]s in Israel [i] on top of an ... 

, a desert fortress held by Jewish victims of the Sicarii.

115   Jews in Egypt Egypt

[i] country in [[North Africa]... 

 and Cyrene ignite a revolt against the rule of the Roman Empire, which spreads to Cyprus Cyprus

Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasia [i]n island nation [i] in the eastern pa ... 

, Judea Judea

Judea or Judaea is a term used for the mountainous southern part of the historic Land of Israel [i] ... 

, and the Roman province of Mesopotamia.

200   Jewish Eretz Yisrael Land of Israel

The Land of Israel is a historical term and concept in Jewish [i] and Christian [i] ... 

i scholar Judah ha-Nasi Judah haNasi

Rabbi Judah haNasi, was a key leader of the Jewish [i] community of Judea [i] toward the end of the 2nd century [i] ... 

 compiles tracts of the Mishnah, beginning the creation of Talmud Talmud

The Talmud is a record of rabbi [i]nic discussions pertaining to Jewish law [i], ethics [i] ... 

ic law.

386   John Chrysostom John Chrysostom

John Chrysostom was a notable Christian [i] bishop [i] and preacher [i] from the 4th [i] ... 

 becomes a presbyter; he also writes eight homilies ''"adversus iudaeos"'', "against the Jews".

415   The Jews are expelled from Alexandria Alexandria

Alexandria , , is the second-largest city in Egypt [i], and its largest seaport. ... 

. =

429   Theodosius II orders all funds raised by Jews to support schools be turned over to his treasury.

451   Sassanid Sassanid Empire

The Sassanid Empire or Sassanian Empire is the name used for the fourth Iranian dynasty, and the s... 

 ruler Yazdegerd II Yazdegerd II

Yazdegerd II,, King of Persia [i], was the son of Bahram V of Persia [i] and reigned fr ... 

's decree abolishes the Sabbath and orders executions of Jewish leaders, including the Exilarch Mar Nuna.

570   The Jews of Clermont-Ferrand Clermont-Ferrand

Clermont-Ferrand is a city and commune [i] of France [i], in the Auvergne [i] ... 

 are forced to convert to Christianity Christianity

Christianity is a monotheistic [i] religion [i] centered on Jesus of Nazareth [i] ... 

.

   More Events >>



Encyclopedia

This article describes some ethnic, historic Jewish history

Jewish history is the history [i] of the Jew [i]ish people, faith and culture. ... 

, and cultural Secular Jewish culture

Secular Jewish culture embraces several related phenomena; above all, it is the culture [i] of secular [i] ... 

 aspects of the Jewish identity Jewish identity

Jewish identity is complex.

... 

; for a consideration of the Jewish religion, refer to the article Judaism Judaism

Judaism is the religion [i] of the Jew [i]ish people. ... 

.

Jews are followers of Judaism Judaism

Judaism is the religion [i] of the Jew [i]ish people. ... 

 or, more generally, members of the Jewish people , an ethno-religious Religion

Religion is a system of social coherence based on a common group of belief [i]s or attitudes concerning ... 

 group descended from the ancient Israelite Israelite

An Israelite is a member of the Twelve Tribes of Israel, descended from the twelve sons of the Bib... 

s and from converts who joined their religion. The term also includes those who have undergone an officially recognized formal process of religious conversion to Judaism. The current Jewish population is over 14.5 million, the majority of whom live in the United States United States

The United States of America, also known as the United States, the U.S., the U.S.A., a... 

 and Israel Israel

Israel , officially the State of Israel, is a country in Western Asia [i] on the so ... 

.

Jews and Judaism

The origin of the Jews is traditionally dated to around 1800 BCE  with the biblical account of the birth of Judaism.

The Merneptah Stele Merneptah Stele

The Merneptah Stele is the reverse of a stele [i] originally erected by the Ancient Egypt [i]ian king [i] ... 

, dated at 1200 BCE, is one of the earliest archaeological records of the Jewish people in the Land of Israel Land of Israel

The Land of Israel is a historical term and concept in Jewish [i] and Christian [i] ... 

, where they further developed a monotheistic religion, Judaism Judaism

Judaism is the religion [i] of the Jew [i]ish people. ... 

, and enjoyed periods of self-determination. As a result of foreign conquests and expulsions starting in the 8th century BCE, a Jewish diaspora Jewish diaspora

The Jewish diaspora is the dispersion of the Jew [i]ish people throughout Babylonia [i] and the Roman Empire [i] ... 

 was formed. Defeats in the Jewish-Roman Wars in the years 70 CE and 135 notably contributed to the numbers and geography Geography

Geography is the study of the Earth's features and of the distribution of life on the earth, including ... 

 of the diaspora, as significant numbers of the Jewish population of the Land of Israel were expelled and sold to slavery Slavery

Slavery is the social and legal designation of specific person [i]s as property [i] or chattel, for the ... 

 throughout the empire. Since then, Jews lived throughout Europe Europe

Europe is one of the seven traditional continent [i]s of the Earth [i]. ... 

, the greater Middle East Middle East

The Middle East is a subcontinent [i] for the historical [i] and cultural [i] ... 

 and even in the Indian subcontinent, surviving discrimination, oppression, poverty, and even genocide , with occasional periods of cultural, economic, and individual prosperity in various locations .

Until the late 18th century, the terms Jews and adherents of Judaism were practically synonymous, and Judaism was the prime binding factor among the Jews, although it was not strictly required to be followed in order to belong to the Jewish people. Following the Age of Enlightenment Age of Enlightenment

The Age of Enlightenment refers to either the eighteenth century [i] in European philosophy [i] ... 

 and its Jewish counterpart Haskalah, a gradual transformation occurred where many Jews came to view being a member of the Jewish nation as separate from adhering to the Jewish faith.

The Hebrew name Yehudi came into being when the Kingdom of Israel was split between the northern Kingdom of Israel and the southern Kingdom of Judah Kingdom of Judah

Kingdom of Judah was one of the successor states to the "United Monarchy [i]" often known as the Kingdom of Israel [i] ... 

. The term originally referred to the people of the southern kingdom, although the term B'nei Yisrael was still used for both groups. After the Assyrians conquered the northern kingdom leaving the southern kingdom as the only Israelite state, the word Yehudim gradually came to refer to people of the Jewish faith as a whole, rather than those specifically from Judah. The English word Jew is ultimately derived from Yehudi . Its first use in the Bible Tanakh

Tanakh [????] , is an acronym [i] that identifies the Hebrew Bible [i]. ... 

 to refer to the Jewish people as a whole is in the Book of Esther Book of Esther

The Book of Esther is a book of the Tanakh [i] and of the Old Testament [i].
... 

.

Etymology


There are many different views as to the origin of the English language English language

English is a widely distributed language that originated in England [i] but is now the primary language ... 

 word Jew. The most common view is that the Middle English word Jew is from the Old French Old French

Old French is a term sometimes used to refer to the langue d'ol [i], the continuum of varieties of Romance language [i] ... 

 giu, earlier juieu, from the Latin Latin

Latin is an ancient Indo-European language [i] originally spoken in Latium [i], ... 

 iudeus from the Greek Ioudaios . The Latin simply means Judaean, from the land of Judaea Judea

Judea or Judaea is a term used for the mountainous southern part of the historic Land of Israel [i] ... 

. The Hebrew for Jew, ????? , is pronounced ye-hoo-DEE. The Hebrew letter Yodh , ?, used as a 'y' in the Hebrew language , becomes a 'j' in languages using the Latin-based alphabet when the Yodh is used as a consonant rather than as a vowel. Therefore, a rough transliteration of ????? in English would be Jew.

The etymological equivalent is in use in other languages, e.g., "Jude" in German German language

German is a West Germanic language [i]. ... 

, "juif" in French French language

French is the third-largest of the Romance languages [i] in terms of number of native speakers, after Spanish [i] ... 

, "jøde," in Danish Danish language

Danish is one of the North Germanic languages [i] , a sub-group of the Germanic [i] ... 

, etc., but derivations of the word "Hebrew" are also in use to describe a Jewish person, e.g., in Italian Italian language

Italian is a Romance language [i] spoken by about 70 million people, primarily in Italy [i] ... 

  and , .

Who is a Jew?



Judaism Judaism

Judaism is the religion [i] of the Jew [i]ish people. ... 

 shares some of the characteristics of a nation, an ethnicity, a religion Religion

Religion is a system of social coherence based on a common group of belief [i]s or attitudes concerning ... 

, and a culture Culture

The word culture, from the Latin [i] colo, -ere, with its root meaning "to cultivate", generall ... 

, making the definition of who is a Jew vary slightly depending on whether a religious or national approach to identity is used. For discussions of the religious views on who is a Jew and how these views differ from each other, please see Who is a Jew?. Generally, in modern secular usage, Jews include three groups: people who practice Judaism and have a Jewish ethnic background , people without Jewish parents who have converted to Judaism; and those Jews who, while not practicing Judaism as a religion, still identify themselves as Jewish by virtue of their family's Jewish descent and their own cultural and historical identification with the Jewish people.

Historical definitions of Jewish identity have traditionally been based on Halakhic definitions of matrilineal descent, and halachic conversions. Historical definitions of who is a Jew date back to the codification of the oral tradition into the Babylonian Talmud Talmud

The Talmud is a record of rabbi [i]nic discussions pertaining to Jewish law [i], ethics [i] ... 

. Biblical interpretations of sections in the Tanach Tanakh

Tanakh [????] , is an acronym [i] that identifies the Hebrew Bible [i]. ... 

, such as Deuteronomy 7:1-5, by learned Jewish sages, is used as a warning against intermarriage between Jews and non Jews because "[the non-Jewish male spouse] will cause your child to turn away from Me and they will worship the gods of others." Leviticus 24:10 speaks of the son in a marriage between a Hebrew woman and an Egyptian man to be "of the community of Israel.", which contrasts with Ezra 10:2-3, where Israelites returning from Egypt, vowed to put aside their gentile wives and their children. Since the Haskalah, these halakhic interpretations of Jewish identity have been challenged.

Jewish culture



Judaism Judaism

Judaism is the religion [i] of the Jew [i]ish people. ... 

 guides its adherents in both practice and belief, and has been called not only a religion, but also a "way of life," which has made drawing a clear distinction between Judaism, Jewish culture, and Jewish nationality rather difficult. In many times and places, such as in the ancient Hellenic Ancient Greece

Ancient Greece is the period in Greek history [i] which lasted for around one thousand years and ended w ... 

 world, in Europe Europe

Europe is one of the seven traditional continent [i]s of the Earth [i]. ... 

 before and after the Enlightenment Age of Enlightenment

The Age of Enlightenment refers to either the eighteenth century [i] in European philosophy [i] ... 

 , and in contemporary United States and Israel, cultural phenomena have developed that are in some sense characteristically Jewish without being at all specifically religious. Some factors in this come from within Judaism, others from the interaction of Jews with others around them, others from the inner social and cultural dynamics of the community, as opposed to religion itself.

Ethnic divisions


The most commonly used terms to describe ethnic divisions among Jews currently are: Ashkenazi Ashkenazi Jews

Ashkenazi Jews, also known as Ashkenazic Jews or Ashkenazim, are thought to be descended fro... 

; and Sephardi . They refer to both religious and ethnic divisions.

Other Jewish ethnic groups include Mizrahi Jew Mizrahi Jews

Mizrahi Jews, or Mizrahim sometimes also called Edot HaMizrah are Jew [i]s descended from th ... 

s ; Teimanim Yemenite Jews

Yemenite Jews are those Jew [i]s who live, or whose recent ancestors lived, in Yemen [i], on the souther ... 

 ; and such smaller groups as the Gruzim Georgian Jews

The Georgian Jews are from the nation of Georgia [i], in the Caucasus [i]. ... 

 and Juhurim Mountain Jews

Mountain Jews, or Juhuro, are Jew [i]s of the eastern Caucasus [i], mainly of Dagestan [i]. ... 

 from the Caucasus Caucasus

The Caucasus or Caucasia is a region in Eurasia [i] bordered on the south by Turkey [i] and Iran [i] ... 

, the Bene Israel, Bnei Menashe Bnei Menashe

The Bnei Menashe are a group of more than 8,000 Judaic converts from India [i]'s remote North-Eastern border states [i] ... 

, Cochin Cochin Jews

Cochin Jews, also called Malabar Jews are the ancient Jew [i]s and their descendants of the South India [i]... 

 and Telugu Jews of India Indian Jews

Indian Jew [i]s are a religious minority, living among India [i]'s predominantly Hindu [i] populace. ... 

, the Romaniotes of Greece Greece

Greece
Greece lies at the juncture of Europe [i], Asia [i], and Africa [i]. ... 

, the Italkim  of Italy Italy

Italy, officially the Italian Republic , is a Southern European [i] country. ... 

, various African Jews , the Bukharan Jews Bukharan Jews

Bukharan Jews is a blanket term for Jew [i]s from Central Asia [i] who speak Bukhori [i], a dialect of ... 

 of Central Asia, Kaifeng Jews Kaifeng Jews

The Kaifeng Jews comprise the best documented Jewish community in China [i]... 

 from China China

China is a cultural region [i] and ancient civilization [i] in East Asia [i]. ... 

, and the Persian Jews Persian Jews

Persian [i] Jews and sometimes referred to as the Jews of Iran are Jews [i] w ... 

 of Iran.

Population


Prior to World War II World War II

World War II, or the Second World War, was a worldwide [i] conflict [i] fought betwe ... 

 the world population of Jews was approximately 18 million. The Holocaust The Holocaust

The Holocaust, also known as Ha-Shoah and the Porajmos [i] or Samudaripen in Romani [i] ... 

 reduced this number to approximately 12 million. Today, there are an estimated 13 million to 14.6 million Jews worldwide in over 134 countries.

Significant geographic populations

Please note that these populations represent low-end estimates of the worldwide Jewish population, accounting for around 0.2% of the world's population World population

The world population is the total number of human [i]s alive on the planet Earth [i] at a given time. ... 

.

>!Country or Region
!Jewish population
!Notes
|-
|United States United States

The United States of America, also known as the United States, the U.S., the U.S.A., a... 


|style="text-align: right"|5,671,000
|
|-
|Europe Europe

Europe is one of the seven traditional continent [i]s of the Earth [i]. ... 


|style="text-align: right"|2,000,000
|
|-
|style="text-indent: 2em"|France France

France, officially the French Republic, is a country [i] whose metropolitan territory [i] ... 


|style="text-align: right"|600,000
|
|-
|style="text-indent: 2em"|United Kingdom United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a country and sovereign state [i] tha ... 


|style="text-align: right"|267,000
|
|-
|style="text-indent: 2em"|Germany Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country [i] in central Europe [i]. ... 


|style="text-align: right"|220,000
|, over 100,000 who are members of a synagogue
|-
|style="text-indent: 2em"|Turkey Turkey

Turkey, officially the Republic of Turkey, is a Eurasia [i]n country that stretches across the Anatolia [i] ... 


|style="text-align: right"|30,000
|
|-
|style="text-indent: 2em"|Italy Italy

Italy, officially the Italian Republic , is a Southern European [i] country. ... 


|style="text-align: right"|30,000
|
|-
|Canada Canada

Canada is the world's second-largest [i] country by total area, occupying most ... 


|style="text-align: right"|371,000
|

The conquest of much of the Byzantine Empire and Babylonia by Islamic armies generally improved the life of the Jews, though they were still considered second-class citizens. In response to these Islamic conquests, the First Crusade First Crusade

The First Crusade was launched in 1095 [i] by Pope Urban II [i] to regain control of the sacred city [i] ... 

 of 1096 attempted to reconquer Jerusalem, resulting in the destruction of many of the remaining Jewish communities in the area. The Jews were among the most vigorous defenders of Jerusalem against the Crusaders. When the city fell, the Crusaders gathered the Jews in a synagogue and burned them. The Jews almost single-handedly defended Haifa Haifa

Haifa is the main city of northern Israel [i] and the third-largest city in the country, with a populat ... 

 against the Crusaders, holding out in the besieged town for a whole month . At this time, a full thousand years after the fall of the Jewish state, there were Jewish communities all over the country. Fifty of them are known to us; they include Jerusalem, Tiberias Tiberias

Tiberias is a town on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee [i], Lower Galilee [i], Israel [i]. ... 

, Ramleh, Ashkelon Ashkelon

Ashkelon is a city in the western Negev [i], in the South District [i] of Israel [i], w ... 

, Caesarea Caesarea Palaestina

Caesarea Palaestina, also called Caesarea Maritima, a town built by Herod the Great [i] about 25 1 ... 

, and Gaza Gaza

Gaza is the largest city within the Gaza Strip [i], part of the Palestinian territories [i].... 

.


Middle Ages: Europe

Jews settled in Europe Europe

Europe is one of the seven traditional continent [i]s of the Earth [i]. ... 

 during the time of the Roman Empire, but the rise of the Catholic Church resulted in frequent expulsions and persecutions. The Crusades routinely attacked Jewish communities, and increasingly harsh laws restricted them from most economic activity and land ownership, leaving open only moneylending and a few other trades. Jews were subject to expulsions from England, France, and the Holy Roman Empire throughout the Middle Ages, with most of the population moving to Eastern Europe and especially Poland, which was uniquely tolerant of the Jews through the 1700s History of the Jews in Poland

The history of the Jews in Poland reaches back over a millennium [i]. ... 

. The final mass expulsion of the Jews, and the largest, occurred after the Christian conquest of Spain in 1492 . Even after the end of the expulsions in the 17th century, individual conditions varied from country to country and time to time, but, as rule, Jews in Western Europe generally were forced, by decree or by informal pressure, to live in highly segregated ghettos Ghetto

A ghetto is an area where people from a specific racial or ethnic background or united in a given culture [i] ... 

 and shtetls Shtetl

A shtetl or shtetele was typically a small town [i] with a large Jew [i]ish population in pre-Holocaust [i] ... 

.

Middle Ages: Islamic Europe, North Africa and Asia


During the Middle Ages, Jews in Islamic lands generally had more rights than under Christian rule, with a Golden Age of coexistence in Islamic Spain Golden age of Jewish culture in the Iberian Peninsula

The Golden age of Jewish culture in the Iberian Peninsula, also known as the Golden Age of Arab or Mo... 

 from about 900 to 1200, when Spain became the center of the richest, most populous, and most influential Jewish community of the time. The rise of more radical Muslim regimes, such as that of the Almohades Almohad

The Almohad Dynasty were a Berber [i] Muslim religious [i] power which founded the fifth Moorish [i] ... 

 ended this period by the thirteenth century, and Jews were soon expelled from Spain Alhambra decree

The Alhambra Decree was issued in 1492 by the Catholic Monarchs [i] of Spain [i], following the final tr ... 

 after the Christian reconquest. Many of these Jews found refuge in the Ottoman Empire, which remained tolerant of its Jewish population for much of its history. In the Islamic lands Jews at times were driven by necessity to engage in despised occupations, becoming dancing boys Bacchá

... 

 or tavernkeepers.

Enlightenment and emancipation




During the Age of Enlightenment Age of Enlightenment

The Age of Enlightenment refers to either the eighteenth century [i] in European philosophy [i] ... 

, significant changes occurred within the Jewish community. The Haskalah movement paralleled the wider Enlightenment, as Jews began in the 1700s to campaign for emancipation from restrictive laws and integration into the wider European society. Secular and scientific education was added to the traditional religious instruction received by students, and interest in a national Jewish identity, including a revival in the study of Jewish history and Hebrew, started to grow.

The Haskalah movement influenced the birth of all the modern Jewish denominations, and planted the seeds of Zionism Zionism

Zionism is a political movement [i] that supports a homeland [i] for the Jew [i] ... 

. At the same time, it contributed to encouraging cultural assimilation into the countries in which Jews resided. At around the same time another movement was born, one preaching almost the opposite of Haskalah, Hasidic Judaism Hasidic Judaism

Hasidic Judaism is a Haredi [i] Jewish [i] religious movement. ... 

. Hasidic Judaism began in the 1700s by Israel ben Eliezer, the Baal Shem Tov Yisroel ben Eliezer (The Baal Shem Tov)

*Judaism [i]
  • Kabbalah [i]
  • List of Hasidic dynasties [i]

... 

, and quickly gained a following with its exuberant, mystical approach to religion. These two movements, and the traditional orthodox approach to Judaism from which they spring, formed the basis for the modern divisions within Jewish observance.

At the same time, the outside world was changing. France was the first country to emancipate Jewish Emancipation

ckground

Jews were subject to a wide range of restrictions throughout most of European history.... 

 its Jewish population in 1796, granting them equal rights under the law. Napoleon Napoleon I of France

Napoleon I Bonaparte, Emperor of the French, King of Italy, Mediator of the Swiss Confederation and Prot... 

 further spread emancipation, inviting Jews to leave the Jewish ghettos in Europe Ghetto

A ghetto is an area where people from a specific racial or ethnic background or united in a given culture [i] ... 

 and seek refuge in the newly created tolerant political regimes . Other countries such as Denmark Denmark

The Kingdom of Denmark is the smallest and southernmost of the Nordic countries [i].... 

, England England

England is the largest and most populous constituent country [i] of the United Kingdom [i]. ... 

, and Sweden Sweden

The Kingdom of Sweden is a Nordic country [i] in Scandinavia [i]. ... 

 also adopted liberal policies toward Jews during the period of Enlightenment, with some resulting immigration. By the mid-19th century, almost all Western European countries had emancipated Jewish Emancipation

ckground

Jews were subject to a wide range of restrictions throughout most of European history.... 

 their Jewish populations, with the notable exception of the Papal States Papal States

The Papal States or State of the Church was one of the major historical states of Italy [i] befor... 

, but persecution continued in Eastern Europe including massive pogroms Pogrom

Pogrom is a form of riot [i] directed against a particular group, whether ethnic, religious or other... 

 at the end of the 19th century and throughout the Pale of Settlement Pale of Settlement

The Pale of Settlement was a western border region of Imperial Russia [i] in which permanent residence o ... 

. The persistence of anti-semitism, both violently in the east and socially in the west, led to a number of Jewish political movements Jewish political movements

Jewish political movements refer to the organized efforts of Jew [i]s to build their own political parties [i] ... 

, culminating in Zionism Zionism

Zionism is a political movement [i] that supports a homeland [i] for the Jew [i] ... 

.

Zionism and immigration


Many of the newly secular Jews who had embraced Haskalah found themselves deeply troubled by the continuing virulent anti-semitism of the late 1800s, especially the massive pogroms Pogrom

Pogrom is a form of riot [i] directed against a particular group, whether ethnic, religious or other... 

 of the 1880s in Russia and the Dreyfus Affair Dreyfus Affair

The Dreyfus Affair was a political scandal [i] which divided France [i] during the 1890s [i] and early 1900s [i] ... 

, which occurred in France France

France, officially the French Republic, is a country [i] whose metropolitan territory [i] ... 

 in 1894, a country many Jews had previously thought of as particularly accepting. Many Jews in Eastern Europe embraced socialism Socialism

Socialism refers to a broad array of doctrines or political movements that envisage a socio-economic [i]... 

 as a potential escape from persecution, but another group, the Zionists, led by Theodor Herzl Theodor Herzl

Theodor Herzl(May 2 [i], 1860 [i] – July 3 [i], 1904 [i]) was an Austro-Hungarian [i] ... 

, viewed the only solution as the creation of a Jewish state. The interplay between Jewish national and religious identities was evident in Zionism, which was initially an entirely secular movement, but drew inspiration and support from the religious connection between Jews and the Land of Israel. Zionism contributed to the growth of the Jewish population there, which at the time was the Palestine Palestine

Palestine is one of several names for the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea [i] and the ba ... 

 province of the Ottoman Empire Ottoman Empire

The Ottoman Empire , is also sometimes known in the West [i] as the Turkish Empire. ... 

, and later the British Mandate of Palestine Palestine (mandate)

The Mandate for Palestine, also known as the Mandate of Palestine or British Mandate of Pal... 

. Zionism, initially one out of a number of competing Jewish political movements Jewish political movements

Jewish political movements refer to the organized efforts of Jew [i]s to build their own political parties [i] ... 

, gained nearly universal support from the world Jewish population following the near-complete destruction of the Jews of Europe in the Holocaust The Holocaust

The Holocaust, also known as Ha-Shoah and the Porajmos [i] or Samudaripen in Romani [i] ... 

, and led to the foundation of the State of Israel Israel

Israel , officially the State of Israel, is a country in Western Asia [i] on the so ... 

.

In addition to responding politically, during the late 19th century, Jews began to flee the persecutions of Eastern Europe in large numbers, mostly by heading to the United States, but also to Canada and Western Europe. By 1924, almost two million Jews had emigrated to the US alone, creating a large community in a nation relatively free of the persecutions of rising European anti-Semitism Anti-Semitism

Anti-Semitism is hostility toward or prejudice [i] against Jew [i]s as a religious, ethnic, or racial g ... 

 .

The Holocaust


This anti-Semitism reached its most destructive form in the policies of Nazi Nazism

National Socialism, commonly shortened to Nazism or Naziism, originated as a fascist [i] mo ... 

 Germany, which made the destruction of the Jews a priority, culminating in the killing of approximately six million Jews during the Holocaust The Holocaust

The Holocaust, also known as Ha-Shoah and the Porajmos [i] or Samudaripen in Romani [i] ... 

 from 1941 to 1945. Originally, the Nazis used death squads, the Einsatzgruppen Einsatzgruppen

Einsatzgruppen were paramilitary [i] groups operated by the SS [i] before and during World War II [i]. ... 

, to conduct massive open-air killings of Jews in territory they conquered. By 1942, the Nazi leadership decided to implement the Final Solution Final Solution

The so-called "Final Solution of the Jewish Question [i]" refers to the German [i] Nazis [i] ... 

, the genocide of the Jews of Europe, and to increase the pace of the Holocaust by establishing extermination camps Extermination camps in the Holocaust

The extermination camps were the facilities established by Nazi Germany [i] in World War II [i] initiall... 

 specifically to kill Jews. This was an industrial method of genocide. Millions of Jews who had been confined to diseased and massively overcrowded Ghettos Ghetto

A ghetto is an area where people from a specific racial or ethnic background or united in a given culture [i] ... 

 were transported to "Death-camps" Extermination camps in the Holocaust

The extermination camps were the facilities established by Nazi Germany [i] in World War II [i] initiall... 

 where some were herded into a specific location , then either gassed or shot. Afterwards, their remains were buried or burned. Others were interned in the camps were they given little food and disease was common. Many Jews tried to escape Europe before or during the Holocaust, but were unable to find refuge, giving new urgency to the Zionist goal of establishing a Jewish homeland.

Israel

In 1948, the Jewish state of Israel Israel

Israel , officially the State of Israel, is a country in Western Asia [i] on the so ... 

 was founded, creating the first Jewish nation since the Roman destruction of Jerusalem. After a series of wars with neighboring Arab countries, almost all of the 900,000 Jews previously living in North Africa and the Middle East fled to the Jewish state, joining an increasing number of immigrants from post-War Europe. By the end of the 20th century, Jewish population centers had shifted dramatically, with the United States and Israel being the centers of Jewish secular and religious life.

Persecution

Related articles: Anti-Semitism Anti-Semitism

Anti-Semitism is hostility toward or prejudice [i] against Jew [i]s as a religious, ethnic, or racial g ... 

, History of anti-Semitism History of anti-Semitism

This is a partial chronology of hostilities towards or discrimination against the Jew [i]s as a religious or e ... 

, New anti-Semitism New anti-Semitism

New anti-Semitism is the concept of an international resurgence of attacks on Jewish symbols, as well as... 




The Jewish people and Judaism Judaism

Judaism is the religion [i] of the Jew [i]ish people. ... 

 have experienced various persecutions throughout Jewish history Jewish history

Jewish history is the history [i] of the Jew [i]ish people, faith and culture. ... 

. In medieval Europe Middle Ages

The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history [i] ... 

, many persecutions of Jews in the name of Christianity occurred, notably during the Crusades Crusades

The Crusades were a series of military campaigns waged in the name of Christendom [i] This term refers t ... 

—when Jews all over Germany were massacred—and a series of expulsions from England, Germany, France, and, in the largest expulsion of all, Spain. In the Papal States Papal States

The Papal States or State of the Church was one of the major historical states of Italy [i] befor... 

, which existed until 1870, Jews were required to live only in specified neighborhoods called ghetto Ghetto

A ghetto is an area where people from a specific racial or ethnic background or united in a given culture [i] ... 

s. In the 19th and 20th centuries, the Roman Catholic church adhered to a distinction between "good anti-Semitism" and "bad anti-Semitism". The "bad" kind promoted hatred of Jews because of their descent. This was considered un-Christian because the Christian message was intended for all of humanity regardless of ethnicity; anyone could become a Christian. The "good" kind criticized alleged Jewish conspiracies to control newspapers, banks, and other institutions, to care only about accumulation of wealth, etc.

Islam and Judaism have a complex relationship. The political conflict between Muhammad Muhammad

Muhammad 570 [i]-632 [i] CE, was an Arab [i] religious and political leader and the historical founde ... 

 and the Jews of Medina Medina

Medina is a city in the Hejaz [i] region of western Saudi Arabia [i].... 

 in the 7th century left ample ideological fuel for Islam and anti-Semitism through the centuries. During the Middle Ages Middle Ages

The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history [i] ... 

, Jews typically had a better status in the Muslim world than in Christendom Christendom

Christendom, in the widest sense, refers to Christianity [i] as a territorial phenomenon: those countrie ... 

. As the Muslim empire expanded during the centuries, the status of the non-Muslim communities was at times precarious, and they were generally subject to dhimmi Dhimmi

A dhimmi was a "free" , non-Muslim [i] subject of a state governed in accordance with sharia [i] Islamic [i] ... 

laws. These laws freed them from military service and paying zakah, but placed additional jizyah and land taxes on them.

The most notable modern day persecution of Jews remains the Holocaust The Holocaust

The Holocaust, also known as Ha-Shoah and the Porajmos [i] or Samudaripen in Romani [i] ... 

 — the state-led systematic persecution and genocide of the Jews and other minority groups of Europe and North Africa during World War II World War II

World War II, or the Second World War, was a worldwide [i] conflict [i] fought betwe ... 

 by Nazi Germany Nazi Germany

Nazi Germany, or the Third Reich, refers to Germany in the years 1933 to 1945, when it was governe... 

 and its collaborators During the Holocaust, the Middle East Middle East

The Middle East is a subcontinent [i] for the historical [i] and cultural [i] ... 

 was in turmoil. Britain prohibited Jewish immigration to the British Mandate of Palestine Palestine (mandate)

The Mandate for Palestine, also known as the Mandate of Palestine or British Mandate of Pal... 

. While the Allies and the Axis Axis Powers

The Axis Powers were those nations opposed to the Allies [i] during the Second World War [i] ... 

 were fighting for the oil-rich region, the Mufti of Jerusalem Amin al-Husayni Mohammad Amin al-Husayni

Mohammad Amin al-Husayni, the Mufti [i] of Jerusalem [i], was a Palestinian [i] Arab nationalist [i] ... 

 staged a pro-Nazi coup in Iraq and organized the Farhud pogrom which marked the turning point for about 150,000 Iraqi Jews who, following this event and the hostilities generated by the war with Israel in 1948 1948 Arab-Israeli War

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The 1948 Arab-Israeli War, referred to as the "War of Independence" or as the "War o... 

, were targeted for violence, persecution, boycotts, confiscations, and near complete expulsion in 1951. In the French Vichy Vichy

Vichy is a French commune [i], situated in the dpartement [i] ... 

 territories of Algeria Algeria

Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria is a country in north Africa [i],... 

 and Syria Syria

Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in the Middle East [i]. ... 

 plans were drawn up for the liquidation of their Jewish populations were the Axis Axis Powers

The Axis Powers were those nations opposed to the Allies [i] during the Second World War [i] ... 

 powers to triumph.

The tensions of the Arab-Israeli conflict Arab-Israeli conflict

The Arab-Israeli conflict spans about a century of political tensions and open hostilities.... 

 were also a factor in the rise of animosity to Jews all over the Middle East, as hundreds of thousands of Jews fled as refugees Jewish refugees

In the course of history, Jew [i]ish populations have been expelled or ostracised by various local authorities ... 

, the main waves being soon after the 1948 and 1956 wars. In reaction to the Suez Crisis Suez Crisis

The Suez Crisis was a war [i] fought on Egyptian territory in 1956. ... 

 of 1956, the Egyptian government expelled almost 25,000 Egyptian Jews and confiscated their property, and sent approximately 1,000 more Jews to prisons and detention camps. The population of Jewish communities of Muslim Middle East and North Africa was reduced from about 900,000 in 1948 to less than 8,000 today.

Jewish leadership


There is no single governing body for the Jewish community, nor a single authority with responsibility for religious doctrine. Instead, a variety of secular and religious institutions at the local, national, and international levels lead various parts of the Jewish community on a variety of issues.

Famous Jews


Jews have made contributions in a broad range of human endeavors, including the sciences, arts, politics, business, etc. The Jewish people have the largest concentration of Nobel prize Nobel Prize

The Nobel Prizes are prize [i]s instituted by the will [i] of Alfred Nobel [i], awarded to people... 

 winners of any ethnic or religious group.

See also

A full guide to topics related to the Jews is available from the . Additional topics of interest include:
  • Judaism Judaism

    Judaism is the religion [i] of the Jew [i]ish people. ... 

    , for information on the Jewish religion
  • Europe
    • History of the Jews in England History of the Jews in England

      The first Jew [i]s arrived in England at the time of the Norman Conquest [i] in 1066 [i], and were then expell ... 

    • History of the Jews in France History of the Jews in France

      The history [i] of the Jew [i]s of France [i] dates back over 2,000 years. ... 

    • History of the Jews in Germany History of the Jews in Germany

      German Jew [i]s have lived in Germany [i] for over 1700 years, through both periods of tolerance and spa ... 

    • History of the Jews in Greece History of the Jews in Greece

      There have been organized Jew [i]ish communities in Greece [i] for more than two thousand years. ... 

    • History of the Jews in Hungary History of the Jews in Hungary

      History of the Jews in Hungary concerns the Jew [i]s of Hungary [i] and of Hungarian origins. ... 

    • History of the Jews in Ireland History of the Jews in Ireland

      The history of the Jews [i] in Ireland [i] extends back nearly a thousand years.... 

    • History of the Jews in Italy History of the Jews in Italy

      The history of Jews in Italy can be broken into several different eras.... 

    • History of the Jews in the Netherlands History of the Jews in the Netherlands

      The History of the Jews in the Netherlands was most relevant from the end of the 16th century [i] until ... 

    • History of the Jews in Poland History of the Jews in Poland

      The history of the Jews in Poland reaches back over a millennium [i]. ... 

    • History of the Jews in Portugal
    • History of the Jews in Russia and Soviet Union History of the Jews in Russia and the Soviet Union

      The vast territories of the Russian Empire [i] once hosted the largest Jewish population [i] i ... 

    • History of the Jews in Spain History of the Jews in Spain

      Spanish Jews once constituted one of the largest and most prosperous Jew [i]ish communities under Muslim [i] ... 

  • Americas
    • History of the Jews in Canada History of the Jews in Canada

      Canada [i] has the world's fourth-largest Jew [i]ish population. ... 

    • History of the Jews in the United States History of the Jews in the United States

      The history of the Jew [i]s in the United States [i] dates back to some of the earliest European colonie ... 

       and Jewish American
    • History of the Jews in Latin America
  • Western Asia and Africa
    • History of the Jews in Turkey
    • History of the Jews in Tunisia History of the Jews in Tunisia

      Tunisia [i] has had a Jew [i]ish minority since Roman times [i]. ... 

    • History of the Jews in Algeria History of the Jews in Algeria

      Jew [i]s and Judaism [i] have a rather long history in Algeria [i].... 

    • History of the Jews in Morocco History of the Jews in Morocco

      Moroccan [i] Jew [i]s constitute an ancient community. ... 

    • History of the Jews in Egypt
    • History of the Jews in Iraq History of the Jews in Iraq

      Iraq [i]i Jew [i]s constitute one of the world's oldest, and historically most important, Jewish communi ... 

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